How to Balance Oily and Breakout-Prone Skin
3 min readDo you have an oily skin type? Skin of this sort is characterized by excess oil, which may show itself as a certain shine, as well as occasional breakouts of acne. The upside? Your skin will look younger for longer! However, there are ways to balance oily and breakout-prone skin. How so?
First and foremost, it is important to take a close look at the products you are using to care for your skin. Is your cleanser specifically intended for oily and acne-prone skin? If so, there is a large amount of guesswork removed. But if you are browsing products intended for cleaning the skin, your best bet is to select one that lathers. Creamy cleansers are more hydrating than those that lather, and they are better suited for use by those with dry skin. Facial cleansers (as well as body washes) that lather are far less likely to clog the pores and cause breakouts.
You should also take a look at the products you own and see what you may be missing. Do you have an exfoliating product? One of the best ways to balance oily and acne-prone skin is to make sure that you are exfoliating twice per week. A good rule of thumb is to space the days you plan to exfoliate fairly evenly, such as selecting Tuesday and Friday to exfoliate your skin. Any more than twice per week and your skin may backfire, so keep that in mind. What happens is that, when you exfoliate, you are removing dirt, grime, dead skin cells, and other things that cause the pores to become blocked, which in turn causes acne. Exfoliating twice per week keeps the skin clear without stripping it of the oils it needs to be supple and healthy. Over-exfoliating will cause dryness that the skin tries to compensate for by producing more oil than is necessary. This will usually cause outbreaks.
You can find scrubs that exfoliate the skin in every store that sells skincare products. If you are feeling crafty, you can create your own using salt, coconut oil, and the optional addition of essential oil. Simply mix 1/2 cup of salt with 1/4 cup coconut oil. Add in a few drops of your favorite essential oil. A perfect choice to help balance oily and breakout-prone skin is lemon oil.
Another product that you may not have in stock is a facial mask. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, your best bet is a mask that is charcoal or clay. These are often gray or green and bear a mud-like texture. You can brush these on or apply the mask with a fan brush, making sure to skip the nostrils, lips, and eyelids. Wait approximately 20 minutes before you wash the mask off. As these masks dry they pull impurities up and out of the skin. Using a facial mask once per week is all you need to help balance your skin.
Always wash morning and night if you are a female and at least once if you are a male. Don’t go to sleep in makeup, and never forget to apply sunblock before starting your day.
