The Ultimate Guide to Oily Skin Care: Get Oil Under Control!

Oily skin care is full of myths and half-truths that may lead to your ongoing struggle with excess oil and breakouts. We'll show you what your regular care routine could look like and what actually works for oily skin.

How to Identify Oily Skin

Step one: determine if you actually have oily skin. This skin type is characterized by high shine across nearly the entire face (not just the T-zone), caused by increased sebum production. Other signs include enlarged pores and blackheads, and although it may not always be the case, oily skin is also more prone to acne, so breakouts are not uncommon. But we have good news too: wrinkles are less visible on oily skin compared to dry skin.

Why Is Skin Oily More Than Necessary?

First off, it's important to say that oily skin is most often due to genetics. This means you're usually born with oily skin, and likely nothing will change that throughout your life. However, hormonal changes, such as during pregnancy or certain illnesses, can also be to blame. Factors you can influence (at least partially) include increased humidity or excess stress. And because the saying "you are what you eat" also applies to skin, your diet may reflect in increased oil production, especially if it contains too much salt and fried foods.

None of this means you have to accept shine and excess oil on your skin. In addition to lifestyle adjustments, a well-set skincare routine will help.

 

How to Care for Oily Skin

This applies to all skin types: dedicated and regular care with the right products is essential for healthy skin. Here’s how:

1.  Cleansing

At first glance, oily skin may seem able to handle a lot. For this reason, people often choose aggressive and drying products for cleansing with the clear goal of completely eliminating oil. However, this can damage the skin barrier and lead to dehydration, which the skin compensates for by producing even more oil.

Therefore, remove all impurities from your skin with gentle products that are in harmony with your skin's natural pH. As for frequency, there's no need to go to extremes here either. Double cleansing according to Dermalogica twice a day is the right approach.

First, apply a cleansing oil PreCleanse to your skin. Don’t worry, it leaves no residue and won’t make your skin shinier; instead, when combined with water, it gently removes excess oil from your skin. Then, in the second step, cleanse your skin further using a gel like Active Clay Cleanser with kaolin clay, plant lipids, and murumuru seed, which binds oil while protecting the natural lipid barrier. 

Continue with the application of a toner, but avoid those with alcohol content. While they can remove oil, long-term use may lead to irritation and dehydration.

Tip: Add regular exfoliation to your routine, which prevents clogged pores, improves skin texture, and again helps regulate oil production. In this case, gentleness pays off, which is offered by, for example, Daily Microfoliant with salicylic acid.

2.  Hydration

Oily skin has plenty of oil and doesn't need hydration – have you heard this myth? But as you know, the opposite is true. You just need to remember that oily skin craves water, not oil. The right choice will be lightweight hydrating moisturizers and serums, such as those with a gel or water base. In the ingredients, look for hyaluronic or glycolic acid, ceramides, or niacinamide – these are all substances that get along well with oily skin.

Try the cream Active Moist, designed specifically for the needs of oily skin, which soothes, hydrates, and helps improve its texture, or Calm Water Gel, a gel-based formula with hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

3.  SPF

Regardless of your skin type, sun protection is a daily necessity if you want to prevent premature aging and other issues. Even in winter or on days when the sun isn’t shining, reach for creams with SPF of at least 30 or more. Our tip? Mattifying cream Clearing Defense SPF30, which protects the skin from harmful environmental influences without clogging pores.

Is your face still shinier than you'd like? Visit a skin therapist at a Dermalogica salon, who knows best how to deal with oily skin and will create optimal care tailored to you.