Blue skies, warm weather, trips to the beach, picnics, barbecue parties, summer festivals and events- what’s not to love about summer? Well, if you have an oily skin type, summer may be one of your greatest enemies. Even when you have an endless supply of oil-blotting sheets, it’s still difficult to get grease under control.
The good news is, you can actually eliminate excess oil with the right face wash. And the best part is that it requires far less work.
Understanding The Causes Of Your Oily Skin
Before we get to the best face washes, let’s discuss the reasons behind the oily skin.
Beneath the tiny pores of the skin lies the sebaceous glands, which produces sebum or oil needed to maintain healthy skin. But the sebaceous glands tend to overproduce sebum in the summer months when the temperatures and humidity are high. This leaves the skin looking oily and greasy.
It could also be that oily skin is not in response to the hot and humid weather. Genetics, oral contraceptives, hormone replacement medication, hormonal changes, and poor diet can play a role in the overproduction of excess sebum.
How To Wash Oily Skin In Summer
When the summertime comes around, you should fight the urge to over-cleanse or over wash your face. We understand that the oil-inducing months makes you want to wash your face more than you need to, but that’s not really necessary. Over washing your face only removes moisture from your skin. This, in turn, causes your sebaceous glands to produce excess amounts of sebum to make up for the loss of moisture. Another thing – over washing puts you at risk for breaking out.
So, how often should you wash your oily skin in summer? Do it only two times a day- one after you wake up and one before bedtime. This is more than enough to keep your oily skin under control. Remember, you don’t need to wash your face more than twice a day!
Best Face Washes for Oily Skin
Cleansing your face properly is the first step to any skincare routine. It doesn’t only eliminate the oiliness but also prevents the development of severe acne.
With hundreds of cleansing products in the market, it can be overwhelming to choose one. But the type of face that you should use is one that is a good match for your skin type, giving your skin a matte look during the summer. It also helps to use a face wash that contains a salicylic acid in its formula because this ingredient penetrates your skin pores and eliminates excess sebum.
However, regardless of what product you choose, you have to know how to use it in order to reap the maximum benefits. Follow these face washing tips from dermatologists:
- Wash your face with lukewarm water. (Do not use hot water as it can dry your skin).
- Put a generous amount of the Cleanser on your fingertips and apply it to your face.
- Massage your face in a circular motion for 60 seconds. (Do not attempt to scrub your face as this will cause irritation).
- Rinse off all the Cleanser with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel.
L’Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Exfoliate and Refine Cleanser
The formula consists of 3 different types of clay which removes oil, dirt, and impurities well. It doesn’t only absorb oil but also exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells. As you may know, these dead skin cells usually clog the pores, leading to more oiliness and acne.
Besides this clay formulated facial Cleanser’s oil-absorbing properties, it’s also remarkably moisturizing. One of its ingredients, aloe vera, is a natural moisturizer that suits oily skin types.
For best results, massage the L’Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Exfoliate and Refine Cleanser on your face in a circular motion. That way, you can stimulate your sebaceous glands, so they don’t produce as much sebum.
Ingredients
Salicylic Acid. This oil-soluble ingredient is present in most skin care products for oily skin. It is mainly noted for its ability to get deep into the pores, break down the connections between the cells, and clean out excess sebum from the pores and reduce oiliness.
The ingredient is also a good exfoliant. What all of this means is that salicylic acid softens and sloughs off the top layer of the skin cells to reveal glowing, vibrant skin.
So, if you’re looking for a face wash that contains an ingredient that sucks the oil out, L’Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Exfoliate and Refine Cleanser is for you.
Lipo Hydroxy Acid. LHA, short for Lipo Hydroxy Acid, is a derivative of the previous ingredient. This means that it is also excellent at eliminating excess oil from the pores, thereby reducing oiliness. It also exfoliates dead skin cells but in a non-irritating mode of exfoliation. While it’s keratolytic (exfoliating) action is tough on acne, it’s gentle on sensitive skin.
Paula’s Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser
The Paula’s Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser boasts 0.5% of salicylic acid. Besides, it has several different vitamins that can remove excess oil while leaving the skin feeling silky during the hot and humid weather summer months.
Some people have sensitive skin that they can’t really handle salicylic acid in high concentrations. Fortunately, the salicylic acid in this Cleanser is just enough for those people to handle.
It is a hundred percent fragrance-free, cruelty-free, and clinically proven to be non-irritating.
Ingredients
Salicylic Acid.
Glycerin. This natural compound is the third most frequently used ingredient in oil-free cosmetic products derived from animal fats and vegetable oils. It’s clear, colorless, and odorless and has a very thick consistency. The main role of this ingredient is to moisturize the skin without making it greasy by drawing water from the air to your skin.
Citric Acid. If there’s one skincare ingredient that people with oily skin always look for, it would be citric acid. It penetrates your skin and unclogs the pores of any excess sebum. It can also treat UV rays because it works in the skin’s outer layers, repairing the skin barrier function.
Panthenol. Panthenol is beneficial for oily skin types because it penetrates the skin really well and sucks the oil out. It also significantly lessens oil accumulation by increasing the metabolism rate of oil and fat, has been proven to reduce the oil production from the sebaceous glands.
It also increases the metabolism rate of fat and oil so that there is significantly less oil accumulation and will, therefore, reduce – or even eliminate – acne.
La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser
Another excellent facial cleanser for removing excess oil on the face is the La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser. Users like it because it’s not too strong for their skin and definitely not overdrying. It also lathers beautifully and deep cleanses the face without the afterwards tight feeling. This means that your skin will not end up looking dramatically mattified and stripped of moisture.
This Cleanser is soap and allergy and dermatologically tested, hence ensuring your maximum safety. It also doesn’t contain any soap or alcohol that may be harmful to your skin.
Overall, this gel cleanser is a complete game-changer for those looking for an oil-free option.
Ingredients
Salicylic Acid.
Glycerin.
Citric Acid.
Butylene Glycol. This water-soluble alcohol comes from petroleum. It is mainly used in skincare products to help other ingredients penetrate your skin, thus why it’s called a penetration enhancer. It works by dissolving ingredients that are not very water-soluble, allowing them to better spread out on your skin and penetrate.
Perlite. Perlite gives a matting effect to eliminate the look of oily skin. It absorbs moisture without hindering the natural breathing ability of the skin.
Zinc Gluconate. In skincare, zinc gluconate helps get rid of acne-causing bacteria and eliminate excess oil. This is all thanks to its antibacterial properties.