Some of us may have dry skin, and some of us may have combination skin. A few of us have normal skin, and a lot of us were born with oily skin. While there are a few positive aspects to oily or acne-prone skin (you are less likely to show premature signs of aging than someone with dry skin!) it can be a real drag during your day-to-day life.
Oily skin can be tough to deal with, but the right cosmetics and proper application technique can keep oil production at bay and give you that dewy look — without looking greasy. Read on to learn a few tips and tricks of the trade, and see how our Makeup Stacks are the perfect way to arm yourself against unwanted shine, sheen, and grease.
What Exactly Is Oily Skin?
Oily skin is caused whenever your body produces an excessive amount of sebum. Sebum is an oily, sebaceous substance our body naturally creates to moisturize and protect our skin. However, like most things, too much of it is not good. Excessive sebum production can make your skin look greasy, clog your pores, and cause several types of unexpected breakouts.
Potential Causes of Oily Skin
Having oily skin is normal, but there are a number of other contributing factors which may cause any skin type to be a little oilier than normal. If your body is dehydrated, your skin may overreact by producing an excessive amount of sebum to ensure it stays hydrated. This is just one reason why it’s important to drink at least eight glasses of water a day (about two liters.)
Those celebratory cocktails could also be another cause — alcohol is one of the bigger causes of dehydration among adults today. Dark yellow-colored urine the morning after a big night out is a tell-tale sign of the dehydration caused by alcohol. The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are. The lighter it is, the more hydrated you are.
Food allergies or reactions may also be the cause. Some of us are more sensitive to dairy, red meat products, refined carbohydrates, or sugar than others.
It’s no secret a lot of food produced nowadays is not great for us, with it being overloaded with preservatives, color additives, and all sorts of other chemicals. Naturally, this can have an adverse effect on your skin. While oily skin is not totally unavoidable, a healthy diet, stable exercise regimen, and regularly washing your face every morning and evening are simple yet very effective ways to keep excess oil and sebum at bay.
Hydrate Your Skin and Avoid Oil Overproduction
We promise you are not being punked — you need to look for hydrating products if you have oily skin — and that trickles down to the best foundation for oily skin, too. It might sound like something that would break out your chin and t-zone, but what it actually does is stop your skin from producing too much of its own oil.
You can find matte foundation and liquid foundation, oil-free formulas, shine-free formulas, and natural finish products — all meant to cater to oily skin. The options are endless, though we’re pretty sure you’ll think our products are the best around.
Like we said, if your skin is dry and dehydrated, it will “panic” and start to produce oil of its own. If your skin is hydrated, you can avoid this and stay out of crisis mode. That’s why standard drugstore foundation might not be the best choice for oily or sensitive skin, unless it’s specifically designed for those skin types.
The Best Makeup Look for Oily Skin Starts With Skincare
The best way to avoid breakouts and diminish oily skin, along with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, is to take care of your skin by not sleeping in your makeup overnight and regularly washing and moisturizing your face (even if you aren’t putting on makeup and going anywhere that day). These are tips that any makeup artist would recommend.
Your skin care routine doesn’t need to be intense or span across 25 steps, but should at a minimum include daily cleansing, exfoliation two or three times a week, and moisturization. Moisturize every morning and night, use a heavier cream during the evenings, and add an eye cream if you are in your 20s. You may also want to use products containing hyaluronic acid or salicylic acid to deal with any dryness or breakouts that you might be experiencing.
Another step that should come after you apply makeup forever, no matter what age you are, is sunscreen application of at least SPF 15. In addition to a sunburn not looking or feeling wonderful, extreme burns can cause your skin to peel and really dry it out. Repeated exposure can lead to premature signs of aging, pigmentation, blemishes, and an overall decrease in your skin’s moisture, something which your dermatologist would definitely tell you to avoid.
If you want to get a two for one whammy, look for a foundation that protects your skin from the sun just as well as it blends in. Look for a mattifying skin tint in your shade range that include buildable coverage and sun protection. Full-coverage foundation SPF options range, but plenty of options are available that provide a soft matte finish and work great for oily skin.
