We are all individuals, and so is our skin: every person is different. If you have oily skin, you should not treat it the same way as other skin types if you want to for your skin to be at its best; that is young-looking, fresh and luscious. Most of us have oily skin in our teens, but some of us never quite grow out of this and continue to have oily skin for the rest of our lives. Consider a skincare line with varying formulations to meet your skin’s needs.

This is because this is the nature of our skin type, and it should be treated as such. Here is our comprehensive guide to looking after oil skin.

What is Oily Skin?

Oily skin, as the name suggests, is naturally oily, and will commonly display oil on most or all of the face. This skin type is also characterised by clogged and congested pores, as well as blackheads and acne is some cases. This skin time is also prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) which causes dark patches on the skin following an acne breakout. The upside of having oil skin is that it is less prone to the signs of ageing and generally looks younger and more supple.

What Causes Oily Skin Type?

If you have oily skin, this is most likely down to genetics. In other words, your genes have set what your skin type is since before you were born and there is nothing you can do about that! There are also environmental factors that may play a role and contribute to oily skin. Notably, if you live in a very warm and humid climate, this can contribute to oily skin. In some case, hormone, diet and allergy can also impact on your skin and make it more oily.

How do I know if I have Oily Skin?

The best way to check your skin type is to consult with a professional dermatologist. However, you can also do a simple test at home that will give you a pretty good idea about your skin type.

This is called the blotting sheet test, and can be performed as followed:

  1. Take a piece of blotting paper 
  2. Pat the blotting paper gently over your face. Make sure that you include the chin, nose, forehead and cheeks
  3. Hold the blotting paper up to the light and look at how much oil is on the sheet
  4. If you see a lot of oil across the entire sheet of blotting paper, this indicates that you probably have oily skin.

On the other hand, if you only see oil corresponding to the part of the sheet where you patted your forehead and nose, this means you probably have combination skin, sometimes also called normal skin. If there is very little or no oil noticeable on the sheet, this means you likely have a dry skin type.

Tips for Getting the Most out of your Oily Skin

  1. You Still Need to Moisturise

Some people think that if you have naturally oily skin you don’t need to moisturise. However, even oily skin can be prone to dry patches, fine lines and wrinkles, and so moisturising is still important. It just means that you should use a lighter, non-oily moisturiser that is appropriate for your skin type. Make sure you moisturise daily and make this a part of your daily beauty routine. An under-eye moisturising cream is also important, as this area can be particularly prone to the signs of ageing.

  1. Avoid Oil-Based Products

If you have oily skin, it is important to avoid oil-based products. This includes not only moisturisers, but also cleansers, cosmetics and any other product you put on your skin. Many of these products can be oil-based, so you need to check the composition before using them. Alcohol-based and products containing sulphates should also be avoided. These ingredients dry out your skin, which prompts it to produce more oil and therefore should also be avoided for oily skin types.

  1. Cleanse Daily

All skin types are recommended to cleanse every day, but this is particularly important when you have oily skin. As mentioned, oily skin types are prone to clogged pores and breakouts, which should be managed through regular cleansing. Make sure you cleanse with a cleanser designed for oily skin once a day, before you go to bed, in order to wash  off accumulated oil, dirt and other environmental contaminants from the day.