Oily Skin; How To Control Oily Skin Tips And Natural Remedies

Living with oily skin can be a slippery slope. Using a face wash can feel totally pointless, while makeup only makes things worse. And who would want to re-apply mattifying powder every hour? To top it off, oily skin is the perfect breeding ground for acne, something no one ever wants to deal with.

Needless to say, oily skin needs special attention, and the wrong ingredients or habits will just bring on the grease. So the goal should be to control excess sebum, not get rid of it. Drying out your skin will actually encourage sebaceous glands to make more oil. Talk about a catch-22! And to balance things out and get a handle on overactive sebaceous glands here’s a few things you could do.

Wash your face twice a day

Having a good cleaning and skincare routine is the most important thing you can do to care for oily skin. Gently clean your face twice a day, morning and night, with warm water and soap, or a soapless facial cleanser. Use a gentle cleanser at first, as a harsher cleanser can actually increase oil production.

• If a normal cleanser does not reduce the oiliness of your skin, consider a cleanser that includes benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or beta hydroxy acid.
• Start with a cleanser with benzoyl peroxide. This chemical is used specifically to treat mild to moderate acne.
• A chemical cleanser like this might lead to side-effects, such as drying, redness and scaling. These effects often recede after the first month of using the cleanser.
• You may have to try a number of different products to see which one works best for you.
• Use your hands to clean your face and do not use a washcloth or loofah. Pat your face dry afterwards — do not rub or irritate the skin.

Be mindful of what touches your face

Although the oiliness of your skin is largely genetic and the oil is produced below the surface of the skin, it’s a good idea to be mindful of what touches your skin. If you have greasy hair and it is falling over your face, some of this greasiness will be transferred to your skin.

• If you have grubby hands and keep touching your face, you will be spreading the oil around.
• Keep your hair and hands clean and off your face.

Wipe Your Face With A Cleansing Oil

A cleansing oil might seem like the last thing you need but it’s a game changer. It breaks down sebum, dirt, and makeup while adding moisture. It’s no wonder that it’s a staple in Korean skincare and is starting to pop up around the United States. A good option is sea buckthorn berry oil, a remedy proven to control excess sebum.¹ You could also try jojoba oil which is believed to mimic sebum on the skin to “trick” sebaceous glands into producing less sebum and help keep oil levels balanced. That said, it’s important to note that there’s no scientific research to support this theory so you’d have to give it a go to see if your skin truly responds well to it.

Limit Washing Your Face To Twice A Day

Oily skin might make you want to scrub your skin clean several times a day. But it’s important to limit washing your face to twice a day and after sweating. Overdoing it will just strip away natural oils and some sebum is needed for healthy, supple skin.

Be sure to cleanse your skin after using a cleansing oil to get rid of any excess oil and gunk. Try and avoid products with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Although these ingredients fight acne, they’re also quite drying. Consider using them in spot treatments instead.³ This way, you can avoid exposing healthy skin to their harsh effects.

Use A Face Mask 2–3 Times A Week

Since oily skin is more prone to breakouts and acne, treating your skin to a face mask 2–3 times a week will unclog pores and remove trapped oil and dirt. Besides, it’s a relaxing, easy way to give your skin a pick-me-up. Better yet, a mask with oil-absorbing ingredients will handle excess sebum. Additionally, look for face masks that feature hyaluronic acid or alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) for extra oil-banishing properties. Here are a two popular oil-busting face mask ingredients if you’re planning on doing things yourself.

•  Papaya: This will give you a natural glow. A 2014 study in the Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Science found that papaya combats both oil and bacteria. It’ll also reduce melanin, the natural pigment behind hyperpigmentation, but won’t leave your skin dry.⁴ Simply mash up fresh fruit and use as a mask or cleanser.
• Clay: Clay is amazing for absorbing extra oil.⁵ Many commercial products have it, but save your cash and buy cosmetic clay powder from the health store. Mix it with papaya for an instant oil-absorbing mask. However, wear it only for 15 minutes and don’t let it dry out completely.
• Egg whites and lemon: A folk remedy for oily skin, lemon and egg whites are believed to tighten pores. To give them a go, combine 1 egg white with 1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice and use it as a mask. You could add a cup of mashed strawberries to the mix for a dose of vitamin C. If you’ve got a lemon allergy or sensitive skin, it might be a good idea to skip this remedy.

Always do a patch test when using a new face mask. Just apply a small amount to your neck, back of the ear, or inner wrist. Wait a few hours and look for any irritation..

Don’t Forget To Moisturize

Even oily skin needs to stay hydrated. Otherwise, dryness will make your sebaceous glands work even harder. Use a water-based moisturizer with zero fragrance. Doing so will keep your pores from being burdened with more oil.

