How to deal with oily skin

Wondering why your skin is so oily and what you can do to treat it? Whether you’ve been dealing with oily skin for what feels like forever or your skin type has recently changed, it can be maddening to be met with an oil slick when you’re trying to achieve a dewy glow. And while you can’t permanently get rid of oily skin, you can reduce its appearance. 

Let’s look at what oily skin is and what you can do to control it:

What is oily skin and what causes it?

Oily skin appears shiny and slick, with prominent pores that easily become clogged and are prone to acne. This happens because glands produce an excess amount of a substance called sebum. Sebum is made of fats and has a shiny appearance. When it passes from your glands through your pores and to the skin’s surface, it can cause your face to look slick.

Why do I have oily skin?

There are a number of factors involved in why skin is oily. Hormonal changes, genetics, the weather, diet, and stress can all kick your oil glands into producing too much sebum. While you may not always know exactly what causes oily skin, (particularly yours!), there are steps you can take to make your skin appear less shiny.

How can I make my skin less oily?

1. Cleanse regularly: Take care of your oily face by cleansing it daily, morning and evening. Try not to overdo it: over-cleansing can strip the skin and actually spur your glands to produce more oil, putting you back to shiny square one.
   
   
2. Be gentle: Avoid rubbing your face and be careful not to use overly harsh cleansers. Too much physical pressure and products that dry you out can irritate your skin, once again kicking your glands into overdrive. Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel is formulated for oily skin types to wash away grime without stripping skin.
   
   
3. Use moisturizer: You may think that with all that oil, your face doesn’t need any more moisture. However, one of the best ways to combat oily skin is to keep your face healthy and moisturized. Look for a lightweight, oil free moisturizer. Mario Badescu offers two oil free moisturizers that won’t clog pores: one even contains SPF 17! Discover our best moisturizers for oily skin here.
   
   
4. Try glycolic acid: Glycolic acid is one of the best ingredients for oily skin types, since it encourages cell turnover, exfoliates dead surface skin cells that can clog pores, and minimizes the appearance of pores. Glycolic acid is a powerful ingredient, so start slowly and step up your sunscreen usage. Swap out your regular cleanser 2-3 times a week for Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser for a complexion that’s radiant rather than greasy.
   
   
5. Mask mindfully: Kaolin clay and bentonite clay are common in the best clay masks for absorbing oil and pulling impurities out of congested skin. Be mindful of your masking—alternate with your stronger products so you are not overdoing it. Mario Badescu’s Special Mask for Oily Skin contains both kaolin and bentonite clays to control excess oil along with calamine to protect and re-balance skin.

Mario Badescu offers a variety of specially formulated products that can help control oil, so you can feel like you’re getting rid of oily skin without losing out on oil’s skin-protecting and plumping benefits. You’ll appreciate having a dewy glow instead of a slick shine!

Originally published as Oily Skin from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

What is my skin type?

If you’re wondering what your skin type is, you’re not alone. Finding out your skin type is essential for knowing what your skin needs – and the type of skincare products that are best suited for your skin. 

The best face cream for dry skin may not be ideal if your skin is actually oily. Your particular skin type can be clouded by many factors, including the kind of skincare products you’re using and whether they’re best for you. 

The popularity of aggressive treatments and serums with high concentrations of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA’s) can sensitize skin, making you think you have a sensitive skin type when your skin type may be combination. Overuse of BHA’s, on the other hand, can strip skin of oils and cause an overproduction of sebum leading you to believe you’re oilier than you may actually are.

All of this can lead you to use products that aren’t quite right for you and don’t promote the health of your skin.

How to Determine Skin Type

How to find out your skin type is actually not very complicated. To start, take a skincare breather. Over the course of two or three days, tone down the use of potent serums, particularly acids and aggressive treatments with high concentrations of actives like retinol and vitamin C. AHA’s like Glycolic and Lactic Acids are powerful exfoliants that can sensitize the skin. BHA’s, the most common of which is Salicylic Acid, control oil production and loosen hardened sebum that builds up within pores.

After your brief detox period, begin your skincare routine with a gentle, non-stripping cleanser and a hydrating toner – without alcohol, AHA’s or BHA’s. Then, wait for about 30 minutes to see how your skin reacts. 

If your skin begins to appear shiny and oily, you have an oily skin type. If it feels dry and uncomfortable, meaning it lacks sufficient oil content, then you have a dry skin type.

If you are oily in some areas, such as the T-zone across the forehead and down the bridge of the nose, but you seem dry on your cheeks, then your skin type is likely combination.

You may even discover that you can’t tell one way or the other! That means your skin type is relatively normal, neither oily nor dry.

If your skin flares up, burns or seems otherwise highly irritated, it’s an indication that your skin may have become sensitized by your routine. Skin can easily become agitated by the overuse of harsh acids and potent actives like retinoids.

What about sensitive skin?

First, what is sensitive skin? Sensitive skin should not be confused with sensitized skin, often a temporary condition. A sensitive skin type shows extreme sensitivity, irritation, redness and a general intolerance for much of what is applied to it. 

Sensitive skin is a broad category than can encompass sensitivity to fragrance in skincare, or a particular ingredient like vitamin c or lavender oil. It can even have a reaction to pollutants in the air, climate and temperature changes, dehydration or a poor diet.

In many ways, all skin is “sensitive” as skin is a delicate organ that is highly reactive to both internal and external influences. Only you can determine what your own skin is sensitive to – and do your best to avoid those irritants.

Another great indicator of your skin type is the appearance of your skin in the morning – after a good night’s sleep. Since your skin has been at rest along with you, you can often tell your skin type with a quick glance in the mirror. Close up, how oily or dry does your skin appear? 

