Synegy Skin Care Blog

 

The characteristics of oily skin are its shiny/oily appearance, enlarged pores and the usual congestion associated with this skin type. It is prone to comedomes (blackheads), pimples and regular ‘breakouts'. Overactive sebaceous glands produce more oil (sebum) than the skin needs. This excess oil gives the skin its greasy shine. The causes of oily skin can be genetic, diet related, hormonal imbalance, pregnancy, birth control or products applied to the skin. Because of the hormonal changes in adolescence, oily skin is also common in teenagers, but it can occur at any age. In general our skin tends to become dryer as we get older.

The flow of sebum or oil increases during adolescence and starts decreasing with age. During pregnancy and menopause, hormonal imbalances can also upset the oil balance and cause an increase in activity of the sebaceous glands.

The is a great advantage of having oily skin, it ages at a much slower rate than other skin types. People with oily skin have fewer fine lines and wrinkles and maintain suppleness and elasticity of the skin for longer.

Oily skin needs cleansing with specific products suited to its skin type. A common problem for those with oily skin is the ingredients in facial products. Harsh cheap ingredients contained in many products designed for this skin type, appear to do an effective job in removing excess oil. However, these are usually counter productive and in the long term make the problem worse. These harsh chemicals strip your skin and encourage it to become taut and flaky, but only at surface level. The layers underneath will continue to have an over production of sebum. This causes the uppermost layers of your skin to shrink, restricting the flow of oils through the pores, resulting in congestion and breakouts. Using harsh chemicals also causes a reaction known as reactive seborrhoea, where the oil glands work overtime to compensate for the sudden loss of natural oils.

Oily skin needs to be thoroughly cleaned at least twice per day. The most effective and least damaging way to cleanse oily skin, is to use oil-based products. Many people with oily skin avoid oil based products as they view them as adding oil on top of more oil. But this is not the case, the OCM (oil cleansing method) has been proven time and time again to be the most effective way of cleaning this type of skin. There are two ways to emulsify and clear oily residue from the skin, one is harsh cleansers and the other is oil itself, using like to treat like. Synergy Skin Care Facial Washes are totally oil based with a foaming action. They gently but very effectively clean the skin without damaging it. They also contain organic essential oils blended specifically for individual skin conditions, to promote healing and to rebalance the skin at cellular level. This in effect addresses the cause of problematic skin and not just the effects of it. A pure handcrafted soap designed specifically for oily skin is another very effective way to cleanse oily skin, these can include essential oils with anti-bacterial and rebalancing properties. After cleansing, it is essential to tone oily skin. It serves to hydrate, revitalize, soothe and balance the pH of the skin. It literally relaxes and tones the pores preparing them to more effectively receive the benefits of your moisturiser. Toners also allow for a matte finish to the skin. Then apply a light moisturiser, this doesn't need to be oil free as many oils are adaptagenic (balancing) and have anti-inflammatory and healing qualities. It should contain much less oils than that suited to dry skin.

Another important step in caring for oily skin is a good deep cleanse and exfoliation, this should be on a weekly basis. In cases of extreme congestion this can be done twice a week. Synergy Skin Care Organic Mud Mask is an amazing product, that deep cleanses and exfoliates in one treatment. It provides an abundance of minerals and natural silicones to the skin and has great natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties also. This mud mask is ideal for congested/oily skin, and it doesn't require any of the rubbing or friction that most exfoliating treatments involve. Many exfoliators rely on this rubbing action to be effective but this is causes stress to the skin. Our organic mud mask is simply applied to the skin, relax and remove 15 minutes later to reveal revitalized, exfoliated and clean skin. This mud treatment has great ‘de-scaling' action also. This wonderful treatment should be finished with a moisturiser suitable for oily skin.

Other important factors to take into consideration in the care of oily skin are, the type of make-up you choose. The best make-up for oily skin is natural minerals. This gives an even matte coverage, but does not congest or clog the pores. Also, ensure that cosmetic brushes and sponges are cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis, these are a real breeding ground for bacteria.

 

Diet has a major influence on all skin types. A person with oily skin needs to be extra careful to not consume unhealthy fats. Ones diet should contain lots of fruit and vegetables and plenty of water. This will promote healthy bodily functions and a healthy skin.

 

Those with oily skin usually are not prone to sunburn, this does not mean that it is safe to expose the skin to the sun without incurring skin damage. Everyone needs to wear a good SPF when out in the sun. The skin may not be as susceptible to burning, but UV exposure is damaging to all skin cells. The eyes also need protection, always use sunglasses or tinted lens.