While some people are plagued with dry skin in the hot and sweaty summer months, excessively oily skin is most common this time of year. We’ve got some natural tips for oily skin problems that can help mitigate the excess oil when your skin is most at risk.
7 Natural Tips for Oily Skin Care
- Sun Protection – The key to any successful, natural skin care regimen is to be working with undamaged skin, and this means proper sun protection. Damaged skin can overproduce oil in an effort to speed the healing process. Use an appropriate sunscreen for your activity, wear hats, sunglasses, and avoid direct sun exposure when it’s not necessary.
- Cleanse Properly – Oily skin can lead us to want to over cleanse the face in an effort to remove the oil. This can irritate the skin, causing breakouts. But you do want to cleanse the skin on the reg—just make sure not to overdo it. And you may even want to use a cleanser designed for acne-prone skin (even if your problem is just oil, not pimples). Cleansers designed to combat acne can also help to reduce oil production.
- Exfoliate – Using an exfoliating product like fruit acid-based serums or toners (or even lemon juice or apple cider vinegar) can remove dirt and dead skin cells leaving behind fresher “new” skin that will be less oily.
- Mask – Clay and oatmeal are both good drying agents for the skin and can be made into simple skin masks. Don’t overdo it, but once a week or so may help to reduce oil production and keep skin soft and dry. It can also be helpful in treating any breakouts that come with excessively oily skin. If you’re buying a clay powdered skin mask, follow container instructions for use. To make an oatmeal mask, grind ¼ cup of rolled oats into a fine powder. Mix with enough water, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar to form a thick paste. Apply to damp skin and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water. (Note: lemon juice or vinegar may cause slight burning or stinging sensation.)
- Wear Less Makeup – The root of your oily skin may have nothing to do with the weather, especially if you regularly wear heavy makeup. But the combination of hot, humid weather and caked on foundation, bronzer, blush, eye shadow, etc, can most certainly lead to oily skin.
- Blot – It works for greasy pizza and it works for your face, too. Using a tissue or dry towel, gently press on your skin to remove excess oil as needed. Follow with a toner mist or light moisturizer.
- Avoid Sugar – Hopefully, you know by now that too much sugar in the diet can be your skin’s worst enemy. It can alter hormones leading to break outs and too much oil. Stick with fresh fruits, salads, and lots of water instead.
