Favorite Skincare Products for Oily Skin

I know I post on Instagram fairly regularly about my new found love of fitness, and the health journey I’ve been on over the last year or so. However, trying to be more healthy was not the only thing I was working towards in 2017. I was also working on my skincare routine (and some other shit too but we’ll get to that some other time).

My skin has been on a roller coaster ride the last few years. I think the all the cross country moving and a lot of unhealthy habits led to some seriously problematic skin. My skin is oily naturally but suddenly it was looking tired, old, patchy, and broken out.

I did a lot of research. There’s an informative subreddit which I highly recommend as the place to start your search if you’re on your own quest to find your own perfect skincare routine.  

But if you have oily skin that’s showing signs of aging, and you’re a little lazy (it’s ok, I am too), the following distilled skincare tips are an excellent starting point.

Make glycolic acid your friend

If you have oily and acne prone skin, I cannot recommend glycolic acid enough. Glycolic acid, or AHA, is found in lots of skin care products at various concentrations. It’s a chemical exfoliant and works great on oily and congested skin. If you have never used it before, it’s best to patch test first and integrate it into your routine slowly. Especially if you’re using a product with a high concentration of AHA/glycolic acid.

I use two products with glycolic acid. Both from Mario Badescu. One is a toner, their Glycolic Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion, that I use once or twice daily. The other is their Glycolic Gel, which is only meant to be used once or twice a week. I also focus the glycolic gel on my most oily areas (primarily the t zone), and keep it off my cheeks/under eye.

An added benefit of Glycolic acid is an improvement in the appearance of fine lines. My skin literally glows now that I have added AHA.

Sun protection is key

This was a step I always skipped in the past. Now that I live in Colorado again, where it’s pretty sunny, I never skip the sun protection. I believe it’s helped keep additional aging at bay or at least slowed it down. I also take the sun protection to my eyes and make sure I have sunglasses on whenever possible. Not just because I want my eyes to be protected, but because I squint in the sun and squinting always deepens my brow crease, even if it’s just for a few hours. Over time, it’ll add up.

I use an oil-free moisturizer from Mario Badescu if I’m not wearing makeup or I’m not going to be outside much. If I am wearing makeup or want to look a little more put together, I love Origins Ginzing Tinted Moisturizer but unfortunately, it only comes in one shade.

Skip the physical exfoliants

If you’re using aha or bha in your regular skin care routine, you really don’t need the physical exfoliants. In my experience with physical exfoliants, I end up breaking out a lot more. I’ve read that physical exfoliants can be rough on the skin and even push dirt into your pores and cause worse breakouts.

I do think these products have their place. My skin can get dry, especially on my cheeks during the winter, and I will not hesitate to use an exfoliator to get the flakes off. But it is not a part of my regular routine.

Find a good spot treatment

This was something I didn’t know I needed until I purchased it from Ulta on a whim. Origins Super Spot Treatment has been a lifesaver. I still have a compulsive desire to pop my pimples (but please don’t make me watch videos of that act on youtube, please), but I can now at least wait 24 hours to see if the spot treatment works (guess what, it generally does).

Not only does the spot treatment help give me a little more patience when it comes to messing my face up even more, but it actually does work. This spot treatment has a high dose of Salicylic Acid that dries up the blemish almost overnight. And if it’s not completely gone, it’s at least calmed down enough to cover if you’re feeling self-conscious (and it’s totally ok if you are!!).

Fall in love with eye creams

Finally, make eye creams your friend. This has made the biggest improvement in my under eye area. They’re still a little dark but since I’ve added an eye cream to my routine the skin is less crinkly and much more elastic.

I switch between three different eye creams depending on the day and my desires. I love Origins Ginzing Energizing Eye Cream but it doesn’t work great with Tarte Shape Tape. There are some serious separation issues. Mario Badescu’s Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream, on the other hand, works fantastic with Tarte Shape Tape but ultimately feels a little greasy when worn alone. I also use Origins Dr. Weil’s Dark Circle Under Eye cream but it’s a tad bit on the pricey side for daily use.  

Find A Good Night Moisturizer

I switch up my night time moisturizer depending on my need that day. If it’s feeling dry or I’ve exfoliated recently, I’m going with an oil. I use a dupe for the Farsali Rose Gold Serum. I also really love Erno Laszlo’s Firmarine Lotion, but it’s also a little bit pricey for daily use. If my skin feels normal but need some moisture after washing, I always reach for Origins Ginzing Gel Moisturizer.

I went way more in depth than I intended, but I’d love to hear your thoughts about this routine too. And let me know what products you love for your skin type in the comments below.