When you have oily skin, your beauty routine can become obsessive! And that's the problem. To avoid jumping on preconceived ideas, it's all about pampering your skin! But how? We tell you all about it. 

Que faut-il savoir à propos des peaux grasses ? 

Suffering from a bad reputation, oily skin is a skin type characterized by excessive sebum production. Far from being as dirty as we might think, this excess of sebum can be caused by a variety of factors, including hormones, a high-fat diet, stress, the use of unsuitable skincare products or even genetics... 

The main characteristics of oily skin

Oily skin has a shiny appearance, a thick, oily texture, irregular skin texture with dilated pores, imperfections (such as pimples or blackheads) and a propensity for acne. The areas most affected are the forehead, nose and chin, the famous T-zone.

As we so often say, it's important to take care of oily skin with the right products! This will prevent clogged pores and aggravate skin problems that are already too present. Mostly natural products, but also gentle cleansers, toners, light moisturizers and mild exfoliants can help regulate sebum production and reduce imperfections. In addition, a healthy, balanced diet, physical exercise and stress reduction (meditation, yoga, Zen practices) can also help improve the condition of oily skin.

The right routine for oily skin

Every skin type requires its own daily beauty routine. Whether it's combination skin, dry skin, oily skin or normal skin, each requires its own special care. 

Cleansing oily skin

When it comes to removing make-up from oily skin, it's all about using the right routine to avoid clogged pores and aggressive sebaceous glands caused by the use of the wrong cosmetics. Here are the products to use when you have oily skin:

Purifying cleansing milk: with its dual effectiveness, purifying cleansing milk is formulated to eliminate impurities and excess sebum without drying the skin. It is often formulated with natural ingredients such as clay or activated charcoal.

A make-up-removing oil: contrary to popular belief, oily skin doesn't hate oils! On the contrary, make-up-removing oils are particularly suitable for oily and combination skins. They are ideal for removing traces of waterproof make-up and impurities in depth, while regulating sebum production. They are also highly nourishing for the skin, preventing imperfections. 

Absolutely avoid: micellar water and pre-soaked cleansing wipes. Both are rather harsh on the skin. Oily skin is particularly sensitive, and micellar water and wipes of this kind have a tendency to dry out the skin, further accentuating sebum production! 

Cleansing oily skin 

Cleansing comes after make-up removal. It's an essential step (for all skin types) that shouldn't be neglected, as it removes the last residues of make-up remover, as well as any encrusted impurities, cleansing the skin thoroughly. Gently massage the face with circular movements, preferably using your fingers. A relaxing moment that should become a pleasant ritual.

A foaming cleanser: this type of facial cleanser is gentle, so it doesn't dry out or aggress the skin! In fact, this is the most common form of cleanser for oily skin. 

Gel cleansers: another effective form of cleanser for oily-skinned faces. In fact, gel cleansers are often the ones recommended by dermatologists.

To do this, it's best to test several products and then stick with the one that suits you best.

L'exfoliation douce : c'est la dernière étape du nettoyage et elle doit se faire à minima une fois par semaine. L'exfoliation permet d'éliminer les peaux mortes en surface, elle déloge les dernières impuretés tenaces et booste le renouvellement cellulaire de la peau. Quand on a la peau grasse et donc sujette aux imperfections telles que l'acné et les petits boutons, on favorise un exfoliant chimique comme un peeling doux à l'acide salicylique, idéal pour les pores dilatés.

Care for oily skin 

Oily skin requires care, even more so than normal and combination skin. Just like dry skin, oily skin suffers from excess, and it's important to create the right balance to enable the skin barrier to remain balanced.

A natural mask

Once a week, apply a mask with natural active ingredients. Green clay, activated charcoal, turmeric... Leave your mask on for around twenty minutes, making sure it's always moist. Green clay is excellent for controlling excess sebum and purifying the skin! As for activated charcoal, its absorbent power effectively eliminates toxins, tightens dilated pores and prevents the appearance of blackheads. Turmeric restores radiance and deeply purifies the skin!

A gentle skincare routine 

For your skincare routine, opt for gentle care products. Use a hydrolate of nettle, rosemary or peppermint as a toner in the morning and evening before your skincare routine to purify, soothe the skin and tighten pores. Jojoba oil can be used in place of your night cream. It's ideal for moisturizing and nourishing the skin without excess, and is non-comedogenic, making it particularly suitable for oily skin! During the day, you can totally rely on pure Aloe Vera gel or any product containing it, to moisturize your skin but also purify it and regulate the action of the sebaceous glands.

Don't neglect facial massage, using beauty tools such as rollers, mushrooms or Ice Globes to stimulate facial muscles, blood vessels, skin and drainage points to eliminate toxins. Finally, in summer and winter alike, don't skip out on sun protection. A minimum SPF 30 sunblock protects the skin's barrier against the harmful effects of the sun's rays, preventing the overproduction of imperfections such as pigmentation spots, blackheads and pimples! (We explain how to prepare your skin for the sun).

Make-up for oily skin 

Beware: when you have imperfect skin, you want to camouflage it and tend to smother it under layers of unsuitable make-up. STOP! Let your skin breathe, avoid over-layers of compact foundation - the cakey effect is a no-no. We prefer fluid, skincare textures (like a CC serum, BB Crème or skincare foundation) to blur marks rather than crudely camouflage them. We add controlled shine with a light powder, a little color with a blush stick and, if necessary, powder the T-zone to mask the greasy look caused by sebum.

Focus on magnified eyes to draw attention away from imperfections. Lengthen your lashes with an XXL-effect mascara (double its effectiveness with an eyelash serum), opt for a beautiful brown/copper smocky effect during the day and black/silver at night, conceal dark circles with a concealer (after sufficiently moisturizing the area with a suitable eye contour serum). On the lips, a touch of lip gloss brings the look together, and you've got a perfect make-up look...

The ultimate beauty tip? As with your body, love your skin and let it know it. Treat it gently with tender gestures, opt for a healthy diet adapted to your needs, and massage it from time to time. Whether it's dry, oily, tight, acne-prone... simply be proud of it, of yourself. That's certainly the best beauty advice you can give and apply!