Oily skin: Problem Solved!

Finally, the much-coveted warmer weather has arrived! As sunny days are great for showing off summer dresses and relaxing by the poolside, they can present a common problem: oily skin. 

A greasy complexion requires special attention and care, period. However, when the summer months roll around the battle of oily skin can become harder to fight. To keep unnecessary oils at bay and keep your pores unclogged it calls for a different game plan and new tricks to get you through the warm season. 

Why does your skin produce so much oil? There can be a few different culprits: genes, climate, hormones, eating habits, products and even dryness of your skin (I know that seems contradictory, but it causes your skin to produce even more oils then what you started with). 

Now, I know your thinking that oily skin is impossible to live and the worse skin type of all to have, but think again, there are actually advantages that come along with this specific skin type. Just what can these "advantages" be? It causes your face to age less than those who have normal to dry skin (not so bad after all, right), you are less likely to get those bothersome fine lines and wrinkles compared to other skin types. Told you this skin type wasn't so bad after all. 

So, to get us started in keeping our oily complexion in check, the following three recipes will help you maintain your oily skin: 

Sage Toner Recipe:

Herbal treatments provide your skin cells with vitamins. Using sage helps control the oil  production and preserve the spotless condition of your complexion. 

Take a small amount of sage in a medium-sized cup and pour hot water over it. Let the herb steep for 30 minutes. Strain it and give it some time to cool down. Simply dip a cotton ball into the sage tea and cleanse your face. Repeat at least once a day (make sure to moisturize afterwards). 

Mango Facial:

Accompanying oily skin acne tends to make an unwanted appearance. So, to keep acne at a fair distance you can use this facial to keep your pores clean and free from anything that could cause a breakout. The best part of this facial is it can be used to give you silky soft skin.

Mash a mango on a plate. Taking the content, massage the pulp into your skin using circular motions (be gentle). Leave it on your skin for 10 minutes or until it dries. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Enjoy the radiant look of your complexion.

Wheat Germ Oil Facial:

Wheat germ oil is rich in anti-oxidants and vitamin E. Use it in your skin care regime to help your oily skin. All it takes is you putting a small amount on your fingers and gently massage it into your skin. Go read a book, get some cleaning done or do your toes while this stays on your skin for 40 minutes to ensure your pores absorb all the nutrients. Wash off the treatment and your set. 

Need a quick fix, here you go: 

These products are temporary fixes, but will help eliminate surface oils when you’re on the go. 

Astringents:

Astringents stimulate circulation, reduce oiliness and help to refine pores and rough, uneven skin texture. Astringents should be used with care as they can cause dryness.  Here are some to get you started. Apply them to your skin leave for about 30 minutes and rinse off. 

Stimulating Astringents in General:

• Witch Hazel
• Orange Flower Water
• Organic Cider Vinegar
• Lemon 
• Grapefruit Essential Oil 
• Rose Water
• Basil Essential Oil 
• Peppermint and Chamomile Essential Oils

Toners:

Toners are used to remove excess dirt, and oil from your skin. They should be applied after you have completed cleansing.  These are gentle yet are an effective way to heal, calm and sooth and balance your skin. 

Making your very own is very easy to do. Just combine some of the listed above ingredients and there you go! Here are a few examples: 

Aloe Vera Gel and Tangerine Essential Oil Toner:

Grab a bowl and put three tablespoons of Aloe Vera gel into it then add four drops of tangerine essential oil. Apply this simple mixture onto your skin and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water. These ingredients will do magic for oily skin. 

Facial Toner for oily and acne prone skin: 

• 1/2 ounce: Apple Cider Vinegar 
• 5 drops: Grapefruit Seed Extract
• 1/2 ounce: rose water
• 1/2 ounce: Witch Hazel 
• 1/2 ounce: Lemon 
• 1/2 ounce: Rosemary 

Here are some additional essential oils that you can mix and match, adding them to your facial routine will help with your oily skin: 

• Geranium
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Peppermint
• Sandalwood
• Grapefruit 
• Thyme
• Rosewater

Blotting Papers: 

Blotting papers are extremely handy and discreet for bathroom touch-ups.  They are essentially thin, tissue-like papers that work by absorbing surface oil on the skin. An added bonus is blotting can prevent you from having to reapply your makeup throughout the day.

Lifestyle habits that need to be applied to your everyday life: 

Come Clean: 

Having a well-defined skin care regime for your oily complexion is essential, especially in the summer, to keeping your skin in check. 

Proper cleansing and exfoliating go hand-in-hand to keep your pores unclogged, remove dead skin cells, reduce excess oils from the surface of your skin and help control the production of oils.

Using a gentle gel-based or water-based cleanser is best to get a thorough cleanse (stay away from harsh soaps, as they can cause your skin to dry out, telling your skin to produce more oils, not helping your problem at all). When washing your skin use lukewarm water, it dissolves oils better and will open your pores and remove all the dirt that might be present.  

A common misconception out there is to constantly wash your face or to keep it dry in order to control the oil production, right? WRONG! This simply tells your skin to produce more oils, which you are trying to control and reduce, making your oily skin problem even worse then it was before. Washing your face morning and night is the perfect amount, no more no less.

Eat Healthy: 

The more you eat oily foods the more oily your skin will be, so stick with fruits and vegetables. Reduce your salt and sugar intake. Whole grains, beans, nuts and wheat germ are great sources of Vitamin B2, which supplies the body with iron and rejuvenates the skin.  

Drink Plenty of Water:

Not juice, not soda, just simply water. Here’s one more reason for getting your eight glasses in: drinking lots of water will help flush out toxins and keep your skin moisturized, preventing your glands from overcompensating.

Use a clay mask once a week:

A clay mask is very effective in fixing your oily skin problem. Put it on a clean face and leave it for 30 minutes, then wash off. Easy enough? 

Moisturize your face after washing: 

Seriously, even if you have oily skin, it is still important to moisturize, it replaces the lost moisture on your face when you wash. When your face is moisturize there is no need for your skin to produce oil. Use a moisturizer that says: "oil free".  There are some moisturizer that not only moisturize your skin, but also controls oiliness. 

Makeup: 

Always remove any trace of makeup at the end of the day. Also, check your make up to ensure it doesn't contain any oil in it. Some foundations can also help control your oiliness not make your problem worse. 

Hopefully these tricks and masks will help you enjoy your summer to the fullest, boot-kicking those problems and oils off your skin!