A few days back, I was going for lunch with my best friend to our favourite cafe. I can’t even begin to tell you how beautiful that cafe is. We were both very excited. So, we got ready, chose our best outfits, styled our hair, and put our best makeup game forward. When we reached the cafe, I just couldn’t wait to get my pictures clicked. But sadly, to my utter disappointment, my makeup had already melted off by the time we reached the cafe.
Any guesses why? And no, it wasn’t because there was something wrong with my makeup skills. It was because I have extremely oily skin. And I’m sure anyone with oily skin will relate to what happened to me.
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The struggle of dealing with oily skin is REAL!
From being called ‘Miss Chip Chip’ and ‘Greasy Ball’ in school to having a new pimple pop up on your face every other day (& especially on important days), the list of problems people with oily skin have to face is very long.
I have had first-hand experience dealing with several oily skin problems. But thanks to my sheer determination and pretty good research skills, I have found out about some ways to tackle oily skin, and in this blog, I will talk about one of those ways – Facial Cleansing.
As simple as it might seem, cleansing your face properly can go a long way in balancing the oil production in your skin and giving you a healthy complexion. In this blog, I will tell you all about the benefits of cleansing and help you choose the best cleanser for oily skin. So come on, get all comfy, keep everything you need by your side, and dig in!
Understanding Oily Skin & Its Problems
You know I have a friend who gets irritated whenever he is hungry. So, I give him energy bars to satiate his hunger and keep him happy. But why am I telling you this? To explain that unless you know the problem (hunger), you can’t really find the solution (energy bars).
So coming back to the issue at hand, if you want to solve your oily skin issues, you must first know what the problem is. Why does your oily skin behave in the way it does?
Oily skin results from the overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands in the skin. Excess sebum can clog the pores, eventually resulting in acne breakouts (yep, that’s your culprit right there). Excess oil also gives your skin a dull, greasy, and shiny appearance.
An extra info tip for all the nerds out there! Unregulated sebum production can also be problematic for people with combination skin. The excess oil production in the T-zone can cause the build-up of oil, dirt, and dead skin cells, resulting in blemishes and blackheads.
3 Common Oily Skin Problems
You talk to anyone with oily skin and ask them about their life problems, and I’m sure that oily skin would make it to the top 5 in everyone’s list. Why not? I believe that dealing with oily skin is an achievement in itself.
Since this is only a blog and not a thesis, I am restricting myself to talking about the 3 most common skin problems for people with oily skin.
Acne
Do I even need to mention this? I mean, it’s right there on the face (quite literally) of anyone with oily skin. When the pores on your skin get clogged by oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria, it results in acne. Pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads are all results of acne (giving us enough reasons to hate it!)
Visibly large pores
Ever heard people saying, ‘I have open pores’? Technically, all pores on the skin are open. However, the pores become more noticeable on the skin when they get clogged. This makes people think that their pores have opened up, while actually, the pores only appear more prominent than their usual size. Whether you call them ‘open pores’ or ‘large pores’, they won’t get less annoying.
Large pores make your skin feel rough and bumpy. So goodbye, smooth skin dreams!
Super shiny skin
No, I am not talking about the kind of shine people pay money to get on their skin. Overproduction of sebum can give your skin an unwanted shine that makes your skin appear dull & greasy all the time. I mean, your skin can even appear so shiny that people might actually start using it as a legit mirror.
Benefits of Facial Cleansing for Oily Skin
Have you seen those women sitting near river ghats and beating the clothes as hard as they can to get the dirt out? That is precisely the image I have in my mind every time I see someone scrubbing their skin hard while washing their face, hoping to remove excess oil from the skin. As much as I feel the pain of dealing with oily skin, this is not how you’re supposed to be cleaning your face, guys! Although scrubbing your face too hard will remove excess oil, it will also strip your skin’s protective barrier, making it more vulnerable to damage.