Add Honey To Your Skincare Routine

Honey is a rare “one size fits all” remedy. It reduces oil, hydrates the skin, and kills acne-causing bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Add it to your face masks, use it as a spot treatment, or slather some on every other day for a few minutes before washing it off.

Use A Green Tea Toner

Toners help tighten your pores and remove oil. And while you can find several different brands of toners out there, we suggest opting for green tea or a product that contains it as an ingredient. This is because the polyphenols (antioxidants) in it control inflammation, sebum, and bacteria, making it an excellent choice for angry, oily skin. All you have to do is steep green tea leaves in warm water, pour the tea into a spray bottle, and spritz the solution on your face regularly or after cleansing.

Keep Blotting Paper Handy

Anyone with oily skin would know the pain of trying to deal with excessively greasy skin that makes it seem like we’re perpetually sweating. And since constantly powdering your face will only give it a cakey pallor, it might be best to carry blotting paper with you. While these thin, small papers can’t prevent the oil from being produced in the first place, they do a good job at minimizing the shiny, greasiness that oily skin brings with it, especially on a hot summer’s day. So you can blot away at the oiliness whenever you’d like to. The best part? They’re inexpensive and easily available.

Exfoliate With Oatmeal Or Ground Almonds Every Week

This is an important skin care practice to remove dead skin cells, oil, and gunk. And regular exfoliation will prevent sebum in skin cells from getting clogged and breaking out. Natural ingredients like oatmeal and ground almonds will exfoliate your skin without drying it out too much (which we all know will trigger more oil production). Combine either of the two with honey and gently scrub your skin before washing it off. Avoid exfoliating more than 2 times in a week.¹²

Eat Clean

Although there isn’t enough research to fully understand the benefits of a clean diet on skin, traditional medicine holds that oily skin is worsened by consuming a diet high in greasy fast food. Besides, switching to dark, leafy vegetables as well as fruits, nuts, and whole grains can give your skin the nutrition it needs to stay healthy

Do you get that hard-to-resist urge to scratch your head? An itchy scalp or pruritus of the scalp can be annoying as well as embarrassing. So, what’s causing that itch? Many conditions can in fact! Some common ones include dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis), psoriasis, lice, and a fungal infection (tinea capitis). Let’s take a look at these conditions and some natural remedies that can help you deal with them.

Itchy Scalp Due To Dandruff

Did you know that dandruff affects almost 50% of all adults?² This condition can give you an itchy scalp as well as flake your skin. It is considered to be a mild form of a condition known as seborrheic dermatitis which causes itchy and flaking skin on other parts of the body too. Although we don’t yet know what exactly causes this condition, the growth of a yeast known as malassezia is associated with it. Antidandruff shampoos are usually used to control dandruff. But if you’re looking for a natural remedy, here’s what you can try.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has antifungal properties and can be useful in treating dandruff. One study found that using a 5% tea tree oil shampoo daily for 4 weeks significantly reduced itchiness and greasiness in people with mild to moderate dandruff.⁴

How to: Try adding a teaspoon of tea tree oil to your shampoo and wash 2-3 times a week to clear out your dandruff.

Eucalyptus Oil

1-8, Cineol, a natural compound found in eucalyptus oil, shows antidandruff activity by inhibiting the yeast malassezia.⁵

How to: Mix around 10 drops of eucalyptus oil in your regular shampoo and massage it into your scalp. Leave it on for a couple of minutes before rinsing, allowing the eucalyptus oil to work its magic.

Neem

According to research, neem extracts are extremely potent against the fungus associated with dandruff.⁶

How to: Boil neem leaves in water, cool the mixture, and use it to wash your scalp and hair. You can also add a teaspoon of neem oil to your regular shampoo or massage neem oil into your scalp after diluting it in a sesame oil base to get rid of those annoying flakes.

Honey

Now, here’s a sweet remedy for that itchy scalp! Honey has antifungal and antioxidant properties that can help clear dandruff. In one study, participants applied 90% honey diluted in warm water every other day and left it on for 3 hours before rinsing it off with warm water. They experienced great relief. Itching and scaling were both resolved within a week. It was also observed that a weekly application of honey prevented dandruff from recurring.

Itchy Scalp Due To Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a long-lasting skin disorder which results in itchy patches of reddish skin and silvery scales. This condition can affect not just your scalp but your knees, elbows, palms, back, face, and feet too. It occurs due to an issue with your immune system and can be exacerbated by factors like stress, infections, dry skin, and some medications. Your doctor may advise medicines or light therapy to deal with this condition. You can also try home remedies like:

Aloe AloVera

Aloe vera has been valued for its soothing and moisturizing properties for ages. And research indicates that it can help you deal with psoriasis too. During one study, patients suffering from psoriasis applied a cream containing .5% aloe vera extract thrice daily for 5 consecutive days a week for a maximum period of 4 weeks. It was found that this treatment cleared psoriasis plaques significantly and cured 83.3% of those who used it.⁹

How to: Split open an aloe vera leaf and apply the gel inside to affected areas. Wash off after 20–30 minutes. This can help relieve itching and deal with psoriasis.

