Dewy, glowing skin can make you look healthy and youthful. However, if you've got oily skin, you probably aren't a fan of shine. The overproduction of oil in your skin can leave you looking greasy instead of luminous. But while oily skin can be frustrating to deal with, there are ways to get your shine under control. It starts with using the right products for your skin type to keep the greasiness in check.
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When you have oily skin, choosing the right skincare products is key to keeping oil under control. Start by making sure that your products are all oil-free so you don’t clog your pores and make your skin look even shinier. When it comes to moisturizer, choose a lightweight, water-based formula instead. However, you don’t want to choose products with severely drying ingredients like alcohol either. It may be counterintuitive, but when you use a drying cleanser or a harsh toner on oily skin, it only triggers more oil production, making your skin look even shinier.
Tone It Up
With oily skin, even a good cleanser can leave behind excess oil and residue that may leave your face looking greasy. After you wash your face, follow up with an alcohol-free toner on a cotton pad to remove any lingering oil, dirt or debris. Formulas with calendula extract and tea tree oil are good options because they actually help mattify the skin without removing your skin’s natural oils.
Exfoliate Regularly
Removing dead skin cells from the surface of your face not only helps prevent clogged pores, but can also help oil-control products penetrate the skin more easily. You should use a gentle scrub to exfoliate your skin because harsher scrubs can be irritating. As an alternative, try a liquid or gel product that contains salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid, so it exfoliates the surface of your skin as well as deep inside the pores where oil can build up. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it a good option if your oily skin is prone to acne.
Use a Mattifying Product
Whether you like to wear makeup or go bare-faced, a mattifying product can be an important step in your skincare routine. These products contain oil-absorbing ingredients like talc and clay, which prevent your skin from getting too shiny throughout the day. You can find mattifying moisturizers that hydrate the skin while working to absorb excess oil. If you plan to wear makeup, you may prefer a mattifying primer, which absorbs oil throughout the day so your foundation, concealer and powder don’t look cakey. The primer usually contains silicones, which help smooth the surface of the skin so makeup applies more easily.
Absorb Afternoon Shine
No matter how well you treat your skin, oil may break through during the day. Having the right products in your bag to deal with excess oil when it occurs can keep you free of shine. A translucent pressed powder helps absorb excess oil without adding any color or buildup to your face. You can apply it with a sponge or brush whether you’re wearing foundation or not. If you don’t want to apply any additional makeup to your face, oil-blotting sheets are an alternative. They are small, thin pieces of paper that soak up excess oil from the skin without disturbing your makeup or making your skin look cakey.
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