HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM
If you have oily skin, you may feel as though you're forever fighting a losing battle to remove the shine from your chin and forehead. You can probably thank your genes for the sheen: Overly oily skin is a problem that is often handed down through generations within a family.
Changes in hormone levels, such as those that occur during the teen years and early 20s, can cause skin to become oily and trigger outbreaks of acne. But it's not just a problem for teenagers and young adults. Many women notice oily skin problems around the time of their menstrual periods, during pregnancy, or at menopause. Some types of birth control pills can also increase skin oiliness.
There's one more player in the blame game. Blame oily skin on men, or more specifically, the male hormone androgen that controls oil production in the skin. While it sounds odd, even women's bodies (the ovaries and the adrenal glands) produce male hormones. Many women notice that their skin feels oilier around their menstrual cycle and during menopause. This is due to the fluctuating levels of androgen.
The good news about oily skin is that it keeps the skin looking younger. Over time, people with oily skin tend to wrinkle less than people with dry or normal skin.
In most cases, oily skin can be treated at home. However, you'll want to call a doctor if you develop acne that doesn't respond to home remedies or notice any sudden and/or unusual change in your skin (if it goes from dry to oily seemingly overnight but it isn't time for your period, for example). Otherwise, try these helpful tips:
Keep skin squeaky clean. As anyone with oily skin knows, the oilier the skin, the dirtier the skin looks and feels. To help combat this feeling, it's important to keep the skin clean by washing it at least twice a day. Some doctors recommend detergent-type soap. You might even try adding a drop or two of dishwashing detergent to your regular soap; the extra kick will act as a solvent for the oil. However, other dermatologists say detergent soaps are just too harsh even for oily facial skin, recommending instead twice-daily cleansing with a glycerin soap. If you try a detergent soap and find it too irritating for your skin, try the glycerin variety, generally available over the counter in the skin-care aisle of most drugstores.
Try aloe vera. Apply aloe vera gel (available in many drugstores as well as health-food stores) to your face to absorb oil and clear out pores. Dab the gel onto your face two to three times a day (especially after washing), then let it dry. The gel will feel more refreshing if it's cool, so keep it in the refrigerator.
Wipe with astringents. Wiping the oily parts of the face with rubbing alcohol or a combination of alcohol and acetone (a mixture found in products such as Seba-Nil Liquid Cleanser) can help degrease your skin just as well as more expensive, perfumey astringents. Many drugstores even sell premoistened, individually wrapped alcohol wipes that you can keep in your purse for quick touchups throughout the day.
Carry tissues. Even if you don't have an astringent with you, paper facial tissues can help soak up excess oils in a pinch. You can also purchase special oil-absorbing tissues at the cosmetics counter that are very effective in removing excess oil between cleansings.
Chill out with cold water rinses. If you don't want to apply chemicals to your skin, simply splashing your face with cold water and blotting it dry a couple of times a day can help remove some excess oil.
Ban moisturizers. While advertisements are forever urging women to apply facial moisturizers, oily-skinned folks shouldn't use them -- their skin is already doing a more than adequate job of keeping itself supple and warding off dryness. Applying a sunscreen to the face before going outdoors in daylight is still a very good idea, however; check labels for products that are designed for oily skin or that are noncomedogenic (meaning they'll be less likely to plug up pores, which is especially important for oily skin that is already more susceptible to acne blemishes).
Make a scrub. Giving your face a very light scrub can remove excess surface oil. Try this almond honey scrub: Mix a small amount of almond meal (ground almonds) with honey. Then gently massage (don't scrub) the paste onto your skin with a hot washcloth. Rinse thoroughly. You can also make a scrub from oatmeal mixed with aloe vera. Rub gently onto the skin, leave on for 15 minutes, then wash off thoroughly. If you suffer from acne on your face, however, you should probably skip the scrub, since it can aggravate your already-irritated skin.
Masque it. Masques applied to the face can reduce oiliness. Clay masques are available, or you can mix Fuller's Earth (available at pharmacies) with a little water to make a paste. Apply to the face and leave on for about 20 minutes before thoroughly rinsing off.
Use water-based cosmetics. Better yet, learn to live without makeup -- or at least without foundation -- since it will simply add to and trap the oil against your skin and set the stage for blemishes. If you feel you must use makeup, choose water-based products over oil-based types, and opt for spot concealers rather than coating your entire face. In general, stick with powder or gel blushers, and avoid cream foundations.
