Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSignsFacial CleansingMoisturizerBlotting PaperFacial TonerRemoving MakeupTouching Your FaceClay MasksGreen TeaHydrocortisonePrescription Medication
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Signs
Facial Cleansing
Moisturizer
Blotting Paper
Facial Toner
Removing Makeup
Touching Your Face
Clay Masks
Green Tea
Hydrocortisone
Prescription Medication
Oily skin occurs whensebaceous glandsin your skin produce too much of a waxy, oily substance known assebum. Sebum keeps your skin lubricated and protects it against excess moisture, but if there’s too much of it, it can leave you with a greasy complexion and increase your risk of pimples and acne breakouts.
Stress, humidity, genetics, and fluctuations in hormones are just a few of the reasons why your face may be oily. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce oily skin and the risk of breakouts, including following a regular face-washing routine, using natural remedies, and applying over the counter or prescription topical medication.
This article explains the possible causes of oily skin and describes simple ways to reduce skin greasiness whatever the underlying cause.
What Is Sebum and How Does Your Skin Produce It?
RyanKing999 / Getty Images
What Causes Oily Skin?
Sebum has many benefits, including lubrication for the skin, antibacterial properties, sun protection, inflammation regulation, and wound healing. An oversupply of sebum, however, can lead to a shiny, greasy complexion, acne, and skin irritation.
Causes and Risk Factors of Acne
Oily, Acne-Prone Skin Remedies
Signs of Oily Skin
Oily skin is easy to identify. It may look shiny and be prone to pimples and blackheads. People with oily skin often have visibly large pores.
If you wear makeup, you may also notice that the makeup wears off easily or develops a different consistency when it’s applied to the oily parts of your skin.
Wash Your Face Twice Daily
Moisturize
It may feel counterintuitive, but using a daily moisturizer is an important way to manage oily skin. When your skin is overly dry, it stimulates your body to produce more oil to moisturize it. Look for a gentle, oil-free moisturizer with sunscreen and apply it every morning.
Does Oily Skin Need a Moisturizer?
Use Blotting Paper
Use blotting papers throughout the day to absorb excess oil between washes. These products are great for on-the-go care. Gently dab your face and try not to rub the paper over your skin because this could spread the oil around.
Use a Facial Toner
A toner is a water-based product designed to help cleanse your face, tighten your pores, and even your skin tones. Different toners have different benefits, so choose one based on your specific skin type and skin care goals. Some examples of facial toner types include:
Remove Makeup Before Bed
If you wear makeup, it is especially important to remove it before you go to bed. Use an oil-free makeup wipe or makeup remover and be sure to wash your face afterwards with a gentle cleanser to remove excess dirt and dead skin cells. This will help keep your pores from clogging overnight and contributing to breakouts.
Avoid Touching Your Face
If your skin is oily, try to avoid touching it as much as possible. Your hands can transfer dirt, oil, and bacteria to your face, leading to an oil buildup.
This tip can be hard to stick to because most of us frequently touch our faces without realizing it. One study found that people touch their faces around 23 times per hour on average.
Apply a Clay Mask
Clay masksmay be helpful in soaking up excess oil from your face. Depending on which type of clay you choose, the mask can draw oil out of the pores. The oil is washed away when you rinse off the clay.
A few studies have found that clay masks can be helpful in preventing acne, including one that concluded using a clay mask two times a week could help manage oily skin and improve hydration and texture.
Try Green Tea on Your Face
Try applying a green tea emulsion to your skin. Studies have found that a 3% green tea emulsion can significantly reduce sebum production. You won’t see results overnight, though; participants noted a difference after 60 days.
Does Green Tea Clear Acne?
Use a Hydrocortisone Cream
Excess oil on the skin can sometimes lead to redness and flaky patches. An over-the-counterhydrocortisone creamcan help address skin irritation and reduce redness and scaling.
