How to prevent 'forehead glare'?

August 1, 2007 9:28 AM

How can I prevent 'forehead glare'? My forehead is always so shiny. I shower daily and use lotion on my face and thats it. I'm a guy, so I don't wear powder, but maybe I should! My forehead looks like it's been polished to a high gloss shine.
posted by chump to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (26 answers total)

Do Oil Absorbing Sheets like these help?
posted by ALongDecember at 9:30 AM on August 1, 2007

Get, and use, the oil absorbing sheets. Those work wonders. I find the non-powder ones (from Misha) work best.
posted by Stynxno at 9:33 AM on August 1, 2007

Lotion? As in moisturizer? If you're using an oil-based moisturizer you might want to try an oil-free one instead. I have to go oil-free six months of the year on my T-zone.

Other than that, those oil-absorbing sheets work really well. I had some (from MAC, but the same idea) to use on my very hot wedding day last summer and they do what they say on the tin.
posted by mendel at 9:36 AM on August 1, 2007

I have the same problem, and am wiping my forehead all day. Mine is related to oil production, so using an astringent like Sea Breeze can help. If your forehead is not oily, but just shiny, there is no shame in using a light powder. In secret. And never tell anyone. Ever.


Ever.

And don't mark this Best Answer, even if you like it. Just respond that you would never consider such a thing, and insult my manhood.
posted by The Deej at 9:38 AM on August 1, 2007 [9 favorites]

For emergency oil blotting away from home, duck into the nearest bathroom and grab a paper toilet-seat cover. They're made of the exact same material -- only one is larger, free and available in most public bathrooms... while the other is tiny, costs $6 a pack and requires you to be that guy carrying around a pack of ladies' blotting papers.

I say this as a girl who cannot be arsed to pay $6 for (and then keep up with carrying around) a tiny pack of those same blotting papers.

Of course, the bathroom visit is required: you can't exactly use the toilet seat cover discreetly in public. So there's that.
posted by pineapple at 9:40 AM on August 1, 2007 [1 favorite]

Try an under makeup matte gel or cream. These are normally designed to go under foundation to create a more even and less oily skin base so the makeup sits better. However, I also have a shiny forehead and hate wearing makeup so I've been putting on a little bit of this and it seems to work. It blends right in so it doesn't look like you're wearing makeup, which sounds like a key for you!

I use one from the Boots No. 7 line at Target (and can't find it on the website) and there's also this version from Peter Thomas Roth available at Sephora that the list as being useful for men as well.
posted by marylynn at 9:42 AM on August 1, 2007 [1 favorite]

Is it because of oil? If so, I second the above suggestions about oil blotting paper. I used to know a couple of guys who loved them and always nicked them from me.

If it's not because of oil, I would recommend Lancome's Pure Focus. I use it myself on my nose because it's just shiny, and actually will dry out if I use powder. But this gel-powder thing is awesome for instantly "mattifying" and it lasts a while, you only need a dab for like a day of work.
posted by like_neon at 9:45 AM on August 1, 2007

marylynn, I didn't know Boot's No 7 line carried matte gel! I'll definitely check that out next time I run out of my stuff and save myself some money!!
posted by like_neon at 9:46 AM on August 1, 2007

Philosophy Cosmetics makes an oil-absorbing gel called The Present that works really nicely for me. It basically dries like a clear powder, and absorbs oil as your skin produces it during the day. The bottle is tiny, but it lasts forever.
posted by arianell at 9:51 AM on August 1, 2007

since a lot of other manly men have responded, I have shown a heck of an improvement using Proactiv with their oil control goo. But I think I am going to start hording those toilet seat cover sheets now too.
posted by evilelvis at 9:57 AM on August 1, 2007

Try the Tea Tree Oil skin care series (Facial wash + Freshener + Mattifying Moisture Gel) from The Body Shop.
posted by iviken at 10:06 AM on August 1, 2007

I use a facial mask of milk of magnesia when I have oil problems. Rub it on, leave it for 15 minutes, and the oil is absorbed. Do it in the morning for daytime relief. Cheap AND discrete.
posted by melissam at 10:16 AM on August 1, 2007

In a pinch, filter paper works well. I was having a long day in chem lab a couple of months ago, and it was hot, and... well, I'm a little embarrassed, but yeah, filter paper!