Pull your hair back. It's best to keep hair away from the face if you are having issues with your skin. Often oily hair and oily skin go together.Don't touch. Keep your hands off your face during the day. Hands deliver excess oil and dirt.
These simple, effective strategies can make all the difference in your complexion. Still, sometimes a person needs a little extra help. Go to the next page to learn natural home remedies that you can find in your very own kitchen.
Natural Home Remedies for Oily Skin
Although you can't change your genes, there are plenty of home remedies to combat oily skin using kitchen ingredients.
Home Remedies from the Cupboard
Almonds and honey. The luscious combination of succulent almonds and sweet honey works well as a gentle facial scrub for removing oils and dead skin cells. Mix a small amount of ground almonds with honey to make a paste. Gently massage the paste into your skin with a comfortably hot washcloth. Rinse with cool water.
Baking soda. Be abrasive, but in a mild way. Liquid soap users can add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda into the mixture. Rub gently onto oily areas such as the nose and chin. This gentle abrasive works well in getting rid of blackheads as well as oil. Rinse with cool water.
Cornstarch. Cornstarch dries up oily patches. Mix 1 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch with enough warm water to make a paste. Rub on your face, let dry, and then shower or rinse off with lukewarm water in the sink. Try this once a day for best results.
Salt. This gift from the sea is nature's best desiccant. Place tepid water into a small spray bottle and add 1 teaspoon salt. Close your eyes, and pretend you're at the seashore. Then squirt some of this salt spray on your face once during the day. Blot dry.
Vinegar. A good way to exfoliate the skin is with white or apple cider vinegar. Apply using a cotton ball before bedtime. Leave it on for five to ten minutes and then rinse with cool water. You'll need to use this remedy for three weeks to see improvements. If your skin is super-sensitive, dilute the vinegar with four parts water. For a summertime treat, chill the vinegar or freeze it into ice cubes and apply as a cooling facial.
Home Remedies from the Refrigerator
Apples. If you're willing to do some creative cooking, your effort will be rewarded with this homemade, oil-ridding facial. Mix 1/2 cup mashed apple, 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 slightly beaten egg white, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice into a smooth paste. Apply to your face for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.
Egg yolk. A fast fix for removing oil shine requires one of the simplest foods: the egg. An egg yolk mask dries out the skin. Apply the egg yolk with a cotton ball to oily spots. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.
Limes and cucumbers. Citrus fruits and some vegetables not only refresh the skin but also help reduce oils. Try mixing 1/2 teaspoon lime juice with an equal amount of cucumber juice. Apply to skin a few minutes before showering.
Home Remedies from the Windowsill
Aloe vera. Aloe vera, the wonder plant of the household, works well at absorbing skin oils. Slice open a leaf and smear the gel onto the face up to three times a day. Let dry. (Keep a small amount of gel in the refrigerator during summer months for a refreshing face-lift!)
AyurvedicCure.com
To care for oily skin you should start with a gentle, foaming facial wash. This will remove dirt and oil without stripping away moisture.
1. Make a puree of fresh tomatoes, apply to the skin
2. Mix half teaspoon honey with egg white and one teaspoon lemon juice. Add fuller's earth or brewer's yeast powder. Mix into a paste and apply. Remove after 20 minutes with water.
3. To prevent the problem of your makeup becoming patchy either on the forehead, chin or nose due to excessive oiliness in these areas, apply a little cucumber juice on the excessively oily parts of your face, dry thoroughly and then apply your makeup.
4. Mix one tablespoon youghurt with fuller's earth and apply. Youghurt itself can be applied o the face. It helps to soften the skin and restores the natural acid mantle.
5. If your skin is excessively oily, mix in a few drops of eau de cologne. This not only helps keep oiliness away but also helps in refining the pores of the skin by acting as astringent, thereby preventing acne.
6. Make a pulp of raw papaya and apply. Papaya has a cleansing action, softening dead skin cells and aiding their removal.
Recommendations for Oily Skin:
1. Keep a bowl of water in the fridge and splash this cold water on your face 3-4 times a day.Cold water will not only leave you feeling refreshed but will also tighten the pores.
2. Follow up the cleanser with an astringent as this will remove all excess oil
3. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water each day.Water helps flush out toxins from the body.
4. Use an exfoliant twice a week. These skin scrub products contains little granules that, when used with a small brush, provide deep cleansing.
Natural Skincare
Half an hour before taking your bath apply on your face half teaspoon each of lime and cucumber juice mixed together.
If your skin is excessively oily, mix in a few drops of eau de cologne. This not only helps keep oiliness away but also helps in refining the pores of the skin by acting as astringent, thereby preventing acne.
