A lot of people struggle with having oily skin¹. While some people believe that food has something to do with it, the reality is that it has more to do with genetics and hormonal changes in the body. When it comes to oily skin care, knowing what to avoid can help just as much as knowing how to care for your skin.

Oily Skin Care: 5 Things You Need to Avoid

Oily skin care isn’t difficult, but you’ll need to be extra mindful of certain things to make sure your skin stays healthy.

Here are 5 things that you’ll need to avoid if you have oily skin.

Oil-based moisturizers

Moisturizers are great for keeping your skin soft and as the name implies, moisturized². Even folks with oily skin need to use moisturizers as these can help prevent skin from drying out.

However, it would be best to avoid any oil-based moisturizers as these can aggravate your skin. Stick to water-based moisturizers; products with aloe vera or those specifically made for oily or acne-prone skin typically don’t have any oils.

These products are also lighter so you won’t feel greasy or oily whenever you use them.

Astringents

Astringents work to cleanse skin, remove oil, and some can help to tighten pores. Since they remove oil, you might be inclined to use astringents if you have oily skin. However, this is a big no-no.

The reason is that astringents also dry your skin. This can cause irritation, breakouts, and can even cause your skin to produce more oil. When it comes to oily skin care, you’ll need to steer clear of astringents.

Scrubbing your skin

Some people tend to scrub their skin to get rid of dirt and oils. While this might help remove some oil, this also irritates the skin and can trigger breakouts which persons with oily skin are more prone to having.

When washing your face, you need to be gentle, and use a clean towel to pat it dry.

Harsh soaps and cleansers

Harsh soaps and cleansers can dry the skin too much and in turn, cause it to produce more oil. This means that it is a big no-no when it comes to oily skin care.

As much as possible, only use soaps or cleansers that are very mild, or that you’re sure won’t dry your skin. Washing your face with mild soap should be enough to keep it clean; you don’t need to use any cleansers or other products since these can only make things worse.

If you have acne, washing your face with a harsh cleanser can also make your acne worse.

It’s also a good idea to visit your dermatologist and ask for their recommendation when it comes to these products. They should be able to give you a good idea of what to look for, and which ones to avoid.

Washing your face too much

Washing your face can help remove some oils, but doing it too much can be bad for your skin. This is because when you wash off the protective layer of oil on your skin, it becomes more prone to drying out. Dry skin also tends to produce more oil, so you’ll end up with dry and oily skin, which is a bad combination.

You only need to wash your face once or twice a day to make sure that it is clean.

Key Takeaways

Knowing what things to avoid when it comes to oily skin care can help prevent breakouts and irritation to the skin. By following the tips above, you can be sure that your skin will be clean and healthy.

Learn more about Skincare and Cleansing here.