It is common for men to be afflicted with excess oil on their skin that leads to a breakout. You may be dealing with it yourself. Having oily skin can be the result of humidity, stress, too much alcohol, or even a poor diet, but it can also be your skin type.
While certain factors may trigger a flare-up of oily skin in any skin type, some men are born with naturally oily skin.
There are five skin types — oily, dry, sensitive, combination, and normal — and yours is determined by genetics.
Oily skin, in particular, is heavily influenced by hormones explaining why most of its characteristics first become visible during puberty when your body experiences an increase in androgen.
A common effect of increased androgen levels is the enlargement of sebaceous glands.
Sebaceous glands are the tiny glands that cover almost your entire face and body. They are responsible for producing sebum which is the oily substance your body uses to naturally lubricate itself. Larger sebaceous glands equal a boost in oil production that clogs pores and can lead to acne-prone skin.
Therefore those with naturally oily skin have sebaceous glands that produce more sebum than those with other skin types. You should be able to identify whether your skin type is oily if your face appears shiny with a thick complexion and if you are prone to blemishes and enlarged pores.
So, how can you make your face less oily? Here’s what you should know.
Importance of Treating Oily Skin
It is important that you employ skin care methods for treating your oily skin in order to avoid developing unwanted blemishes on the skin.
Blemishes such as acne form when your hair follicles become clogged with a buildup of sebum in combination with other substances like dirt and dead skin cells.
Bacteria can feed on this buildup and result in irritation. There are different types of blemishes that can result from this process including whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts.
While some forms are not too difficult to treat, others may require professional treatments or prescriptions from your dermatologist, making it important to avoid them altogether.
Another reason to invest time in resolving your oily skin is that, even after treating the blemishes caused by the excess oil on your face, you may be left to deal with the scars they left behind.
Scars can range in texture from icepick to keloid and in tone from erythema to hyperpigmentation. Equally as disheartening as acne, these scars are also costly to treat.
For example, one of the most popular corrective solutions, laser skin resurfacing, can cost around $2,500. After the several rounds of treatment required to achieve your desired results, a considerable amount of your time and money will be lost.
Avoid having to undergo these procedures at all — or ever again — by committing to repairing your oily skin back to health.
Reducing the Oil on Your Face
There are several ways to go about reducing the amount of oil on your face. It is important that not all sebum is bad. It exists for a reason. Natural oils are essential for keeping your skin nourished. The issue is when there is too much.
Here is a list of simple ways to regulate the amount of sebum on your skin.
Use Blotting Paper
A simple external solution for reducing the amount of oil amassed on your face throughout the day is blotting paper. Blotting papers are absorbent sheets of paper designed to soak up excess oil when applied to your skin in areas like your forehead or t-zone.
Using blotting sheets is easy. Just press a sheet against your skin, let it rest for a few seconds, and then discharge the sheet. The fun thing about blotting sheets is that results are immediate. While this method does nothing to alter the production of sebum on your skin, you will visibly be able to see all of the sebum soaked up by the blotting sheet.
Within seconds, your face will look considerably less shiny. The key with blotting sheets is to have them on hand for whenever you need them. The best way to do them is to carry them around with you. Most blotting papers are small enough to be kept in your gym bag or briefcase. For safe measure, keep additional sheets around your house and on your desk at work.
When you feel that too much oil has gathered on your face or notice your skin looking particularly shiny, grab a blotting sheet and place it on your skin. Use as many as necessary to reduce the appearance of oil from the entirety of your face.
If blotting papers are inaccessible to you, you can try using cloth pads safely medicated with salicylic or glycolic acid instead to remove excess from your skin oil and to cleanse your pores.
Cleanse Consistently
On the topic of cleansing, keeping your skin clean with the right skincare products is essential for regulating the amount of oil on your face. Washing consistently is the best way to see results. Every man, regardless of skin type, should be washing their face twice a day, and exfoliating regularly. Wash your face once in the morning and once before going to sleep.
Cleanse But Don’t Overwash
While washing your face is of the utmost importance, it is equally as important not to overwash. Cleansing twice a day should be sufficient. Washing more than that can lead to dryness and irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin. The only instances in which additional cleansing will do you good is after you have partaken in a high-intensity physical activity.
Whether you have a job involving physical labor or have done a midday workout, ridding your skin of built up sweat, sebum, bacteria, and dirt is important. Wash your face with your cleanser after finishing with your work or exercise routine.