Powder Helps (For Obvious Reasons)
Let’s look at the most obvious way to neutralize the appearance of excessive oil. If your skin is oily, a powder foundation is the way to go. The powder can keep shine at bay, absorb excess spoil, and really clean you up when you may not be feeling your best. Even the lightest dusting will do though — you don’t want to end up with a cakey face.
Our Shine Control Pressed Powder is the best way to set in any look no matter what skin tone you are. Our translucent powder is actually translucent and won’t leave a powdery white cast behind. Not only is it a great way to modify a naturally oily face, but it’s also helpful in diminishing the excess shine you might get when you use cream products.
Our powder is also equipped with blue light protection technology. In this current day and age, we’re constantly glued to our phones, televisions, computers, and tablets, whether we’re at the office, off duty, or otherwise. These electronic devices emit blue light rays, which are especially harmful to the skin.
Over time, these rays can cause the cells in your skin to change, leading to premature aging over the years. Even exposures as short as an hour can prompt this to happen. A light dusting of our powder on top of moisturizer or makeup will not only leave you looking fresh but will protect you from some pretty negative long-term side effects. We call that working smarter and harder.
Cream Needs To Be Set With Powder
While powder is the easiest, most obvious answer to the question, we do realize it may not offer more than medium coverage or bring the intensity you may want and need. Liquid and cream products are also necessary for that glowy look, if that’s what you’re going for. The key is to lock these products in with powder and be careful about how you do so.
Instead of haphazardly swirling powder all over your face, consider stamping or blotting it into place with a powder puff. Not only will this keep the bottom layer of cream product from shifting and moving around, but it will also literally press everything into your skin, making sure it is fully absorbed and blended in properly.
Excessive movement can cause oil-free foundation, the concealer you use for touch-ups, or other moisturizers to separate and wear away on oilier parts of your face. Furthermore, tugging and dragging your skin over time can cause sagging and lead to premature wrinkles over the years.
This layer of powder doesn’t only apply to long-wear foundation and concealer. You can extend this to the rest of your face makeup. Cream contour, bronzer, and blush should be applied after foundation or tinted moisturizer, and can be set with powder.
Next, very gently blot a light layer of translucent powder onto your face with a fluffy powder brush, taking care to not smudge or smear the products you just applied. Then, you can stamp on powder bronzer, blush, and highlighter to not only add a second layer of help and protection but to also really intensify the look.
Why Do I Need These Products?
Now that you’ve mastered the proper application technique, you should know why we reccomend these steps. Cream and liquid products are subject to influence from the elements and other harsh factors caused by your natural environment.
If it’s the middle of summertime or you live in a city with high humidity rates, cream makeup is likely to melt off a lot quicker than if it had been protected beneath a layer of powder. It’s a layer of defense. Just like you would set your hair in place with a layer of hairspray, cream makeup needs the same top layer of protection in order for it to last.
Avoid the Dreaded Cake Face
All those makeup artists on TikTok don’t say “less is more” for no reason. Heavy layers of product can quickly add up, making your natural, clean girl aesthetic look entirely too made up. Being cognizant of this and going through your routine with a light hand is one of the best ways to make the most of oily skin.
If you have large pores, rough patches, or bumps on your face in general, excessive oil can, unfortunately, accentuate this. Avoid wearing anything shimmery or reflective on these parts of your face, because it will create an unwanted dimension.
Oily Skin Who?
With the right products, the proper application techniques, and a few smart tools, you can pull off fresh, glowing skin without looking like you just burst out of the Amazon rainforest drenched in sweat.
We have formulated each and every component of our cruelty-free Makeup Stacks to be buildable, lightweight, and multi-functional, to ensure everyone will feel beautiful and be able to put their best face forward, no matter what type of skin they live in.
Take our quiz today and see which one of our lightweight, buttery smooth products will work best for you and help you formulate a regimen you can count on.
Sources:
What is sebum? Function, production, benefits, and more | Medical News Today
How does alcohol affect your skin? Long and short-term effects | Medical News Today
How to control oily skin | American Academy of Dermatology Association