What causes oily skin in the first place? Your own body does, basically oily skin occurs when the sweat glands produce too much of something called sebum.
How to alleviate oily skin? Washing regularly is the number one way to do it. You might want to try an activated charcoal-based soap, Buck Ridge makes four different soaps with activated charcoal. One is unscented named just Activated Charcoal; it is the oily skin version of our Pure Shea Butter soap. We have Black Forest Charcoal which has a nice fragrance oil added to smell good but still contains a ton of activated charcoal to help with the oily skin issue and we also have Fire Starter a scent that smells like a wood fire and also made with activated charcoal or our Organic Black Tea Tree soap which is made with organic ingredients and contains activated charcoal as well as Tea Tree oil which is good for many skin conditions including oily skin.
Another tip is to stay healthy overall, reduce stress and limit alcohol use. Alcohol causes damage to blood vessels over time and can cause the oil glands to enlarge which also enlarges the skin’s pores. You don’t have to become a teetotaler just limit your drinking to one a day to unwind. Besides, who likes a hangover?
We don’t make them but products with salicylic acid is an ideal chemical-based exfoliator that should only be used once a week. A lot of dandruff shampoos are made with salicylic acid for example. Always apply exfoliating products in gentle, small, circular motions for around 30 seconds with warm water.
Change up your diet. Isn’t that always the advice? The American Academy of Dermatology have stated that high glycemic foods and beverages may stimulate inflammation and sebum production, as they raise blood sugars quickly.
Therefore, people with oily skin should try to focus on eating low glycemic foods, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, beans and peas and most whole grains, oats and cereals.
Cow’s milk, given its glycemic index, can also trigger acne through inflammatory pathways. This, in turn, results in clogged pores so you might switch to goat milk or almond milk or other alternatives.
Women should *always* remove makeup before bed. Makeup can clog pores and just make everything worse. After removing makeup wash your face and remember to gently pat your face dry with a clean cloth, rather than scrubbing it.
Men, if you shower in the mornings remember to always wash your face before bed and again, pat dry, don’t scrub.
If you still have oily skin and acne after trying all of this then you might want to talk to your doctor or dermatologist. They can suggest OTC or prescriptions to help with extreme conditions or can diagnose if perhaps a hormone imbalance is the culprit behind your oily skin.