Perhaps you’ve wondered at some point why your skin is always gleaming and shiny even if you’ve just washed it. Or maybe you find yourself continually spending on blotting sheets for your face. Or if you’re a woman, you probably never leave the house without your trusty compact powder. Other times, you’re constantly getting intensive skin treatments at least once a month.
The problem that you have is called oily skin. This is common for a lot of people and is often a nuisance to most. It’s tiresome when you have the constant need to wipe off the greasy moisture off your face. It’s even worse when you’re sweating profusely. To add to that, you also have to deal with breakouts that accompanies your excessively oily skin.
Oily skin – what causes it?
To keep our skin supple and smooth, our body naturally produces oil. This oil is also called sebum. Our bodies have oil glands that help secrete oil through our pores and on to our skin. This is to prevent our skin from drying out and looking dull. However, when too much sebum is released, this causes our skin to appear oily and shiny. Often, this is also what causes acne to flare-up.
But, why does this happen even if you know you wash and clean your face all the time? It’s important to recognize the root cause of the problem first to address oily skin.
Below are five typical causes for oily skin:
- Excessive use of make up
Sure, makeup can help cover up pimples, acne, and breakouts. However, using the wrong type of makeup and in excessive amounts can also worsen oily skin. Additionally, it is also just as important taking it off as how it is put on. Make sure when you’re selecting your makeup, look for those with labels like “oil-free.”
On the other hand, when removing makeup, make sure to choose a high-quality toner that is formulated to remove excessive dirt thoroughly. The toner should also support cellular regeneration and to also lessen the chances of wrinkles and fine lines.
- Unhealthy eating habits
We are knowledgeable by now that eating right brings plenty of benefits to our health. In the same way, it also helps keep our skin healthy. However, because of the rampant production of processed foods, we tend to overindulge in the wrong foods. The common food culprits that jeopardize our skin’s health are sugar and fatty foods. Try to stay away or limit these kinds of foods to regulate oil secretion.
- Stressful environment
Our fast-paced lives make us prone to stress. Stress is one of the biggest cause of many health problems like diabetes, stroke and heart diseases. When we are stressed, our skin will produce more oil than usual. This is why people who are more stressed are also susceptible to acne and skin breakouts.
- Increasing age
When we get older, we begin to notice changes in our body and health. We start becoming vulnerable to wrinkles, breakouts, as well as oily skin.
- Exposure to dirt and dust
When we are outside, the particles in our surroundings will stick to our skin. Not only that, excess humidity outside can cause our skin to sweat excessively, therefore, making it oily.
How to eliminate excessively oily skin?
Oily skin isn’t necessarily a major problem. However, it can be unpleasant as it is annoying. Although there are creams available to remedy it, there are natural solutions to address excess oil secretions on your skin. Below are five ways to eliminate oily skin using treatments you can try at home:
- Oatmeal exfoliation
Oatmeal is known to have plenty of benefits, especially for the skin. It is because oatmeal can help absorb excess moisture and oil as well as soothe skin that is inflamed. You can create your oatmeal facial masks by doing the following:
– Create a paste by mixing one part oatmeal and hot water
– Add in a tablespoon of honey
– You can also add mashed fruits like bananas, papayas, and yogurt as an option
Once done, distribute the paste evenly on your face and massage it for 3 minutes or leave it on for 15 minutes. Use warm water to rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
- Aloe Vera
This plant is also famous for treating burns and other skin ailments. Similarly, you can use aloe vera as a solution for oily skin. You can opt for aloe vera gels that you can purchase or use the plant you have at home. Just apply a light layer on your face before bed and leave on until the next day. However, make sure to have a skin patch test first in case you are allergic.
- Jojoba Oil
It may seem counterproductive to use oil on oily skin. However, jojoba oil has long been used to remedy acne, allergies and other skin ailments. Although no concrete theory yet, jojoba oil is known to trick our oil glands to produce less sebum. As a result, it helps maintain balanced oil levels. You can apply this and massage this on your skin for a few days and check for results.
You can purchase this jojoba oil here: https://amzn.to/2Dh0blE
- Lemon and egg whites
Using lemon and egg whites is another traditional remedy that helps counter oily skin and other problem. Lemons contain acids to help absorb oil while egg whites help tighten the pores on our skin. You can use this solution by creating a face mask. Just combine an egg white to a teaspoon of lemon juice and apply on your face until it dries. Rinse the mask off using warm water then pat dry.
However, try to avoid this solution if you are allergic to eggs.
- Honey
Honey is used for centuries as a remedy for various skin problems. It is because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties that help to do so. It helps keep the skin moist without being too oily due to its natural humectant. You can try this by spreading a light layer over your face and leave on for about ten minutes before washing it off.
It is a good idea to try these natural remedies instead of spending a fortune on skin products that don’t work most of the time. However, if the home remedy makes oily skin worse, halt using it and visit your dermatologist.
Love reading this article? Share it on your social media by clicking the icons below.