People with dry skin continue to look for ways to add a glow to their skin. But those with oily skin can’t keep that glow from outshining their look.

If you’ve ever experienced oily skin, you know the routine: wash with a deep cleanser, use a strong toner, avoid moisturizer, apply make-up, and hope for the best! In reality, some of these steps may be making your oily skin problem worse.

Is Oily Skin Bad?

People with an oily face often feel plagued by skin problems. However, oily skin doesn’t equal bad skin. Oily skin just means there’s a different set of issues to deal with than those that arise with dry skin. In fact, oils just reflect the activity of the sebaceous glands.

For most, the teenage years are synonymous with oily skin because of hormonal activity. As they age the skin becomes drier because hormone surges subside and the sebaceous glands aren’t as productive.

For others, oily skin persists long well into adulthood. People can’t choose how these glands produce oil, but they can control their reactions. The key is recognizing your skin type. If you control the oil, you control the problems it causes.

The Problems Caused By Oily Skin

Again, there’s nothing wrong with oily skin, but the issues arrive when the oil builds up.  This quickly clogs the pores and then creates a domino effect. When pores are clogged, new oil backs up underneath the skin resulting in the dreaded pimple.

For women, this also creates frustration with make-up application and longevity. Sometimes makeup doesn’t apply well as it becomes sticky when it meets your skin. Other times, it wears off by noon because of the amount of oil that’s produced in just a few hours. Fortunately, these are problems we can deal with.

How to Deal with Oily Skin

If you’re someone who has to combat the oils, understand you need a different approach to your skin than those with dry or combination skin. You need to use a mild wash, such as the CeraVe or SkinMedica cleansers, to remove some of that oil followed by an oil-free moisturizer.

You also may want to talk to your dermatologist about prescription or over-the-counter medications. The product OC8, for example, comes as a gel that you apply between moisturizer and make-up. This mattifying agent acts as a micro-sponge to absorb the oil from your skin for about 8 hours. As the day goes on, OC8 keeps working to prevent you from looking too oily.

How NOT to deal with Oily Skin

People often over-complicate the way they deal with oily skin. Some of the most common approaches to get rid of oil hurt more than they help.

First, don’t over-wash your skin. Secondly, avoid alcohol-based products. If you use harsh soaps and alcohol-based astringents, you not only strip your skin of the oil but you also strip it of its water content. Your skin needs to be hydrated. Products that leave your skin feeling chapped are not a healthy choice.

The best thing you can do for your skin is to keep it clean with a mild cleanser. Your body will produce the oil at a consistent rate, so be proactive at cutting down that oil build-up. Wash your face consistently, not constantly. Being moderate and purposeful in your approach results in a much more vibrant complexion.