Turmeric

The exotic golden spice turmeric is another agent that could help you deal with psoriasis. A study found that when a gel containing turmeric was applied topically it improved psoriasis. It is thought that this is due to the effect of curcumin, a compound present in turmeric, which has been found to inhibit several inflammatory enzymes implicated in psoriasis.

How to: Mix in a little turmeric powder with water to make a paste and apply on affected areas thrice daily. Rinse off after a while. You can also incorporate turmeric in your daily diet to improve your fight inflammation.

Meditation

Stress has been found to worsen psoriasis. So it makes sense that a relaxation technique like meditation can be helpful for some people in dealing with this condition. And research backs this up. One study suggests that meditation can clinically improve the symptoms of psoriasis. Another study also found that people who participated in a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention while undergoing light therapy healed quicker than those who didn’t.So, taking the time out to meditate might just free you of that itch!

Honey

Another remedy for psoriasis has been sitting on your kitchen shelf all along. According to research, antioxidant-rich, moisturizing honey can help you deal with this condition. In one study, participants with psoriasis applied medical grade honey to areas affected by psoriasis nightly for 2 weeks. It was found to be comparable in efficacy to an aqueous cream commonly recommended for this condition.

Itchy Scalp Due To Head Lice

Could lice be making you scratch your head? These parasites feed on human blood and usually spread through close contact. You can also get lice by sharing things like hairbrushes or hats with someone who has it.¹⁴ You can get lotions and sprays to treat head lice. But if you’re wary of strong chemicals and are looking for something natural, here are some home remedies that you can check out.

Lice Comb

You get special combs that have closely spaced flat teeth which you can use to manually comb the lice out of your hair. Though these combs can be used on dry hair, they work best on wet hair which has conditioner applied to it. The lice will find it difficult to move because of the conditioner.

Petroleum Jelly

According to one study, petroleum jelly doesn’t just kill lice by suffocating them, it even works on the eggs, allowing only 6% of them to hatch. Do keep in mind though that this method might not be as effective as using a pesticidal lotion or manually removing the lice.It will take time and repeated effort.

Neem

Lab studies show that neem seed extracts can kill lice.Neem oil has also been traditionally used in some Asian communities to treat lice.

How to: So the next time you’re bothered by these parasites, add a few drops of neem oil to your shampoo when you’re washing your hair.

Tea Tree Oil

How to: Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo, massage it into your hair, and let it sit for a few minutes. You can also add tea tree oil to your washing machine while you do laundry to disinfect pillow covers or sheets that may be infested with lice.

Diet

Vitamin A, also known as retinoids, benefits the skin by normalizing keratinization, downregulating sebum production which contributes to acne, and reversing and treating photodamage, striae, and cellulite.

Vitamin D and analogs are used to downregulate the cutaneous immune system and epithelial proliferation while promoting differentiation.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that regulates collagen synthesis, forms barrier lipids, regenerates vitamin E, and provides photoprotection.

Vitamin E is a membrane antioxidant that protects against oxidative damage and also provides protection against harmful UV rays. 

References

1.  Bennett, Howard (2014-05-25). “Ever wondered about your skin?”. The Washington Post. Retrieved 2014-10-27.
2. ^ Jump up to:^a b Stücker, M.; A. Struk; P. Altmeyer; M. Herde; H. Baumgärtl; D. W. Lübbers (2002). “The cutaneous uptake of atmospheric oxygen contributes significantly to the oxygen supply of human dermis and epidermis”. The Journal of Physiology. 538 (3): 985–994. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2001.013067. ISSN 0022-3751. PMC 2290093 . PMID 11826181.
3. Jump up^ “The human proteome in skin – The Human Protein Atlas”. www.proteinatlas.org.
4. “Tissue-based map of the human proteome”. Science. 347 (6220): 1260419. doi:10.1126/science.1260419. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 25613900.
5. “Expression of Human Skin-Specific Genes Defined by Transcriptomics and Antibody-Based Profiling”. Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry. 63 (2): 129–141. doi:10.1369/0022155414562646. PMC 4305515 
6. Mortensen, Luke J.; Gunter Oberdörster; Alice P. Pentland; Lisa A. DeLouise (2008). “In Vivo Skin Penetration of Quantum Dot Nanoparticles in the Murine Model: The Effect of UVR”. Nano Letters. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. 8 (9): 2779–2787. doi:10.1021/nl801323y. ISSN 1530-6984. PMC 4111258  PMID 18687009.