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6 Natural Ways to Control Oil on Face in Summer

Hi Karla,

It's pretty common for our facial skin to feel more oily on the T-zone than the rest of the face during summertime and then a little bit dry and tight as seasons change from hot summer to cold winter.

The most important thing to keep in mind if you want a healthy and more balanced face complexion from season to season is to avoid using skincare products for oily skin that contain too many drying agents – such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide – in every product you put on your face.

If your facial skin becomes too dry, the oil-producing sebaceous glands under the surface of your skin will start to secrete an excess of sebum in order to moisturize your face. Overactive sebaceous glands can clog pores with too much sebum, leading to skin problems such as acne, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, blemishes, and enlarged pores.

What Can You Do to Control Face Shine and Keep Oily Skin Fresh

1. Keep Oily Face Clean and Fresh

Wash your face twice a day, morning and night, with a mild facial cleanser instead of regular facial soaps that may contain harsh chemicals or ingredients. Soap is bad for your face; it can strip off your skin's natural oils and dry out your skin, which in turn causes your skin to overreact and get more oily.

I strongly suggest you wash your face with a gentle non-soap foaming cleanser (low neutral pH) to remove dirt, oils and impurities. I'm head over heels in love with Olay Total Effects Cream Cleanser, which is a mild daily facial cleanser with micro-beads to gently exfoliate dead skin. It leaves my skin feeling really fresh, baby soft and glowing with a healthy radiant!

Here's a natural skincare tip for oily skin type – clean oily skin using fresh grapes. Slice (2-3) seedless grapes in half, and gently rub the cut side (flesh) over your entire face, using circular motions. Wash off completely by splashing your face with cool water. This really helps your makeup to stay on longer, especially in hot summer months.

2. Moisturize

Many people tend to skip moisturizer, thinking that because their skin is naturally oily, it doesn't require hydration. This is not true; moisturizing oily skin helps balance the complexion and will also make your foundation go on smoother. The secret is to avoid oil-based moisturizers which are too thick, rich and heavy for oily skin and summertime use, and will make oily skin problem worse.

You want to moisturize your face using a light, oil control day cream with UV protection (SPF15 or greater) to control sebum overproduction. And, a hydrating water-based/gel-based night cream for bedtime.

Simply apply a small amount on the oily areas of your face and gently blend outward. Most oil-control moisturizes labeled as "noncomedogenic"work well for oily skin, but if your skin gets dry and starts flaking, reduce the frequency of application.

3. Use Oil-Free Makeup

After your moisturizer, it's a good idea to wait a few minutes to allow it to sink into your skin before putting on makeup.

Then use a toner or a mattifying primer (Becca Mattifying Face Primer is my favorite) before makeup to help improve your skin's texture. Avoid heavy foundations as they add unnecessary oil to your already oily face. I favor suggesting CoverGirl Clean Oil Control Liquid Makeup, an excellent foundation that will control oil production and also prevent dryness.

For a bit more extra coverage on the shiny T-zone area (typically forehead, nose and chin), and make pores less visible, dust a light coat of loose powder or pressed powder using a brush. This leaves you with a fresh, natural shine-free look that will last for hours throughout the day.

4. Blot with a Tissue

Oily skin is more troublesome to deal with as it gets shiny and your makeup simply melts away after just a few hours. So that means, you probably have to touch up a couple of times more during the day.

You can blot off any extra oil using a clean powder puff, oil blotting papers (avoid blotting papers with fragrance or color as it can irritate your skin and cause acne breakouts) or even a sheet of facial tissue as a quick fix for that shine on your T zone area.

I usually take a 2-ply tissue, separate it and use 1-ply to get rid of excess oil on face. It's much cheaper than using oil blotting papers to soak up excess facial oil.

5. Weekly Mask

Clay or mud masks are excellent for keeping oily skin under control during summer. You want to apply a mud mask once or twice a week to absorb excessive oil and clear out pores, thereby reducing face shine significantly.

6. Healthy Diet

Those with oily skin should avoid consuming too much greasy or fatty foods such as bacon, pizzas, and deep fried items as these foods can create excess sebum.

To keep oily skin fresh and healthy, eat plenty of green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, as well as Vitamin C rich fruits such as orange, grapefruit, and kiwi. Don't forget to drink 8-10 glasses of water everyday, especially in hot summer to helps flush toxins from the skin.

By Tiffany Moore

Please help me naturally control excess oil on my face! I don't know what skin type I actually have, but I've very oily skin in the summer and super dry skin in winter. When the weather turns hot and humid, my face goes crazy, it gets an unsightly greasy shine on T zone area (particularly on the bridge of my nose) that I hate so much. Then my facial skin gets really dry and starts to flake during winter. I'm 22 years old and I don't wear heavy makeup everyday except on special occasions, and use Mary Kay skin care line for oily skin. I just want to hear some helpful tips on skin care for oily skin in summer, and what can I do to get rid of excess oil on my face. Any natural home remedies to keep oily skin under control? Thank you. – Karla, Iowa.

how to keep oily face under control in summer

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