Do You Have Oily Skin? Though what seems to be a chronic problem, dedicated skin care for oily skin can help reduce the shiny, wet and oily look and get your skin under control. Some people have quite oily skin, and if you are one of these unfortunate individuals, you must have often wished you had drier, cleaner skin, with less active sebaceous glands. It’s not a problem that can’t be solved, though; with a little care and attention, oily skin can easily be kept under control.
Oily skin is often the result of “over-active” sebaceous glands. These are the glands associated with all skin and foolice pores. Many people have excessive oil production in the “T Zone” – that are that extends across the top of the nose up to forehead and above the eyebrows.
Home Remedies for Oily Skin
Although there are a host of oily skin care products available in the market, many swear by simple homemade recipes that are great for oily skin. These natural remedies strike at the root of the problem and make your skin look absolutely beautiful. Try a strawberry and lemon mask one day – all you have to do is mix half a tablespoon of lemon juice, half a cup of crushed strawberries, two drops of jojoba oil and one tablespoon of honey with the whites of an egg. Apply it to your face and leave it on for ten minutes – you’ll be delighted with the results.
Or try a mixture of tea tree oil and sea salt – this will get rid of excess oil without drying out your skin too much. Plain unflavoured yoghurt is good for oily skin, too – it acts as a cleanser and mops up extra oil from your skin.
Of course, you don’t have to apply a mask every day, but regular face packs – say, once a week – will definitely help with excessively oily skin.
A Daily Oily Skin Routine
What you should do every day is to cleanse your skin properly before bedtime. Not only does this process remove dirt and excess oil, it stimulates and energizes your skin. Oily face cleansers that contain Zinc PCA are known to help regulate oil and effectively clean and clear your complexion.
Next, you should tone your skin well with an acne toner that suits oily skin. This closes up pores, removes any grime that remains after cleansing and restores the skin’s pH balance. Use gentle strokes in an upward direction.
It might seem that oily skin doesn’t need to be moisturized but this is far from true. Even oily skin needs a moisturizer that will lock in surface hydration and assist in maintaining skin smoothness and firmness. Good moisturizers can also improve the protective qualities of skin and nourish it well. When you choose your moisturizer, make sure it’s one with a base of light oils. Your moisturizer should be applied to your skin immediately after toning, while it’s still moist from application of the toner. Again, use upward strokes and a gentle massage.
By: Tim Faber
Acne does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race or color of skin. It can happen to anyone at any time. Though genetically defined, this problem can occur even if your parent or grandparents have never had to face it. It can surface on the neck, face, arms, back and can afflict those who have a fair skin or black skin alike. Even though everyone gets stricken with a bout of zits at some time or the other, the amount of competition has increased so much that companies sell their products on dubious differentiation.
Recent research has shown that in real terms there is no difference between the treatment required for black skin and white skin. The difference does exist in the way acne manifests itself. Black skinned people tend to have dark scars and blemishes while those with a fair complexion tend to get red inflammations as a result of acne. Different treatments are required depending on whether you have oily, dry or combination skin type but tat is equally applicable to black and white skin both.
One normally visits a dermatologist when has severe acne and resorts to self treatment and home remedies at the initial stages. We try and cure the scars and try and avoid getting more of the bane that pervades all society. There also needs to be an attempt to reduce the mental torture and tension caused by appearing in a social gathering with a large zit on the nose.
Many over-the-counter and prescribed topical treatments are available today which claim to be especially for black skin today. Benzoyl Peroxide is one common acne treatment which diffuses in the skin and kills bacteria that causes acne in the first place. It dries up the wound and cures in a matter of hours. Other such treatments include salicylic acid, sulfur and resorcinol. Though extremely effective, each of these options comes with its basket of side effects be it redness, dryness or itchiness.
The market is abounding with creams, cleaners, face packs and lotions for acne treatment. There are cures in alternate medicines like homeopathy and ayurveda also. With so many options it is not surprising that we generally need the help of an expert to advise us as to the treatment which will suit us the best.
By: Scotie Keithlow