Experts tell Abi Jackson that keeping excess oil and shine at bay starts with the basics. Oily Skin can be extra bothersome in spring and summer, with warmer weather and sunshine in the mix.

Oily Skin can be extra bothersome in spring and summer, with warmer weather and sunshine in the mix.

Moreover, managing excess shine requires more than just the usual techniques like mattifying makeup, topping up your powder, and dabbing with oil-absorbing sheets throughout the day. How you cleanse and hydrate your Skin is a big part of the picture. We asked skincare experts to discuss the key points.

Avoid harsh cleansers

Reaching for heavy-duty cleansing products might seem logical, but this could worsen things.

“With oily Skin, the temptation is to use harsh, oil-free products and strip the skin of natural oils. Excessive cleansing may damage the skin’s moisture barrier, causing dehydration. In response, the skin may overproduce sebum, leading to oiliness. Ada Ooi, founder of 001 Skincare, explains this vicious cycle as a facialist and TCM practitioner.

“My approach takes the science into consideration – to break down excess sebum and relieve congestion, I look at how oil molecules are attracted to other oil molecules – water and oil don’t mix! Therefore, using only oil-free products in an attempt to break down oil is a futile mission. I use an ‘oil attracts oil’ methodology with my clients and in my skincare range, to break down excess sebum and reduce congestion, while keeping the skin hydrated to protect the moisture barrier, which delivers long-term results.”

Izabela Pawlitka, an aesthetic therapist and skincare specialist at Dr. David Jack, agrees that a good cleanser is essential. If you’re looking for a gentle but effective way to cleanse your skin, you might be wondering how to remove makeup, sunscreen, accumulated dirt, oils, pollution, and dead skin cells without something too harsh.

“The most important element of a cleansing routine for people with oily skin is to avoid stripping your skin of the natural oils that keep it hydrated and healthy. Very tight-feeling skin after using a cleanser is not going to make your skin less oily. If that was the case, no one would have oily skin,” says Pawlitka.

“It doesn’t mean that you can’t use well formulated cleanser that contains some level of gentle exfoliation, like lactic acid, azelaic acid or salicylic acid. They can be very beneficial and effective to support your Skin. You also want an element of good hydration in them.”

Prioritize moisture and sun protection.

Layering many products may be trendy, but it might not work for you if your skin feels clogged and reacts.. So, focus on your Skin’s needs – provided you don’t skip the essentials.

“As we all know, trends are not based on science,” says Pawlitka. “The two essential elements of daytime skincare are anti-oxidations and SPF50. Use antioxidant serum as a first layer and follow by moisturiser with built-in SPF50,” she suggests. “The majority of people benefit from fewer layers of skincare routine, as after more than three layers, the penetration and absorption of the products is truly questionable anyway.”

Regarding your night-time routine, hydration deserves a starring role here, too.

“Well-hydrated Skin is key, so it’s extremely important to keep hydrating your Skin with a light textured moisturiser or lotion, rather than a rich moisturiser. In addition to well-known hyaluronic acid, you will benefit from formulas that have niacinamide, peptides and ceramides as ingredients, to increase skin hydration,” suggests Pawlitka.

Even if you try to avoid looking greasy in the daytime, skipping your moisturizer is not the solution. Julia Vearncombe, founder of Skin: Genius, notes that oily types often make “the mistake of trying to strip their skin of oil with astringent products, often also avoid using a moisturizer for fear of making the problem worse.”

She adds, “However, stripping the Skin of oil signals your body to create MORE oil to compensate, which perpetuates the problem. The reverse is also true—at Skin: genius, we use macadamia in our Soothe Operator moisturizer because its profile is similar to sebum, the oil that, when produced in excessive quantities, can lead to spots. Macadamia signals to the body to slow down sebum production, helping to minimize this fundamental cause of blocked pores.

“Bursting with antioxidants to protect our Skin from daily pollutants, macadamia is a superfood for the Skin. It’s rich in linoleic and palmitoleic acids that help lock moisture in, boost an even skin tone and bring brightness. To manage oily Skin, it’s important to commit to a regular routine and give your products time to work.”

It starts on the inside.

Our environments, sleep patterns, diet, and stress levels can impact our Skin.

Excess sebum production is caused by lifestyle factors. Topical solutions won’t fix it. Heavy and greasy foods, refined sugars, processed foods, and dairy affect our body’s balance. In Chinese Medicine, this creates excess heat and dampness. The stagnation leads to excessive sebum or spots on the skin.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that hormonal imbalances and fluctuations can have a significant impact on the amount of sebum that your skin produces. These fluctuations can be brought on by a variety of factors, including puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause. Additionally, stress hormones can also contribute to hormonal imbalances and exacerbate sebum production.Stress hormones increase oil production by stimulating adrenaline.

“Oily Skin Saviors”

These are some of our top picks for oily skin types this spring and summer. Proper deep cleansing is needed for oily and spot-prone Skin without stripping away the Skin’s vital hydration. This gentle facial wash for oily Skin, containing zinc picolinate, effectively cleanses away dirt and oil while respecting the Skin’s pH balance.

Cleanser

Exfoliating Cleanser

exfoliating cleanser uses Caffeine from Coffee Beans and Panax Ginseng to instantly wake up tired-looking skin. Naturally derived Jojoba Beads and Carnauba Wax deliver gentle skin exfoliation to help smooth, refine, and unclog pores. Skin looks smoother and brighter and feels perfectly refreshed.

Serum

This hydrating serum feels super lightweight and sinks in like a dream. It gives your complexion a subtle glow and smoothness and helps protect your Skin’s natural barrier function.

High-SPF formulas can often be greasy and heavy – but this one is lightweight and absorbs fast while also being packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory active ingredients—ideal under makeup all summer.

Paula’s oil-absorbing mask is formulated with a blend of mineral clays that help to refine pore size and promote a healthy-looking, shine-free complexion.

The SKIN BALANCING Oil-Absorbing Mask is specially designed for combination and oily skin types. It contains a unique mix of natural clays along with skin-restoring and soothing ingredients that work together to balance and revitalize the skin.