Thursday 13 December 2012

Getting the best out of your oily skin


Compliments of the season beautiful People. It's been quite hectic and exciting for us all, preparing for the Christmas and New year holidays. But while we are at it we have to be mindful of our skin and how we treat it during these periods. I'll be telling us how to treat our oily skin so it stays beautiful throughout the holidays and ever after. So relax, and lets ride!!!
Oily skin conditions come on a level par as a problem for both genders.
People the world over have at some time experienced patches of either dry or oily skin, and still do for them who haven't found a solution to treat the problem.
Not that the mature man/woman is not affected with oily skin, it is primarily an issue we connect towards the younger individual where it affects 1 of every 2 teenagers (girl and boy.)

Why is your skin oily?
If you have oily skin, you may feel as though you're forever fighting a losing battle to remove the shine from your chin and forehead. Your sebaceous glands are pumping out an overabundance of sebum, the waxy substance that protects your skin. When there’s too much, skin looks oily, and that overabundance of sebum may contribute to acne You can probably thank your genes for the sheen: Overly oily skin is a problem that is often handed down through generations within a family.
Changes in hormone levels, such as those that occur during the teen years and early 20s, can cause skin to become oily and trigger outbreaks of acne.
Heredity plays a part: For instance, people with dark hair make more oil than fair-haired folks. But there are other contributing factors, including stress and changes in hormone activity. Pregnant women and those taking oral contraceptives are more likely to have problems with oily skin.
Sometimes due to excess release of sex-hormones skin appears to be oily in nature. The external stimuli such as certain environmental factors like pollution and change in weather. All this stimulate the internal stimuli and thereby causes oily skin problems. Several others include inappropriate diet plan and use of low quality oil based cosmetic products.

Sadly, just washing the face isn't enough, and over-washing is unhealthy. Remember, some specific oily skin treatments contain harsh chemicals so read the label carefully and follow instructions accordingly. Particular ingredients upset the delicate Ph balance of the skin or skin tone so take care, as we are here to treat oily skin "only" and not something derived as a result from using products that contained harsh substances. Un-agreeable elements used on your skin can cause serious skin concerns.
When looking for a solution for oily skin, then natural oils is naturally the best. There are women who cannot get there head round why, when you have oily skin how using "oils" is the answer. A lot of answers to our problems may not make sense or seem right; however the important thing is if it works and is safe then why on earth question the answers.
Look on the bright side: Oily skin tends to age better and develop fewer wrinkles than dry or normal skin. But it does require more attention, since you need to keep cleansing those over productive pores. The key is a firm but gentle hand. You want to wash away dead skin cells, dirt, and excess oil without scrubbing so hard that you cause irritation. (Ironically, if you overdo the scrubbing, your skin produces even more oil.) 

Wash your face with warm water. It dissolves oil more effectively than cool or lukewarm water.  As anyone with oily skin knows, the oilier the skin, the dirtier the skin looks and feels. To help combat this feeling, it's important to keep the skin clean by washing it at least twice a day.
Choose the right cleanser. Whether you prefer bar soap or liquid cleansers, avoid products, like Dove, that have added moisturizers. Bar soaps are perfectly effective, though you can also use cleansers formulated specifically for oily skin (they’re likely to be more expensive). You can never go wrong with glycerin based soaps like the ever effective traditional African black soap.
Scrub it. Give your skin some exfoliation by scrubbing it with products made specifically for oily skin or other home remedies you find that work well. A good scrub can also help rid your skin of extra oil on its surface, but be warned, as just like dry skin, too much exfoliation will cause your skin into making more oil which again fails to help your problem.

Make your own toner

• After you’ve washed your face, soak a cotton pad in distilled witch hazel and dab it all around. Use it twice a day for two to three weeks. After the third week, apply it once a day. Witch hazel contains tannins, which have an astringent effect, making the pores tighten up as they dry.

• The herbs yarrow, sage, and peppermint also have astringent properties. To make a homemade skin toner that will improve the look and feel of oily skin, put a tablespoon of one of these herbs in a cup, then fill to the top with boiling water. Let steep for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and let it cool before you dab it on your face. Whatever’s left over can be stored in a squeeze bottle. It will stay fresh for three days at room temperature, or five days if you keep it in the refrigerator.

Hyssop, a member of the mint family, also makes an excellent herbal toner. In folk medicine it’s considered good for the complexion. Add 1 tablespoon hyssop to 1 cup water. Boil for ten minutes, then strain. Let the mixture cool. After cleansing your skin, apply the toner with a cotton ball.