To prevent the problem of your makeup becoming patchy either on the forehead, chin or nose due to excessive oiliness in these areas, apply a little cucumber juice on the excessively oily parts of your face, dry thoroughly and then apply your makeup.
If your whole face turns patchy after makeup is applied on it, then apply equal parts of lime juice and witch-hazel. Dry well before putting on your makeup.
Choose an astringent that contains acetone, which is known for dissolving oil. Strong astringents will do more harm than good, stimulating an overproduction of oil.
To clear away excess oil, use a clay or mud mask. Blend together well 1 teaspoon green clay powder and 1 teaspoon raw honey. Apply the mixture to your face, avoiding the eye area. Leave it on for fifteen minutes, then rinse well with lukewarm water. Do this at least three times a week--or more.
Once or twice daily, mix equal parts of lemon juice and water together. Pat mixture on your face and allow it to dry, then rinse with warm water. Follow with a cool-water rinse.
Diet for Oily Skin
Take a diet rich in proteins but restricted in sugar, fluids and salt.
Take plenty of leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits.
Have your blood brought up to par by the suitable administration of necessary vitamins, iron and similar substances.
Even a slight deficiency in vitamin B2 can cause oily skin. Nutritional yeast, wheat germ and organ meats provide both vitamin B5 and vitamin B2. Other good sources of vitamin B2 are whole grains, beans, nuts, and royal jelly. Buckwheat, black beans and whole rice are excellent to supply the body with iron and rejuvenate pate skin.
Drink plenty of quality water to keep the skin hydrated and flush out toxins.
Reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Avoid pork and fried and highly seasoned foods. Consume no animal fats, or heat-processed vegetable oils.
Do not cook with oil. Do not eat any oils that have been subjected to heat, whether in processing or cooking. If a little oil is necessary, such as in salad dressing, use cold-pressed canola or olive oil only.
Do not drink soft drinks or alcoholic beverages. Avoid sugar, chocolate, and junk food.
Herbs for Oily Skin
Aloe vera has excellent healing properties. Apply aloe vera gel topically, as needed.
Burdock root, chamomile, horsetail, oat straw, and thyme nourish the skin.
Lavender is very good for oily skin. Mist your skin with lavender water several times daily.
A facial sauna using lemongrass, licorice root, and rosebuds is good for oily skin. Two or three times a week, simmer a total of 2 to 4 tablespoons of dried or fresh herbs in 2 quarts of water. When the pot is steaming, place it on top of a trivet or thick potholder on a table, and sit with your face at a comfortable distance over the steam for fifteen minutes. You can use a towel to trap the steam if you wish. After fifteen minutes, splash your face with cold water and allow your skin to air dry or pat it dry with a towel. After the sauna, you can allow the herbal water to cool and save it for use as a toning lotion to be dabbed on your face with a cot- ton ball after cleansing.
Witch hazel applied to the skin is excellent for absorbing oil.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy considers skin problems to be a general bodily imbalance. Hence treatment is constitutional. Consult an experienced homeopath if the condition does not improve.
Take one of the following in the 6c strength every twelve hours for up to one month.
Take Mercurius for an oily face that smells unpleasant, with trembling, sticky perspiration and overproduction of saliva. Oiliness is worse in cold and hot weather.
Natrum mur is useful for a person with an oily, shiny face that is worse on hairy parts, and who is constipated.
Common Sense Recommendations
Do not smoke. Smoking promotes enlargement of the pores and impairs the overall health of the skin.
Rub oily skin areas with apple cider vinegar for a neutralizing effect.
Regularly brushing and massage of the whole body stimulates circulation and rejuvenates the skin.
Evening primrose oil supplements are beneficial for skin. They contain gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid reputed to strengthen skin cells and boost their moisture content.
Get sufficient sleep as the skin's cellular repair activity is at its optimum during this resting phase.
Exercise benefits skin as it boosts circulation and encourages blood flow. Regular exercise will nourish and cleanse your skin from within.
mothernature.COM
7 Restoratives for a Happier Face
It's not your fault, really. If you've got to blame someone, blame your ancestors. Chances are they came from someplace where oily skin served a useful purpose, such as combating the effects of excessive Mediterranean sunlight or monsoon rains. Now you're stuck with oily skin in the middle of Minnesota, where the embarrassment of a shiny forehead outweighs any possible protection your skin might afford you from scorching rays or tropical torrents.