Mario Badescu offers products for oily skin, dry skin, and every skin type in between, including sensitive skin. To shop by your skin type, try our regimen finder with products organized by skin type. 

Originally published as How to Tell What Skin Type You Have and Why it Matters from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Facial masks are an important part of any good skincare regimen. But it may seem overwhelming to figure out how to apply a face mask — or even how to choose the best face mask for your specific needs. We’re here to help!

We’ve put together this step-by-step guide to help you level up your everyday beauty routine by adding regular self-care time with a face mask that fits your routine.

Our experts address all your masking questions, including:

• What does a face mask do?
• How often should you use a face mask?
• What is the best face mask for your skin?
• What to do after a face mask?

Let’s mask up!

Why Add Masking to Your Self-Care Regimen?

You face a lot in your everyday life. Aside from the environmental pollutants that barrage your skin as you move through the world, stress, age and diet can influence how your skin looks and feels. A quick routine of washing and slathering on moisturizer once or twice a day doesn’t do justice to the huge service our skin performs.

Adding a mask to your routine deep cleans your pores and addresses your skin’s deeper issues, like acne, dryness or discoloration. A quick skin analysis can clue you into your skin’s underlying needs.

How Often Should You Use a Face Mask?

This question gets a bit personal. Our aestheticians recommend masking one to two times a week as a general rule. But if you’re really serious about putting your best face forward on the regular, a mask session up to three times a week can really amplify the benefits. Think of at-home masking as a facial between professional facials — like brushing and flossing on the reg between dental visits. We all do that; right?

What Is the Best Face Mask for Me?

Choosing the right face mask for your skin’s needs is the first step toward successful masking. This important decision boils down to determining what your skin is hungry for. Ask yourself: What’s my biggest skin concern? We’ve curated masks to address dryness and flaky skin, hyperpigmentation like sunspots and acne scars, the wrinkles and sagging skin that come with age, visibly large pores and a host of acne concerns, including blackheads, cystic zits and excess oil production.

Skin Care Specialist Tip: If you have a combo plate of skin issues, as many of us do, consider learning how to multi-mask for a customized at-home facial experience.

How to Apply a Face Mask:

Create an at-home spa experience by gathering these items:

• The mask of your choice
• A clean washcloth
• A hairband or towel to keep your tresses out of the way, if necessary
• A magazine or other distraction

Set up your supplies on the bathroom counter and play some mellow, music if that helps to set a soothing mood. Roll up your sleeves and follow these steps:

1. Prep – Start with a clean canvas. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and use an exfoliant to clear away any dead cells crowding around your pores. This will set the stage for maximum absorption of your mask’s goodness.
2. Apply – Using clean fingers, apply a thin layer of mask all over your face, being sure to avoid the delicate tissue around your eyes. Stop a quarter inch or so from your hairline and ears. Depending on your unique needs, you may want to continue your mask onto your neck and décolletage.
3. Wait – Leave the mask on for 10 to 20 minutes — all mask products have specific instructions, so make sure to follow those. While you wait, peruse a fun article, listen to some music or sit quietly with your eyes closed and imagine your skin getting healthier.

How to Peel Off a Face Mask

Removing your mask is simple. Splash a little lukewarm water on the product to soften any dry spots, then rinse well until your face is clean. Rinse away any remnants with tepid water.

Post-Mask Procedures

Before you snap that #selfie of your mask-ified glow, take a moment for aftercare. Swipe a cotton ball soaked in high-quality toner over your face to reset your skin’s balance. Then layer on the moisture with a night cream or nourishing serum product that aligns with your skin’s needs. You can mask anytime, but it’s particularly advantageous to do it just before bedtime so your skin can regroup overnight.

Frequently Masked Questions

• Q: What does a face mask do?
• A: Face masks offer a deeper clean than everyday washing while addressing specific skin concerns, like excess oil production, dryness or acne eruptions.
• Q: How often should you use a face mask?
• A: Depending on your skin type, masking up to three times a week is acceptable.
• Q: What’s your advice for how to make your own face mask at home?
• A: Because the skin on your face is so delicate, we do not recommend concocting a homemade face mask. Many items in your pantry — like apple cider vinegar and turmeric — can cause irritation, redness or allergic reactions. It’s best to stick with reliable skincare products that are simple and effective.

Originally published as How to Apply Face Masks – Frequency & After-Care Tips from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Looking for the best skincare regimen, one that actually meets your skin concerns? At Mario Badescu, we know everyone’s skin is different. There is no one-size-fits-all skin solution. Your skin is unique to you!

There are numerous skin types and skin conditions – from oily and dry skin to acne prone and sensitive skin. You probably think your skin has a personality all its own! When you discover the best face cream or rejuvenating toner for your skin type, it can work wonders for your skin, and how your skin looks and behaves from day to day.

That’s why we created our Skin Analysis tool. Just answer a few brief questions and you’ll be paired with the right skincare products for you – the cleanser, toner, moisturizer and specialty serums that meet your own skin concerns.

Once you’ve completed the questionnaire, you’ll get product recommendations for a complete daily skincare regimen. Choose which products you want to pick up now and, for our friends in the US, you’ll have the option to order a free sample regimen to try product recommendations before you buy. (You just have to cover the $2.95 shipping fee!) 

The Mario Badescu Skin Analysis takes just a few minutes, but can offer invaluable skincare advice that will leave your skin clear and your complexion glowing!

Are you ready to get your best skin yet? 
Start your Skin Analysis here.

Originally published as Find Your Best Skincare Regimen from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.