Oily Skin on Face

Overwashing can actually make your face oilier. I have oily skin too (and have also taken accutane). I take birth control and that helps a bit. I also wash daily with CeraVe wash (a mild cleanser that's not over-drying so as not to stimulate MORE oil production). I use light makeup, and I dab throughout the day with oil absorbing sheets. I love those things. Have you tried those?

I also have something called medi-matte that actually absorbs oil, I use that under my makeup. It's kind of expensive, you can get it at sephora.

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I would try a Salicylic Acid peel, 20%. Twice a week. Does wonders for the face and keeps the oil at bay. I get mine on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Salicylic-Acid-Peel-30ml-Profession...
C.

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I have oily skin and I sure wish I didn't!!! I learned that tissue paper removes oil and not make up, so if you are out and in a pinch and see you are oily grab a corner of one of those bathroom seat covers and blot!! Doesn't help prevent the problem at all, but helps when you're in a pinch. Good luck!!!

What cleansing regime do you use? I find Mary Kaye's Timewise line very helpful. You might want to consider it.

D.

MR is exactly right! :) what happens is if you use products that contain mineral oil & strip the skin of it's natural moisture barrier it's VERY smart and starts to produce more oil. Then it becomes over active & causes oily skin & breakouts. Use products that contain No mineral oil & leave the natural moisture barrier in place as well. Also you can google it to see reviews on it but Arbonnes FC5 mattifying powder will be your best friend for your skin. You can apply many times to control oil without buildup. Their products are simply the best I have found. G
Www.naturallylovely.myarbonne.com

I LOVE the Noxzema facial wipes. They're about the size of a diaper wipe & smell yummy. My sons & I all use them to keep our faces looking clean. I have also found that the wipes help stop the itch after gardening!

I've been through Accutane too (twice). Are you eligible to take it again? I know it's a huge pain to deal with, but sometimes the second time is the charm (it was for me, anyway). Honestly, I've never found anything that really reduced the oil except Accutane. I use Bare Minerals foundation; I don't know if you wear a liquid foundation, but I found that most of them only made my skin oilier, even if they are oil-free. The Bare Minerals seems to work well for that - but you do have to exfoliate all the time in order for it to go on smoothly. I love Peter Thomas Roth's Botanical Buffing Beads for that (and it doesn't irritate sensitive or oily skin).

If you're not moisturizing after you wash, then that's the problem.

No matter what cleanser you use, you strip oils from the skin. The skin recognizes this and commands oil production to go into overdrive, hence the shiny face 30 minutes after.

Find a good oil-free facial moisturizer with an SPF.

I have had the same problem! I use Mary Kay, they have a system specifically for oily skin. I've been using it for over 10 years now (I've updated it from time to time, but basically the same stuff just better) and I have been very happy with results from it. (They also have this neat little oil-absorbing tissue for mid-day touch ups to control the shine!)
You can go to www.marykay.com and enter your zip to find a consultant near you. She will work with you to find exactly what you need, everything is try before you buy, and has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

This could be related to your diet. Are you eating a balanced diet based on the Food Pyramid or whatever it's called these days?

I had oily skin until menopause and found that the less I did to it the less oily my skin was. Every time you slather something on your skin you are activating oil glands. You can use an astringent lightly to help dry up the oil but if you scrub it on several times/day it activates the oil glands to overcome the dryness caused by the astringent.

I suggest only using oil/grease free cleanser 1-2 times/day. I actually found that washing once in the morning was enough. Then lightly wipe on an astringent such as witch hazel with a cotton ball. Then don't mess with the skin at all until bedtime or the next morning. For the the oiliness was reduced in a few weeks. I did not use make up.

There is make up for oily skin, but I never tried it. Once your skin is less oil you could try one. I suggest going to a make up counter and discussing the various ones available.

Also, I've used oil blotting sheets, purchased in the make up section. They do blot up the extra oil better than a tissue.

I use the Mary Kay Timewise collection, there is also an oil mattifier you can get which helps A Lot! Good Luck