Be Gentle
In addition to watching regularly, you should also wash gently. Washing your face with a rough washcloth may trigger your skin to produce more oil or lead to irritation. Any tool that can create friction should be avoided.
It is also important that you select a non-irritating cleanser. A product with added synthetic fragrances or harsh chemicals can cause the skin to dry out. This may alert your body to produce more sebum, in turn causing problems for those with already naturally oily skin.
We recommend using The Resetter.
The Resetter is a 2-in1 facial cleanser and shaving gel that facilitates a shave and cleansing that is both deep and gentle. Unlike competing drug store brand facial cleansers, our cleanser leaves your skin and facial hair feeling soft, smooth, and well hydrated instead of red, puffy, and stinging.
The Resetter is carefully formulated to work safely on all skin types. The product is water based and uses all-natural ingredients that include sunflower seed oil and glycerin infused coconut oil, which is full of antioxidants.
Benefits of using The Resetter include eliminating impurities from your pores, maintaining your skin’s pH levels, and balancing its natural oils.
Moisturize
Our skin has ways of lubricating itself through sebum production. Nevertheless, certain skin types and conditions may require that you apply extra moisture to your skin to keep it healthy. It is common for men with oily skin to avoid using moisturizer out of fear that the skin will appear even shinier or that their pores will become blocked.
In actuality, everyone benefits from frequent moisturizing. Using an oil-free moisturizer twice a day every morning and every night has the ability to strengthen your skin’s moisture barrier and restore even the oiliest skin back to health.
If you are still concerned about applying moisturizer to your oily skin, you can assure that your skin will not become irritated by selecting a product with a formula that is designed to support your skin.
For example, you should consider selecting a moisturizer that is non-comedogenic. Non comedogenic products are intentionally designed to not block your pores. You might also want to pick a product that is lightweight. This will keep your oily skin moisturized without it feeling greasy or heavy, and you may want to avoid thick facial oils and serums.
The Refresher
We recommend using MadeMan’s The Refresher.
The Refresher is an all-in-1 moisturizer that puts you on the fast track to long-term skin enhancement. Our product is formulated to offer you maximum hydration, protect you from free radicals, balance your natural oils, and keep your skin looking healthy and youthful.
The Refresher is safe to be applied to oily skin. The product is water-based, uses all-natural ingredients, and penetrates the skin with restoring and repairing complex nutrients. Some of the healthy ingredients found in The Refresher include chicory root, Indian ginseng extract, castor seed oil, and vitamin C.
Apply your moisturizer in the morning before putting on your sunscreen, and then use more at night before going to bed. A nickel-sized dollop of product should be enough, but check your product’s label to see if there are more specific instructions.
Try a Toner
Another product that you should consider implementing into your skincare routine to assist with regulating your oily skin is a toner. Toners are meant to be applied after washing your face with your cleanser. They help your skin to absorb any other products that you apply afterwards, such as your moisturizer and sunscreen, making them more effective.
Toners can also provide you with a second cleanse which is ideal for men struggling with oily skin types. Toner is designed to remove leftover soap and hard water, and excess amounts of oil, from your face.
Additionally, toners often contain astringents that can tighten any cell gaps and close up your pores, minimizing sebum production, after you are finished washing. This can also help to keep external irritants out.
When picking your toner, consider choosing one that contains chemical acid ingredients like salicylic acid, lactic acid, or glycolic acid. In addition to helping you feel fresh, it will also function as an exfoliator which can help to remove excess oil from your hair follicles.
While all toners share certain functions — like helping with absorption — each is designed with its own specialty. For example, toners that have a rosewater base are typically formulated to specifically target hydration. This means that you can choose a toner that is designed to support your oily skin and treat excess sebum.
Conclusion
Sebum production is natural but too much oil can leave your skin looking shiny and feeling irritated. To avoid developing blemishes on your face, you need to take action to regulate the amount of oil on your face without damaging your skin barrier with harsh active ingredients.
With MadeMan, the solutions are easy and effective. Remember to use a quality cleanser and moisturizer twice a day, and consider investing in a toner and blotting paper.
Sources:
Skin type classification systems old and new | PubMed
Laser Skin Resurfacing Cost | ASPS
Blotting paper as a disposable tool for sampling chemical residues from skin surface | PubMed
