Are your products making your skin oilier?

One of the most common skin conditions we see at Shine is acne. But one of the biggest issues we see in new clients is that they have tried to combat their acne issues by stripping their skin of good oils with the wrong skincare, making it even oilier but also with dry, scaly patches – so in general their skin presents as red, inflamed and aggravated. In about 90% of cases oily skin is not to blame for the breakouts – it is usually hormones, stress, diet or digestion. I know, I know…. You are saying, “But MY skin is oily!” Let me explain… Oil is not your enemy. Too much oil is. But we all need good oils in our skin to keep it hydrated, nourished, balanced, working correctly and to have a healthy glowing complexion. Oil for your skin is like oil with food. There is good oil and bad oil. You need good oils (like the oils found in fish, nuts and avocado) to ensure everything in your body is lubricated and working well to absorb nutrients and maintain good health. What you don’t need is an excess of bad oils (think trans fats in fast food and greasy takeaway). This can spell bad news for your heart, your other essential organs, and even your skin, leaving you feeling sluggish and unhealthy. When you use skincare products targeted for oily complexions and acne-prone skin you are probably stripping out all the essential oils as well as the bad ones because many skincare brands which are developed for super-oily skin are actually created to strip out as much oil as possible, no matter if it is good or bad. So you end up with dehydrated, stressed out skin that is actually screaming out for some good oil. And plenty of hydration. The result? Your body responds to this distress signal and goes into overdrive producing extra oils so you end up with a major grease problem and major inflammation and dehydration because your skin is in shock. What does that look like? Break-outs and red, dry patches of skin – so both oily and dry at the same time! Is this starting to sound like your skin now? A little of everything? The first step is to balance out your skin using the right combination skincare products – or for some people, specific hydrating products – to calm down your stressed out complexion and slow down the excess oil production. At Shine, when you book in for a skin consultation we will do a thorough skin analysis before discussing with you the best treatment for your skin type. We encourage you to also bring in any skincare you are currently using so we can understand what you are using and why, and work with you discover what is the best way forward for your skin. We try and work as much as we can with what you already have – because, after all, you have spent good money on it! – but at the same time our job is to make sure you are doing the best for your skin with the right products so we may recommend some changes. I hope that resolves a few of the myths out there about oily skin and I welcome you to give me a call to discuss your oily skin issues – or pop into Shine for a chat or to book a facial so we can start getting your skin back on track to optimum health.