Spilling ALL the tea on the secret to battling oily skin this winter
Those of us who go head-to-head with our oily skin daily will relate to the eternal struggle of wanting to have hydrated skin, but trying not to look like a high-shine mirror throwing out spotlight reflections from our faces. IS THIS TOO MUCH TO ASK, PEOPLE?
It’s fine. I’m fine. The shine show must go on.
Now that it’s Winter, the game is changing. We’ve put together a Beauty Bible of sorts on the Great Oily Skin Battle of 2018. It’s a thing.
Our skin of course is more than just dry, oily, acne-prone etc. We are nuanced beings, and this is no different when it comes to our skin.
The question is, why do some of us suffer more from oily skin in the winter, and others suffer with dryness?
It seems unfair, between having to glue ourselves to our hot water bottles and getting up when it’s still dark, why should our skin be causing us problems on top of that?
Michele Farber of Schweiger Dermatology Group claims that: “Skin can become more oily as a mechanism to compensate for excess dryness. The skin will overcompensate in sebum or oil production to moisturise itself.”
Rude much? Never fear, we're here to save the shiny day. Here are our top tips for combating oily skin during winter, thank us later…
1. Prioritise and Moisturise
You might think that moisturising skin which is already oily is a mistake, how ever oily skin compensates for excess dryness, so keeping it hydrated is KEY.
The right moisturiser for you is like getting a bra fitting, it can be a hassle but so worth the results if you’re patient enough. Each and every one of us has unique skin cells, so it can be next to impossible to find the skin regime for us.
There are dozens and dozens of moisturisers on the market, but our personal recommendation is to use one with Vitamin E.
2. Watch your Tone
Yon-Ka ESSENTIALS have the BEST lotion on the market – it’s an alcohol free invigorating mist for normal to oily skin and contains five essential oils. Their ESSENTIALS range start your beauty regime the right way- with cleansing.
They work to gently purity and optimise the effectiveness of your everyday care regimen, and leaves your skin soft and hydrated.
Use after cleansing and spray onto the face as a mist in the morning and at night for best results.
3. Avoid using petroleum jelly
According to make-up artist Katey Denno, petroleum jelly (Vaseline) can create the illusion of granting us moisturised skin, but actually the substance suffocates your pores.
It’s water-repellant and not water-soluble, so it actually just seals the barrier so that moisture cannot leave the skin.
Basically you're actually drying out your pores by keeping out the air and moisture, while it's thick texture makes it tricky to cleanse the skin. It's literally a lose-lose, gals.
4. Tea Tree Oil
Hot showers in the winter are widely recognised as stripping your skin of it’s essential oils, thereby preventing it from achieving moisture.
By using tea tree oil with warm water, this makes up for the loss of moisture and brings your skin back to its supple self in no time.
5. It’s all about keeping the pores happy
Changes in the weather make our pores hella cranky.
Environmental causes are some of the major factors in skin issues, meaning that our pores have a bit of a ‘mare in the winter especially. Our skin has its own survival techniques which can be the bane of our facial lives, but really it’s just trying to do it’s job.
6. Don’t let it dry out
Farber also claims that “If your skin is dry, it’ll often feel tight and have a white-ish flaking more diffused all over the face. Oily skin will often concentrate around sebaceous areas, like the T-zone, and pores in this areas may be visibly larger.”
Dry skin translates to an overproduction of sebum and oils, most likely because of the extreme temperate changes from freezing cold outdoors to overheated indoors.
7. Keeping your skin cleansed is a MUST- no matter what type you are.
Yon-Ka ESSENTIAL Masque 103 is a purifying, clarifying mask which may actually save your skin, become the love of your life and have your kids all at once. A bold claim for a bold product.
This detoxifying mask contains three types of clay which purify the skin, tighten pores, brighten the complexion and leave it with an exceptional glow.
Glow up, shine down. It's ideal.
8. Stay THURSTY
Drink as much water as you are physically capable of every day, and your pores will thank you for it- guaranteed. Everyone needs different amounts, the two litres per day ‘fact’ is most likely a myth but if your body is dehydrated then so is your skin, that math adds up.
9. Use a clean towel whenever you are washing that lovely face of yours!
You don’t want any bacteria present in the towel to be transferred right back onto your face. Pat your skin dry instead of roughly trying to rub the make-up or skin cells off.
Clean towels prevent oily skin and breakouts, so they’re essentially your undercover guardian angel. Wash them at LEAST once a week, folks.
There you have it, nine core tips for surviving the winter with oily skin.
Remember that each person is totally unique, and research and discover what products feel right for you. Treat your skin with the care and calm it deserves, you’ll be radiant and glowing in no time without the unwanted shine.
