Help For Oily Skin?

July 21, 2005 12:36 PM

My skin is oily and I don't know why...

I've noticed my usually normal-to-slightly-dry skin has become incredibly oily recently. It's getting so bad that it feels dirty and grimy within a couple of hours of washing. I haven't made any changes to my diet or lifestyle and I don't have any hormonal problems that I'm aware of (normal periods, etc.) My skincare routine is pretty basic, just cleansing and moisturising twice a day and I don't wear a lot of makeup.

I see recommendations for Dermalogica products a lot, so if anyone has any experience with their oily skin range, I'd love to hear about it. Other product recommendations are great too. I'm in my early 20s and have never had any acne problems (or skin problems in general) so I'm annoyed to be getting teenage skin now!

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (15 answers total)

Put some milk of magnesia - no cherry or mint, just plain - on a cotton ball and apply it to your oily spots. Let it dry for about 15 minutes, then wash it off. You can do this about once a week and it reduces the oiliness of those areas dramatically.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 12:50 PM on July 21, 2005

Why is this question anonymous? Is there some sort of stigma attached to having oily skin?
posted by amarynth at 1:00 PM on July 21, 2005

Have you looked at lush.com and its forums? Their products are amazing and cheaper than dermalogica. Also, don't forget that you might want to see a dermatoligist... it might be something in your cycle.
posted by k8t at 1:25 PM on July 21, 2005

I think oftentimes when things like this happen we're mystified because we haven't made *obvious* changes in our routine - it's just that changes have happened to us that aren't so tangible.

Anyway, on previous posts about oily skin, Cetaphil is always raved about, although I've never tried it myself.
posted by forallmankind at 1:33 PM on July 21, 2005

Do you happen to live some place where the percentage of humidity has recently taken an upturn? I'm incredibly oily now that the level of humidity has been keeping steady at 50% or above.
posted by Constant Reader at 1:57 PM on July 21, 2005

Yea, Cetaphil. I started using it in lieu of soap based on all the recommendations I've seen on Ask MeFi; I couldn't be happier with the results. I was more concerned about acne than oily skin, but its solved both problems quite nicely.
posted by aiko at 2:05 PM on July 21, 2005

Just in response to what K8t said--while Lush products may work for some, I HATE them. So far, I've made a valient attempt, using many products, but they always stink, make me break out like made, and then proceed to melt all over my bathroom. *shudder*

Speaking as a very oily individual, the milk of magnesia trick works really well. Cetaphil is also a good cleanser, but the milk of magnesia really does the trick.
posted by stray at 2:46 PM on July 21, 2005

The last time I had a facial, the facialist (or whatever you call them) said that my skin was oily because it was dry, and that I should use a light, non-oil-based moisturizer. It seems to help.
posted by exceptinsects at 3:06 PM on July 21, 2005

I have extremely oily skin and I've solved the problem in a rather unbelievable way... I stopped washing my face with soap. I take hot/warm water and rub and rinse with my hands.

I became allergic to something I was putting on my face. It turned out to be cosmetics, but there was no telling what it was in the beginning. My Dr. finally told me no makeup, no soap, no contacts, no moisturizer. I was sure I'd turn into a giant zit. Or have some level of visibly poor hygiene, but my doctor said it would be fine, and I figured I'd do it just until my allergy cleared up. What actually happened was that my face started producing drastically less oil. And it didn't become oilier and oilier all day, as it used to. The texture of it improved as well.

I had a friend with skin as oily as mine, and I told her about not washing with soap. The idea was pretty disgusting to her, it was to me, too, when your skin is oily not using soap on it seems like exactly what you shouldn't do. Eventually she did try it and it was the same for her, her skin was just much more balanced all the time.

I know it sounds icky, but you may want to give it a try before moving on to more expensive options. Another idea is just washing before you go to bed, but not in the morning. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but it definitely worked for me.
posted by FortyT-wo at 3:10 PM on July 21, 2005 [1 favorite]

Yep, washing with soap actually makes your skin produce more oil. Cetaphil is the way to go.
posted by Specklet at 3:34 PM on July 21, 2005

Another vote for Cetaphil. Also, now that it's summer and my skin's a bit oilier no matter what, I've started using little blotting papers on my nose and forehead -- and they really do work a charm! So you can take the shine off your nose without using powder repeatedly (which of course then looks all cakey and grimey by the end of the day). I use the Clean & Clear ones, but I think Biore and some other brands make them, too.
posted by scody at 4:49 PM on July 21, 2005

I was at Sephora and I bought some blotting "papers" that were not really paper but rather some kind of silicone-like material (you can't tear them like you can paper). They are the same size and in the same kind of package as blotting papers. They do an amazing job!
posted by matildaben at 8:19 PM on July 21, 2005

It could be the weather.
If you can afford it, I highly reccommend MD Formulations' glycolic. It does wonders in removing dead skin and burgeoning pore clogs. Cetaphil is good as well as a range of products you can find in the drugstore or drugstore area of your market. Try not to overwash. It could be a reaction from you skin compensating from being to dry, so until you figure out the proper balance of washing and moisturizing, you may want to try a range of simple toners and cleansers that are low on alcohol as well as a range of sprays and applications that use antibacterial agents such as citrus oils.
Your skin is changing and possibly going through the end stage of puberty in a sense (when some people who have never had oil problems start to. This i got from a dermatologist who was not very much of an expert and a great waste of money) so watch how it reacts.
posted by philida at 4:47 AM on July 22, 2005

I, too, love the Cetaphil. It's really fantastic stuff. I occasionally use Dove Facial Cleansing Cloths for exfoliation purposes, rather than scrubbing my face with flavor-of-the-month exfoliator number seven. It works for me. This combo has pretty much eliminated my zits and has decreased my oiliness. I second scody and matildaben's recs to blot oil off of your face rather than use powder for it. Use paper towels or napkins if it's all you've got, but blotting is the way to go. If you wear foundation, you may want to consider switching to a tinted moisturizer rather than using moisturizer and foundation -- I found that using Lancome's tinted moisturizer for whatever reason seemed to decrease my oiliness factor.
posted by Medieval Maven at 5:13 AM on July 22, 2005

Here's one oily girl (OPEC in human form) voting for Shiseido blotting paper. They come in packaging overkill, but the performance is outstanding and the price isn't bad.
posted by clever sheep at 10:57 AM on July 22, 2005