words Alexa Wang
Your skin is the largest organ in the human body. It’s deceptively complex and has a whole host of environment-responsive units that tell us a lot about what’s going on underneath. In the world of cosmetics, there’s a specific way we want our skin to look.
There’s a balance of moisture and matte that we often look to call “glow.” And depending on what kind of skin you have, that glow can be achieved through more moisturization or a reduction of the oil in your skin. Out of these options, reducing oil is definitely a bit more complicated. Having a long term plan to remove excess oil is always your best bet.
But if you’re strapped for time, here are some quick fixes for oily skin.
Pore Vacuums
If you’re serious about really clearing out your skin, there are some cool gadgets that can really get in there and fix a lot of oily skin issues. If you’ve been following beauty blogs, a pore vacuum is one such gadget you might be familiar with. It’s featured in countless videos and it does exactly what it sounds like it does: it sucks out all the blackheads and oil-accumulating dirt from your pores, leaving it nice and clean. From that point, you can follow your usual routine with spectacular outcomes. The purpose of one of these gadgets really is a quick supportive tool that you can turn on and use before the workday or before you head out for the night. Be sure to use warm water to open up your pores, and use cold water after suction and cleaning to close them back up.
Tea Tree Oil
A natural remedy that’s been successfully used forever is the diluted tea tree oil. Your mother probably used this when she was young. It’s as simple as it sounds: put a few drops (emphasis on “a few”) in a 4 to 6 ounce spray bottle, shake it up, and spray your face with a spritz or two after your cleansing routine. This is a fast and easy way to make your skin look less oily. Tea tree oil by itself has been used as an antiseptic and as a safe way to protect your normal skin flora for centuries. Not only is it good for your face, it’s a great alternative to harsh chemical cleaners for your workout gear.
Cleanse Less
When we think of clean skin, we generally think of freshly washed skin. But there is new evidence that infers that maybe you shouldn’t wash your face as often as you do. Most people use industry cleansers and soaps twice a day or more, not giving their normal skin flora a chance to stabilize the pH necessary to allow for growth and renewal of skin cells. When you can, try a much milder skin cleanser with no alcohol or known harsh chemicals. Also try limiting it to once a day before you go to bed. Often, warm water is just right for a midday and morning refresher.
Glowing skin is easier than you think. Like most things in health, it really is a matter of trial and error. But once you find your happy medium, hopefully with the help of some of the options above, going out with that confident glow will be the new normal.
