Oily skin is something nobody yearns for because it requires a lot of effort to manage. What’s more, oily skin not only gives you a greasy look but also makes you an easy victim to acne.
We understand that this daunting duo must have left you feeling conscious about your appearance. A study conducted by the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology showed that oily skin is basically a result of overactive sebaceous glands.
Too much sebum tends to plaque your skin pores, thus causing an abnormal rise of oil in your skin and acne. There are various factors resulting in imbalanced sebum levels like stress, hormonal changes, hereditary, etc.
You may assume that controlling oily skin is a huge task after trying several tips and tricks. However, don’t lose your hope as we have assembled the perfect pack of remedies for you.
Powerful home remedies for oily and acne prone skin
1. Honey
The antibacterial and antiseptic properties of honey keep your skin nourished and bacteria-free without making it appear greasy or oily. In addition, studies unravel that honey acts as an acne-spot remover while helping you to effectively treat oily skin.
Directions to apply
- Pour 1 tablespoon of raw honey in a bowl.
- Spread a thin layer of raw honey on your skin with your fingertips.
- Let it dry for 15 minutes before rinsing it off with water.
2. Oatmeal
An oatmeal mask is a very amazing home remedy for oily skin and pimples as it helps to absorb the extra oil from your face. Its natural anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties help to provide relief in acne infection.
Directions to use
- Take a half cup of ground oats and put it into hot water to form a paste.
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey to this mixture.
- Stir all the ingredients properly.
- Gently massage this oatmeal mask on your face for 2-3 minutes.
- Rinse it with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel.
3. Clay mask
Countless research studies reveal that clay masks are a very effective natural solution for acne-prone skin. It not only helps to absorb excess sebum present in your skin but deeply cleanses your skin pores. Mild exfoliating properties of clay mask helps to clear out any unwanted dirt, grime, oil present embedded in your skin pores, thus preventing oily skin and pimples.
Directions to apply
- Take 2 tablespoons of clay mask to a bowl.
- Add some water to form a paste.
- Apply the mixture on your skin and leave it until it dries completely.
- Rinse away the mask with cold water and apply a moisturizer to provide nourishment.
4. Green tea
Various studies show that the polyphenols present in green tea help to prevent the production of excess sebum while controlling pimple-causing bacteria. Furthermore, it assists in tightening the pores of your skin and fighting against inflammation. Directions to apply
- Add 3 green tea bags in a bottle before pouring 2 cups of lukewarm water in it.
- Allow the solution to cool down overnight.
- Sprinkle the toner on your skin after cleansing for best results.
For everyone, home remedies alone may not be enough to improve the condition of oily and acne-prone skin. Luckily, tweaks in your skincare routine can go a long way
1. Use a gentle cleanser
Cleansing is one of the prominent steps in the skincare routine of oily and acne-prone skin types. A good gentle cleanser helps in removing dead skin, impurities, and excess oil that settles on your face throughout the day. However, it is important to choose a face wash that is specially formulated for your skin type.
Ideal properties to look for in a cleanser
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Antimicrobial properties
This property suppresses the growth of acne-causing bacteria on the skin.
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Sebostatic action
It helps in balancing out the excess sebum production.
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Sulphate-free
Prevents the loss of natural skin oils while cleansing skin.
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Ingredients to look for
Zinc PCA, salicylic acid, sodium benzoate, and Cocamidopropyl betaine are some of the ingredients that play a major role in controlling acne and sebum production while healing acne.
2. Include alcohol-free toner in your daily regime
When pores are clogged, your skin becomes more prone to whiteheads, blackheads, and acne. Due to hyperactive sebaceous glands in oily skin types, pores get easily clogged with dirt and grime. The benefit of using a toner is that it helps in removing pore-clogging residues left after cleansing.
Ideal properties to look for in a toner
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Must be alcohol-free
Alcohol-based toners are observed to cause skin irritation, redness, extreme dryness. On the other hand, alcohol-free toners act gently on the skin.
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pH balancing properties
Helps to restore your skin’s pH while cleansing, soothing, and healing skin.
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Ingredients to look for
Witch hazel, willow bark, clary sage, and aloe vera are some of the ingredients which cleanse away the impurities and excess oil from pores to rejuvenate your acne-prone skin.
3. Add specialized serum for oily acne-prone skin
Serums contain high concentrations of active ingredients such as salicylic acid, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid that reduce acne inflammation and speed up skin healing. Serums with such ingredients get easily absorbed into the skin to provide instant results.
Ideal properties to look for in a serum
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Anti-inflammatory effect
It helps to calm pain and irritation on the acne-prone skin.
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Antioxidant properties
Helps to counter the collagen and elastin damage in the body and also boost collagen to heal acne fast.
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Fragrance-free
For sensitive and acne-prone skin types, the use of fragrance-based products may provoke an allergic reaction. Whereas, fragrance-free serum won't cause sun problems.
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Ingredients to look for
Ingredients like sodium ascorbyl phosphate, niacinamide, green tea extract, salicylic acid, and beta hydroxy acid are found very effective to calm inflammation, boosting collagen production, and healing acne lesions.
4. Never skip moisturizer
Time to bust the myth that oily skin does not require moisturizer. However, lack of moisturization not only leads to skin dryness but can also give you acne flare-up.
Ideal properties to look for in a moisturizer
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Gel-based moisturizer
Gel-based formulas work better for oily acne-prone skin. It easily gets absorbed and feels lighter on the skin. Besides, it does not leave any greasy residue on the skin.
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Labeled as “oil-free” and “non-comedogenic”
Sebaceous gland is more active in oily skin producing extra oil, which can trigger acne. Thus, adding oil-free and non-comedogenic products helps to prevent clogging of pores while controlling excess sebum production on the face. This ultimately, reduces the risk of acne and breakouts.
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Ingredients to look for
Ingredients such as saccharide isomerate, cydonia oblonga leaf extract, and biosaccharide Gum 1 are good to keep the skin hydrated without making it oily.
5. Wear a sunscreen
It becomes imperative to protect your skin from sun exposure when you are dealing with acne. The reason being, UV rays can dry out your skin which makes sebaceous glands overwork to keep the skin hydrated. This leads to skin irritation, acne exacerbation, and risks of Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH).
Ideal properties to look for in a sunscreen
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Lightweight formulation
Since lightweight and gel-based sunscreen formulas don't feel heavy on the skin. Such sunscreens glide onto the skin and don’t leave a white cast.
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Broad-spectrum
This property protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays of the sun. UVA rays are considered responsible for premature signs of aging (wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots) while UVB rays mainly cause sunburn.
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Ingredients to look for
Many sunscreen ingredients such as tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), Eurol Bt™, and Uvinul A Plus work greatly for acne prone skin types. They provide good sun coverage without exacerbating acne.
Oily acne-prone skin is one of the most common skin concerns. It not only gives you a greasy appearance but if not treated in time, then can lead to acne and breakouts. Usually, for many people opting for home remedies is the easiest approach. However, it has been found that using home remedies wrongly can adversely affect the skin. Therefore, dermatologists advise using specialized formulated products, which have an ideal concentration that works on your skin concern and helps in preventing acne and achieving grease-free skin.
P.S.
There are some comedogenic ingredients in your skincare products that may clog your pores, causing acne formation. On the other hand, non-comedogenic do not cause clogged pores, and further prevent unwelcomed signs of acne. That’s why always look for skincare products that are labeled as non-comedogenic and paraben-free.
