No one likes to have oily skin or spots, but unfortunately they are one of the most common skincare complaints. It's not just teenagers who suffer from acne either - the problem can last well into your twenties or thirties, or can possibly even start in later life even if you had perfect skin as a teen. Factors such as your diet, your overall health, how stressed you are and even getting pregnant all have an influence on your skin and can lead to breakouts.
Unfortunately, there is no overnight cure - miracle creams that claim to turn your oily, acne-prone skin into a perfectly clear complexion overnight simply do not work. However, by making the right adjustments to your lifestyle and to your skincare routine, you can stop acne, spots and oily skin.
1. Lead a Healthy Lifestyle
You could be using the best skincare products in the world, but if you don't have a great lifestyle to match you will likely still suffer from acne and oily skin. Your skin is affected not just by what you put on it, but by what you feed it from the inside too, so ensure that you are eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals (think lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meat or fish) and also drinking plenty of water, to give your skin the hydration it needs. Thirsty skin dries out and your body will produce excess sebum (the natural oil in your skin) to compensate. Lots of exercise and fresh air won't hurt either!
2. Moisturise Daily
Do not be fooled into thinking that because you have oily skin you don't need to moisturise, or that moisturising is going to make the problem worse. In fact, exactly the opposite is true. Your skin needs a certain level of moisture to stay healthy and if it is not getting it, your sebum glands will go into overdrive and produce much more oil, so by using a light moisturiser day and night you can keep excess oil to a minimum.
However ensure that you buy the right moisturiser for you - a rich, thick cream designed for dry skin will do nothing for you, so opt for a specially designed
moisturier for oily skin that is lighter and probably contains some anti-bacterial ingredients to help with spots, too.
3. Exfoliate Regularly
It is a common misconception that exfoliation is only for dry skin. Yes, it does remove the dead layer of cells on the surface of your skin that can lead to dry, flaky skin, but even those with oily skin have this layer of dead skin cells too! They actually cause more of a problem when combined with oily skin because the dead cells become trapped in the oil and clog up your pores, leading to the infections that cause spots.
So, find a good quality exfoliator with gentle beads and use it twice a week - avoid harsh facial scrubs and do not exfoliate every day however, as this will only irritate the skin and lead to more breakouts.
4. Change Your Bedding Often
If you tend to wake up with new blemishes most mornings, it could be that your pillow is not clean enough. If you stop to think about it for a moment, we spend hours on end every night with our faces pressed against our pillows, so if these have any dirt or bacteria on them then it's bound to have an impact on your skin. Wash your pillow cases and bedding at least once a week and you're certain to notice an improvement in your skin if you suffer from acne.
5. Avoid Heavy Make Up
If you've woken up with a breakout, it can be very tempting to cover it up with a thick layer of concealer or foundation. However this will not let your skin breathe and will only make the problem worse. If you're at home alone, skip makeup altogether, and if you're going out and want to put some makeup on then ensure that you are using lightweight products that say 'non comedogenic' on the packaging - this means they will not block your pores, so they will not cause spots.
Similarly, if you have particularly
oily skin avoid caking your skin in a thick layer of powder and instead opt for a loose, non comedogenic powder and then carry specially designed makeup blotting papers with you, to blot away excess oil throughout the day.