Heredity does play a big part in oily skin, but so do hormones. Pregnant women sometimes notice an increase in skin oil as hormonal activity changes. So do women taking certain types of birth control pills. Stress can also cause the oil glands to kick into overdrive. The wrong cosmetics can easily aggravate an otherwise mild case of oily skin. Some of these causes are within your ability to control, but others you'll have to learn to live with.
There is no magic cure for oily skin. State-of-the-art advice from the experts calls for keeping it clean, and keeping at it all the time. Our tips will help you do that as well as it can be done.
On the up side, skin experts believe there are some advantages to having an oily hide, not the least of which becomes apparent with the steady passing of time. That is, oily skin tends to age better and wrinkle less than dry or normal skin. Today's curse; tomorrow's blessing.
Make mine mud. "Clay masks or mud masks are worthwhile," says Howard Donsky, M.D., an associate professor of medicine at the University of Toronto and staff dermatologist at Toronto General Hospital. But Dr. Donsky cautions that masks will make skin feel good and look better only temporarily, so don't count on the effects lasting for any length of time.
Generally, the darker brown the clay (mud), the more oil it can absorb. White or rose-colored clays, though, are gentler and work best on sensitive skin.
Masks can cleanse the skin of surface greasiness, but don't expect them to "deep-clean" the pores (the term is meaningless, some experts say) or do anything more than temporarily tone the skin.
Splash on the hot suds. "Hot water is a good solvent," says Hillard H. Pearlstein, M.D., a private practitioner and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York. For that reason, he recommends that oily skin be washed in very warm water, with plenty of soap. "Hot water plus soap will dissolve skin oil better than cold water and soap," he says, "because more things dissolve in hot than cold, and that includes soap and the grit and grime you're trying to get rid of on your skin."
Seek out drying soaps. "Given the state of the art in oily skin treatment, all you can really do is degrease the skin," Dr. Pearlstein says, "and that has to be done repeatedly, with astringents and with drying soaps."
Finding a drying soap is not a problem (finding one that won't dry the skin can be, however). Many dermatologists seem to favor good old Ivory for oily skin, along with more specialized degreasing soaps such as Cuticura Mildly Medicated Soap, Clearasil soap, and Neutrogena Oily Skin Formula, to name a few.
Follow with astringents. Astringents with acetone are your best bet, according to Dr. Neldner. "Acetone is a great fat and grease solvent, and most astringents have a bit of acetone in them. If you use it regularly, you can surely remove oil from the skin."
Although most astringents contain alcohol, look for a brand that also contains acetones, such as Seba-Nil, says Dr .Neldner. Ordinary rubbing alcohol, however, can be used as an effective, inexpensive astringent. Those looking for something milder can try witch hazel, which contains some alcohol and also works well.
Nonalcohol astringents contain mostly water and are not as effective as those with alcohol and acetone, but they may be of help for those with sensitive skin. Worth noting: Dermatologists say that rather than washing the face several times a day, which can leave it too dry and irritated, you're better off to carry astringent pads with you and use them to cleanse the face.
Select cosmetics with care. "Cosmetics come in two major categories," says Dr. Neldner, "oil-based and water-based. If you've got oily skin, use only a water-based product."
There are many cosmetics formulated for oily skin. They are made to soak up and cover oiliness so the skin doesn't look as greasy. But no cosmetic has any magical ingredient that will slow down or stop oil production, so don't be lured into buying products that make such claims.
Take a powder. Baby powder, that is. For additional shine-free protection, some women find that simple products such as Johnson's Baby Powder make a superb face powder when fluffed lightly over makeupTo care for oily skin you should start with a gentle, foaming facial wash. This will remove dirt and oil without stripping away moisture. Soak cotton wool in a gentle astringent lotion and sweep it over your skin to refresh and cool it. Even oily skin needs a moisturiser, but chose a light, watery fluid; this will be enough for your skin. Allow the moisturiser to sink in and then absorb the excess with a tissue to prevent shine.
A clay mask works wonder for oily skin. We recommend this clay mask:
Natural bentonite clay detoxifies and balances the skin's surface by absorbing impurities and excess oils.
Home remedies for oily skin
1) Make a puree of fresh tomatoes, apply to the skin
2) Beat together 1 egg white, 1 tsp spirits of camphor, 1 heaping Tbsp skim milk powder and a scant drop of essential oil of mint. First apply a thin film of odorless castor oil to the skin , then apply a thick layer of the egg white mask. Lie back for about 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water, then rinse with an apple cider vinegar and water solution or witch hazel.
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