• A combination of lavender and neroli essential oil (derived from orange blossoms) acts as a skin cleanser and toner. Pour some lavender floral water in a hand sprayer, and add a drop of neroli oil. Spray the mixture on your skin several times a day.
 


  • Wear a mask. No, this is not to imply you should go out into the world disguised or with a bag over your head. Wearing a mask, such as clay, for a few minutes of your day can do wonders to help soothe your skin and absorb extra oil.Giving your face a very light scrub can remove excess surface oil. Try this almond honey scrub: Mix a small amount of almond meal (ground almonds) with honey. Then gently massage (don't scrub) the paste onto your skin with a hot washcloth. Rinse thoroughly. You can also make a scrub from oatmeal mixed with aloe Vera. Rub gently onto the skin, leave on for 15 minutes, then wash off thoroughly. If you suffer from acne on your face, however, you should probably skip the scrub, since it can aggravate your already-irritated skin.

    Clay masks or mud masks reduce greasiness and help tone your skin and draw out impurities. The masks are available at most pharmaceutical stores. Or you can make your own using facial clay (like bentonite, available at natural foods stores and on the Internet) and witch hazel. Don’t use pottery clay; it won’t have the same effect. Add 1 tablespoon witch hazel to 1 teaspoon facial clay, and stir until they’re blended. If you like, add 2 drops cypress oil and 2 drops lemon oil for fragrance and to help control overactive oil glands. Sit back, relax, leave the mask on for 10 minutes or until the clay is dry, then rinse it off.

    Egg-white masks are said to firm the skin and soak up oil. Mix one teaspoon of pure honey with an egg white and stir well. Then add just enough flour to make a paste. Apply the mask to your face, avoiding the eye area. (Be careful not to ingest any of the egg mixture.) Let it dry for about ten minutes, then wash it off with warm water.

    • Some Indonesian women use mango to make a face mask to dry and tone the skin. To make the mask, mash a mango until it turns into soft pulp, massage it into your skin, leave it on to dry for a few minutes, then rinse off. It is said to help unclog the pores.

    Lemon juice is used in another grease-cutting mask, along with astringent herbs and a chopped apple as the base. Place the apple in a pot, add water to cover, then simmer until it’s soft. Mash the apple, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then 1 teaspoon of either dried sage, lavender, or peppermint. Apply this mixture to your face, leave it on for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

  • Astringent. Wiping your face with a good astringent can also be a good tool against oily skin. The astringent will help remove the oil and also can come as individual wipes that you can carry with you in case you need a quick swipe later on in the day. Keep it blotted. If you do not have any astringent wipes with you, you should at least carry around tissues or special oil blotters to help soak up any extra oil your face produces during the day. This way if you notice your face becoming too oily a quick dab can put you back on track. 

  • Moisturizing the skin is a vital element that should be practiced at every possible convenience in a woman's beauty regimeA beauty conquest is incomplete without moisturizer. The skin loses its natural moisture's throughout the day and needs replenishing, and if moisturizer is not used - you face skin issues like roughness and the skin becoming irritated. Facial and body skin needs regular moisturizing and from this you will see fewer fine lines, a smooth texture, and less surface flaking. Honey is a natural moisturizer. Anything natural is good. Apply a thin layer of honey over the face. Yes it`s messy and sticky, but hey if it's the answer to your problem, then what is the problem. The honey glaze is easily removed with warm water after it had been left on for about 15 minute.

  • Ease up on the makeup. If you can go makeup free, then by all means do it. Makeup may only aid in the buildup of oil on your skin and become a clogging mess by the end of the day. Throughout the day, powder your face with loose face powder, which will blot up excess oil. Don’t use pressed powder—it contains oil and it may foster blemishes or make existing acne worse.
  • The power of prevention
  • Take 1 tablespoon of flax seed a day. While it may sound kooky to add oil to your diet, there’s good rationale. Flaxseed is high in essential fatty acids, which have been shown to help improve many skin conditions, including oily skin. You’ll find flaxseed oil in health-food stores. To protect it from light and heat, buy the cold-pressed oil in an opaque container and store it in your refrigerator.
  • Drink lots of water.
  • eat lots of fruits and vegetable. Remember, you are what you eat. Have a great holiday.










  • 1 comment:

    1. some of these products you are mentioning , can they be gotten in 9ja ? do u have access to them ? hyssop, lavender & the likes ..

      ReplyDelete