‘Caring for your oily skin’

Are you having problems controlling oil on your skin? With proper maintenance, oily skin can look just as beautiful as any other skin type. The three basic skin types are dry, normal and oily.  Most dark skins are on the oily or combination side. One great advantage of oily skin is that it  handles ageing well as it seems to fight lines and wrinkles better than other skin types; but it also needs more care and must be kept clean and fresh to avoid build-up of excessive oiliness which often leads to pimples, enlarged pores, dull skin, blackheads and the dreadful shine.

Oily skin is common in teenagers due to hormonal shifts of adolescence, but it can occur at any age and tends to become dryer with age.

Oily skin requires special cleansing with warm or hot water and soap which dissolve skin oil better than lukewarm or cold water and prevent the pores from being clogged. Pure and antibacterial soaps with no artificial additives like Lifebouy, Dove, Cocoa butter and Protex are some good cleansers for your oily skin. Cleansing creams and lotions that contain alcohol should be avoided as these can strip too much oil away from your skin and leave it dry. If you have problem skin, use a deep-cleaning exfoliant three times a week and clarifying mask two times a week. 

Since your skin does not need more shine, buy a light, water-based or oil-free moisturiser like Forever Living Aloe Vera Gelly, Clear Essence Beautifying milk or Vita-E lotion and apply sparingly. Use highly concentrated day and night creams specially designed for oily skin with antiseptic capabilities like benzoyl peroxide, which can be found in face wash, bar soap, topical cream or gel in Oxy and Clearasil Max which can help alleviate your problem. This should be used once or twice daily and results will be evident after a few weeks.  Salicylic acid, found in medicated facial pads, face wash and facial toner in Loreal products is mild, but can be used to prevent your hair follicles from shedding excess skin and clogging your pores, thereby fighting the cause of acne, blackheads and whiteheads. This will also reduce chances of skin eruptions and help maintain a shine-free complexion.

Beautiful skin begins inside and radiates outward. Your diet should be rich in protein but restricted in sugar and salt. Take plenty of leafy green vegetables and fruits. Reduce the amount of fat in your diet, especially animal fats, or over-processed vegetable oils and avoid using oil in cooking as much as possible. Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated and flush out toxins.