There’s nothing worse than touching your face and feeling like there’s pizza grease on your fingers. Actually, that dreaded moment when your stomach drops as you feel the first beads of sebum breaking through your freshly cleaned face could be worse. If you’re anything like me, oily skin came hand-in-hand with puberty. Now that I’ve graduated college and have a bit more time on my hands to figure out this whole thing called My Face, I just have to share the foolproof routine that I’ve discovered to tame my overactive sebaceous glands.
There seem to be a trillion products on the market that all swear to bring an end to your shiny face days, but who has the time (or the money) to try them all? Here are a few of the products that my skin has fallen head over heels in love with. These all do an awesome job of removing and preventing oil from building up on your face without being too harsh and drying out the skin (which, ironically, leads to excessive oils).
1. Bentonite clay
Bentonite clay has a ton of benefits, but I have only ever used to it as a facial mask. My brand of choice is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, which can be bought in bulk on Amazon! I mix equal parts clay and ACV until it becomes a paste but not too runny, and leave it on my skin for about ten minutes. Take my word for it that my pores sing to the high heavens once I’ve rinsed it off. Usually, I can see results with a couple of hours. My pores shrink and blackheads disappear. The best part about the mask is that other oils can be mixed – hello, tea tree! – depending on what skin issue you’re targeting.
2. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil and witch hazel are ah-mazing toners. Tea tree oil is pretty strong, so I usually dilute it with water or only use it before bed. Witch hazel, however, can be used morning and night. Both are cheaper and last longer than most drugstore toners.
3. Shea butter
Shea butter, shea butter, shea butter. I tried to hop on the coconut oil train and apply it to my face… but it broke me out! Ugh. Shea butter has been my lifesaver. It isn’t too greasy and it provides just the perfect amount of moisture without any chemical additives. It’s also one of the only products I trust around my eyes.
4. Rimmel London’s Fix & Perfect Pro Primer
This primer is a great buy at around $8.00 and it only takes a dime-sized amount to smooth out any lines on your face before applying other products. There are other versions of primers within the same line, but this one worked the best for me. Occasionally, my face will get very oily while wearing this, but typically only when I am up and being super active (walking around outside, dancing, etc.)
5. Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation
Holy. Freaking. Crap. Definitely believe the hype with this foundation. At $35.00, it’s a little bit pricey for a college student’s budget, but it’s beyond worth it. A little goes a long way so one bottle does last for a while. I’ve tried almost every drugstore foundation out there over the past seven years and none of them have had the full-coverage staying power of this one. It dries super matte so make sure to moisturize, but it does not budge at all and covers dark circles and any acne scars. Kat Von D’s foundation line also has an incredible range of colors to choose from, so you’ll have to find your perfect shade.
The last tip I’ve caught on to is to steer away from gel and cream products. For my eyebrows, I’ve had to stick to pencils because gel, powder and pomade fillers would smear by the end of the day. The same goes for contour, blush, and highlight… stick to powder. Cream versions of these tend to mix with your face’s natural oils throughout the day and look completely different than when first applied.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMDCSVAB-Z2/?taken-by=amtrml
Hellooo, shameless self-promo! This a photo of me in natural lighting after using the products listed above. My skin has never looked this smooth before I adopted this routine.
Note: I am not a dermatologist or certified beautician. I’m just a girl, writing a blog post, asking you to trust me (and give me extra brownie points for this corny Notting Hill reference).