The Truth About Oily Skin & How To Balance It Out
What Causes Oily or Dry Skin?
The sebaceous glands on your face are responsible for producing the sebum that moisturizes and protects your skin. But you may have noticed too much sebum can be a bad thing. The overproduction can lead to a shiny complexion and, in some cases, even acne.
Using harsh cleansers or washing your face with hot water will cause your sebaceous glands to overproduce oil, compensating for the natural oils you’ve scrubbed off. This can create an excess of oil hours after you’ve washed your face.
The Proper Way To Cleanse
Washing your face twice a day with a mild cleanser and lukewarm water is best. Stray from alcohol-based cleansers and water that's too hot because they can strip your skin of the natural oils you need to avoid dehydration.
As soon as you’re done cleansing, add a toner and finish up with a moisturizer. Add the moisturizer before the water dries so it will trap the water in for more hydration.
Correcting Oily & Dehydrated Skin
Even if your skin is difficult to work with, there are some great skincare products you can use to curb dry or oily skin without overdoing it.
Using a vitamin C serum every day can add much-needed hydration to your skin without causing it to get oily. Vitamin C will remove excess dead skin cells, allowing the hydration the serum provides to penetrate deeper into your skin.
Even if you have oily skin, you should add a moisturizer to your skincare routine. Your face may seem a bit oily for a short time, but it will adjust when your glands reduce their oil production soon after.
We've all heard the expression "You are what you eat," so if you frequent fast food joints often, your skin will show it. Diets high in dairy and sugar contribute to the overproduction of oil.
It may take some trial and error to figure out what works best to achieve the perfect amount of hydration for you!
The bottom line is, sticking with a skincare routine that works well and adjusting your diet will balance out pretty much everything, from oil production to your complexion.