Mainly, tho, I echo the Clean and Clear sheets. Nothing matches them. Nothing. NOTHING. Noooo-thing.

Various companies, too, make mattifying lotions and potions and serums and such. Those are for preventing the shine, while the papers are for getting rid of it once it's there. Oil-heads like me need both. I like the one by Origins, but I've used and abused many of the others.
posted by houseofdanie at 10:22 AM on August 1, 2007

Ooh, yes, melissam's got a great idea, too, one I'd forgotten about. Milk of magnesia (do not get the mint-flavored or cherry-flavored or anything-flavored type, k?) has been used for many drying-up purposes over the years, including bed sores.
posted by houseofdanie at 10:23 AM on August 1, 2007

I recommend these blotters by Johnson & Johnson's Clean&Clear. They come in a small packet, and aren't powdery at all - just a rubbery sheet of blue something that absorbs grease and stuff. You can find them by the facewash bottles at any Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, CVS.
posted by Xere at 11:06 AM on August 1, 2007

I use kimwipes because I have access to them in the lab. Otherwise, when I wash my hands and dry them with paper towels, I'll wipe my face with the dampish paper towel.

If you feel uncomfortable carrying around blotting papers, see if you can get your hands on gumless cigarette papers. They're unfortunately small but they work well.
posted by porpoise at 12:31 PM on August 1, 2007

For oily T Zone, use what makes sense.
"Dawn gets grease out of your way" use it to get grease out of your forhead. The first few times you use it you skin may peel but you will toughen up soone enough.
Do not take a full body shower with Dish detergent low grade fever and dehydration can result.

If softer girlish skin is desired...

GOJO Orange contains Lanolin in addition to the more masculine Abrasive Volcanic sand.


This is not a joke I have both products in my bathroom right now.
posted by Megafly at 1:00 PM on August 1, 2007

FYI, CVS has a store-brand of the Clean & Clear sheets that are a buck or two cheaper per pack. They're often sold out in the stores, though, in my experience. Great product.
posted by Ike_Arumba at 2:48 PM on August 1, 2007

What soap/face cleanser are you using? Sometimes when you use an overly harsh cleanser that strips the skin of all the oil, it overcompensates, creating an oil slick. I know a guy who washed his face with Ivory soap and was convinced he had oily skin until I not-so-secretly replaced it with Cetaphil and he discovered he had normal/dry skin and no more acne to boot. I'd try that first.
posted by hindmost at 2:56 PM on August 1, 2007

My forehead glare went away two days after I stopped eating meat. YMMV.
posted by dws at 5:31 PM on August 1, 2007

I use the Body Shop Mattifying Moisture Gel mentioned by iviken. I've tried Body Shop's blotting papers, but they didn't do anything for me.
posted by candyland at 9:19 PM on August 1, 2007

when i started ocm (oil cleaning method)-ing, my perpetual shininess went away, and in general the level of oil vs. dryness of my face evened out all over. there have been a few mefi posts mentioning ocm offhand, and there are a bunch of posts on the internet in various places about it. may wanna check it out. i thought i was doing my skin a favor before ocm by using cetaphil and retin a, but ocm really worked wonders for me, and i can't imagine going back. it takes getting used to at first, to get the hang of it and find the right oils and specific routine or whatnot, but i highly recommend it.
posted by ifjuly at 11:07 PM on August 1, 2007

Oil absorbing sheets can be found super duper cheap at Asian markets, Chinatowns, etc.
posted by HotPatatta at 11:57 PM on August 1, 2007

I have this theory that your body *wants* your head to be oily, and that soaking away the oil will just encourage your body to up the production.

Like many of the best theories on the internets, I have no actual evidence. But there you have it.
posted by IvyMike at 12:49 AM on August 2, 2007

Emo Bangs, like Coner Oberst.
posted by Large Marge at 12:08 PM on August 2, 2007

Get Neutrogena's facial moisturizer, the oil-free one. It is about $10 a bottle, but it lasts since you only need a dime size squirt at each application. I suggest you also, in the morning in the shower, use a facial scrub like St. Ive's Apricot Scrub.

Be careful of using Tea Tree things all over your face until you test one area. Tea Tree is great for oily face, but many people are prone to break out more because of its content having and adverse reaction to the makeup of their skin.
posted by dnthomps at 7:40 PM on August 3, 2007