Cleansing forms the foundation of any skin care routine. If done the right way, it can make a difference to your skin (in a good way)! Your face is exposed to pollution and other environmental aggressors on a daily basis. Cleansing your face twice daily (once in the morning and at night each) helps remove dirt, impurities, and excess oil from the skin. It helps unclog pores and reduces the risk of frequent acne breakouts.
And yes, it is also essential that you choose the best facial cleanser one that effectively removes dirt, oil, and makeup without stripping the skin of its natural oils or irritating the skin. While you need something that will help control excess oil production, it should not leave your skin dehydrated by removing all the sebum from your skin.
Pro tip: When choosing an oily skin cleanser, steer clear of harsh formulas, and choose something natural that is gentle on the skin. Also, choose a cleanser with ingredients that help target oily skin concerns (more deets on this in the next section).
Natural Ingredients to Look for in a Face Cleanser for Oily Skin
About three months ago, my sister (who, by the way, also has oily & acne-prone skin) came to my room and asked me to go on grocery shopping with her. And I was shocked! Let me tell you that my sister is the last person in the world to be ever interested in anything to do with household chores. But she just kept on insisting, and so I went.
In the market, I saw that all she bought were lots of cucumbers and mint leaves. It was later that I found out that her ‘grocery shopping’ was actually a ‘beauty spree’.
Confused? Let me help. So, Cucumber and Mint can be used for concocting some of the best home remedies for oily skin and pimples. Both cucumber and mint are excellent for regulating excess oil production. Mint is a rich source of salicylic acid, making it one of the most popular ingredients used in face washes for oily skin.
You remember I was talking about those large pores that give your skin a rough texture. The good news is that cucumber can help you deal with those too. Cucumber is a mild astringent that unclogs and tightens pores, preventing acne breakouts. A powerhouse of cooling properties, cucumber can also soothe redness and inflammation often associated with acne.
Mint is no less effective than cucumber for oily & acne-prone skin. Let’s just say your skin won’t have to bother about acne or acne scars if you’ve mint leaves at home. Mint has some really potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that acne-causing bacteria hate.
While you use cucumber and mint for tackling your oily & acne-prone skin, they also offer an added advantage by helping you fade stubborn dark circles.
Captivated by the many benefits of cucumber and mint, my sister has been using them for all sorts of DIY anti-acne remedies. By the way, if you’re like me and do not have the time or the patience to create any cucumber-mint face cleansers, scrubs, or packs at home, you can also buy skin care products enriched with the goodness of these two ingredients.
My personal favourite until now has been Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic Cucumber and Mint Cleanser. It is by far the best cleanser for oily skin that I have used, and you’d have been able to see it on my skin if we were on a video call (alas, we’re not). This cleanser is a professional skin care product for oily & acne-prone skin and is also used by salon professionals. It contains extracts of cucumber and mint (spearmint & peppermint) and is enriched with the goodness of essential oils (and I love essential oils). This face cleanser regulates oil production and deep cleanses the skin without stripping it of its protective barrier. It is excellent for acne and blemish-prone skin.
And yes, Aroma Magic Cucumber and Mint Cleanser also contains extracts of Neem (remember how our dadis and nanis used Neem to keep their skin clear & bright). All in all, I love this cleanser for my skin. Because of its oil-balancing properties, you can also use this face cleanser for combination skin.
While cucumber and mint have to be my top 2 favourite ingredients for oily skin care, you can also look for Niacinamide, Witch Hazel, and Aloe Vera when choosing an oily skin cleanser.
Finally! We have made it to the end of the blog. But the job is still only half done. Because just reading the blog won’t do you any good. You must follow the tips given above if you want to see noticeable results. Cleaning your face gently with a face wash or cleanser that fits your skin will make managing oily skin much easier. But don’t forget that cleansing is only the first step in a skin care routine. Ensure you follow it with toning and moisturising, and wear sunscreen daily.
