By Kaitlyn Midgett
Recently, I’ve perfected my own skincare routine for managing my oily skin, and so far I’ve been pretty happy with the results. Here are some of the products that I use daily to help keep my skin feeling clean and refreshed throughout the day, as well as minimizing the oil production.
I start my skin routine before I go to bed at night by taking off my makeup with Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Oil.
Not only does it smell like tea (and I know how Literally, Darling readers love their tea), but it also gets my makeup off better than any other product I’ve used before. It also makes my face smooth while adding natural oil to my skin.
I also use Simple Micellar Water to get any of the excess makeup and oil off of my skin.
Next, I use a Dead Sea Mud Soap from Seacret to wash my face.
This soap is awesome because it provides the skin with hydration and healthy minerals to help the skin look healthier. Black mud also works as a scrub to clean your pores and has anti-aging properties.
For moisturization, I use Dionis’ Goat Milk Facial Moisturizer.
I’ve always been the kind of girl who only uses unscented creams for my face, and this one is my favorite. It’s not greasy, which I appreciate because I always want my face to be dry before I go to bed. It’s lightweight and it does the job well.
In the morning, I use Boots’ Mattifying Gel-Cream to start my day off right.
The directions tell you to use it in the morning after cleansing, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. This is yet another product that goes on grease-free, so it’s a perfect base for applying foundation. But be wary—you only need a little in order to get the job done.
Finally, I use bareMinerals’ Original Powder Foundation.
I’m pretty happy with the way that my skin looks, apart from the oil, so I’ve only started using a powder foundation a couple of months ago. Since I love my skin, I like the look and feeling of not having any foundation on whatsoever. Regardless of whether or not you use a cream foundation, powder is a good idea because it helps cover up the oily spots that you might get throughout the day. I’ve definitely become one of those women who “powder their nose” in the bathroom at parties.
Since every person’s skin reacts to products differently, I asked other people with oily skin to share what works for them. Some people confirmed that my methods have also worked for them, and others taught me something that I never knew. After former Literally, Darling intern Kristen’s recommendation, my apricot scrub went in the trash can.
Here’s what they had to say:
1. A surprising amount of people recommended Lush products
“Literally anything from Lush! You can go in and tell an employee what kind of skin you have and they will make a whole routine for you. I’ve seen it work miracles for all skin types!” — Lexy
“I work at Lush and our skin care changed my life.” — Sam
“I use this face and body scrub from Lush called Ocean Salt and it’s worked better than anything I’ve ever tried! Even better than Proactiv!” — Sarah
2. MOISTURIZE
“Major key: Moisturizer” — Piper
“I use a dual-action face moisturizer. It makes it so I can moisturize my face without making it more greasy!” — Caitlyn
“I use a mattifying oil absorbing moisturizer before I put on my makeup every day and I do face masks two times a week. I also look for foundations that aren’t thick or have a lot of oil so I stick to BB creams and tinted moisturizers for daily wear and heavier foundations for special events or going out.” — Jessica
3. Be wary of face scrubs
“Avoid Apricot scrub at all cost. It includes shell powder that scratches the skin and causes wrinkles and marks. It’s better to make your own sugar scrub or something more natural.” —Kristen
“I would limit face scrubs to 1 – 2 times a week. They can actually cause my oil to be produced since you’re scrubbing so much. Also, use a very light and non-scented moisturizer as well as a gentle toner.” — Colleen
4. Use oil!
“This sounds wrong, but if you have oily skin, use an oil! Using an oil tells your skin that you don’t have to make as much! I use the Tarte Maracuja Oil every night and it’s amazing! My face isn’t as oily anymore.” — Kendal
5. Go natural
“Castor oil and lemon juice are both astringent so they both help balance facial oils. Having a good diet will also help!” — Cody
6. If all else fails, see your dermatologist
“My skin was super oily and didn’t get better until I started using a topical product from my dermatologist. Lifesaver. Also, using a powder after foundation helps!” — Megan
About Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn was kicked off of her rec soccer team when she was six years old and has been trying to make up for it ever since. She acts as a manager, street team leader, social media aficionado, music journalist, and sometimes a publicist, but the most important job she’s ever had was being a big sister.