Take Prescription Medication as Needed
If you haven’t seen any improvements in your skin after trying home care strategies, it’s time to see a dermatologist. Your dermatologist may recommend medications to help manage your oily skin. These may include:
Summary
It’s helpful to remember that there are several ways to manage oily skin, and they may take time to work. If one strategy does not help with your oily skin, others may be a better fit. Your dermatologist can help you determine the right course for you.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Oily skin.American Acne Association.Why do some people have oilier skin than others?Sahawneh P.Factors influencing skin health from within.J Integr Health. 2024;3(1):156-63. doi:10.51219/JIH/pamela-sahawneh/26Elsaie ML.Hormonal treatment of acne vulgaris: An update.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016;9:241-8. doi:10.2147/CCID.S114830Romańska-Gocka K, Woźniak M, Kaczmarek-Skamira E, Zegarska B.The possible role of diet in the pathogenesis of adult female acne.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2016;33(6):416-420. doi:10.5114/ada.2016.63880Goad N, Gawkrodger DJ.Ambient humidity and the skin: The impact of air humidity in healthy and diseased states.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(8):1285-94. doi:10.1111/jdv.13707Maia Campos PMBG, Melo MO, Mercurio DG.Use of advanced imaging techniques for the characterization of oily skin.Front Physiol. 2019;10:254. doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.00254Kwok YL, Gralton J, McLaws ML.Face touching: A frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene.Am J Infect Control. 2015;43(2):112-4. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2014.10.015Zhang X, Zhang Z, Tao H, et al.Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin.Skin Res Technol. 2023;29(11):e13513. doi:10.1111/srt.13513Endly DC, Miller RA.Oily skin: A review of treatment options.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(8):49-55.Balighi K, Ghodsi SZ, Daneshpazhooh M, Ghale-Baghi S, Nasimi M, Azizpour A.Hydrocortisone 1% cream and sertaconazole 2% cream to treat facial seborrheic dermatitis: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2016;3(2):107-110. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2016.11.008Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Dermatology Association.Acne: who gets and causes.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Oily skin.American Acne Association.Why do some people have oilier skin than others?Sahawneh P.Factors influencing skin health from within.J Integr Health. 2024;3(1):156-63. doi:10.51219/JIH/pamela-sahawneh/26Elsaie ML.Hormonal treatment of acne vulgaris: An update.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016;9:241-8. doi:10.2147/CCID.S114830Romańska-Gocka K, Woźniak M, Kaczmarek-Skamira E, Zegarska B.The possible role of diet in the pathogenesis of adult female acne.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2016;33(6):416-420. doi:10.5114/ada.2016.63880Goad N, Gawkrodger DJ.Ambient humidity and the skin: The impact of air humidity in healthy and diseased states.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(8):1285-94. doi:10.1111/jdv.13707Maia Campos PMBG, Melo MO, Mercurio DG.Use of advanced imaging techniques for the characterization of oily skin.Front Physiol. 2019;10:254. doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.00254Kwok YL, Gralton J, McLaws ML.Face touching: A frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene.Am J Infect Control. 2015;43(2):112-4. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2014.10.015Zhang X, Zhang Z, Tao H, et al.Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin.Skin Res Technol. 2023;29(11):e13513. doi:10.1111/srt.13513Endly DC, Miller RA.Oily skin: A review of treatment options.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(8):49-55.Balighi K, Ghodsi SZ, Daneshpazhooh M, Ghale-Baghi S, Nasimi M, Azizpour A.Hydrocortisone 1% cream and sertaconazole 2% cream to treat facial seborrheic dermatitis: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2016;3(2):107-110. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2016.11.008Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Dermatology Association.Acne: who gets and causes.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Library of Medicine.Oily skin.American Acne Association.Why do some people have oilier skin than others?Sahawneh P.Factors influencing skin health from within.J Integr Health. 2024;3(1):156-63. doi:10.51219/JIH/pamela-sahawneh/26Elsaie ML.Hormonal treatment of acne vulgaris: An update.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016;9:241-8. doi:10.2147/CCID.S114830Romańska-Gocka K, Woźniak M, Kaczmarek-Skamira E, Zegarska B.The possible role of diet in the pathogenesis of adult female acne.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2016;33(6):416-420. doi:10.5114/ada.2016.63880Goad N, Gawkrodger DJ.Ambient humidity and the skin: The impact of air humidity in healthy and diseased states.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(8):1285-94. doi:10.1111/jdv.13707Maia Campos PMBG, Melo MO, Mercurio DG.Use of advanced imaging techniques for the characterization of oily skin.Front Physiol. 2019;10:254. doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.00254Kwok YL, Gralton J, McLaws ML.Face touching: A frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene.Am J Infect Control. 2015;43(2):112-4. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2014.10.015Zhang X, Zhang Z, Tao H, et al.Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin.Skin Res Technol. 2023;29(11):e13513. doi:10.1111/srt.13513Endly DC, Miller RA.Oily skin: A review of treatment options.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(8):49-55.Balighi K, Ghodsi SZ, Daneshpazhooh M, Ghale-Baghi S, Nasimi M, Azizpour A.Hydrocortisone 1% cream and sertaconazole 2% cream to treat facial seborrheic dermatitis: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2016;3(2):107-110. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2016.11.008
National Library of Medicine.Oily skin.
American Acne Association.Why do some people have oilier skin than others?
Sahawneh P.Factors influencing skin health from within.J Integr Health. 2024;3(1):156-63. doi:10.51219/JIH/pamela-sahawneh/26
Elsaie ML.Hormonal treatment of acne vulgaris: An update.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016;9:241-8. doi:10.2147/CCID.S114830
Romańska-Gocka K, Woźniak M, Kaczmarek-Skamira E, Zegarska B.The possible role of diet in the pathogenesis of adult female acne.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2016;33(6):416-420. doi:10.5114/ada.2016.63880
Goad N, Gawkrodger DJ.Ambient humidity and the skin: The impact of air humidity in healthy and diseased states.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(8):1285-94. doi:10.1111/jdv.13707
Maia Campos PMBG, Melo MO, Mercurio DG.Use of advanced imaging techniques for the characterization of oily skin.Front Physiol. 2019;10:254. doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.00254
Kwok YL, Gralton J, McLaws ML.Face touching: A frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene.Am J Infect Control. 2015;43(2):112-4. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2014.10.015
Zhang X, Zhang Z, Tao H, et al.Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin.Skin Res Technol. 2023;29(11):e13513. doi:10.1111/srt.13513
Endly DC, Miller RA.Oily skin: A review of treatment options.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(8):49-55.
Balighi K, Ghodsi SZ, Daneshpazhooh M, Ghale-Baghi S, Nasimi M, Azizpour A.Hydrocortisone 1% cream and sertaconazole 2% cream to treat facial seborrheic dermatitis: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2016;3(2):107-110. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2016.11.008
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Acne: who gets and causes.
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