A correct routine for oily skin must include 4 types of actions which work in synergy to tackle the cause (hyperseborrhea) but also the effects (shiny skin and imperfections therefore). It does not matter that these actions are found in the same product (moreover it is impossible, we will see it below with the millefeuille method), what is essential is that in all your routine, between the product washing, exfoliating, hydrating, mask or care, they are all present.
Antibacterial action: a simple cleaning is not enough
Because do not think that it is enough to cleanse thoroughly oily skin for it to be purified. Oily skin and blackheads and inflammation often go hand in hand. These are all possibilities of local infections. An antibacterial product prevents lesions from superinfecting on the one hand and the migration of bacteria to other areas of the face on the other.
Natural cosmetics favor natural ingredients or those derived from biotechnology such as essential oils (from tea tree for example), zinc, sulfur or even lauric derivatives. They are preferred, especially when using the product in question for the long term. In conventional cosmetics, it is mainly quaternary ammoniums (such as bromide cetrimonium) that are used.
A keratolytic (exfoliating) action: we forget about mechanical scrubs
Indispensable for oily skin, exfoliation allows frequent elimination of dead skin, unclogging pores and smoothing the skin. Oily skin with imperfections should banish mechanical grain exfoliators and favor chemical (or enzymatic) exfoliators. Based on acids (AHA, salicylic acid), enzymes (papain, ficin, bromelain), or urea (at certain concentrations), grain-free, they are just as effective and have the enormous advantage of not attack the skin and aggravate inflammatory phenomena . This is especially true in case of acne.
A sebum-regulating action: we deal with the problem at the base
Oily Skin producing too much sebum, it makes sense that an adequate skincare routine includes a sebum-regulating aspect. We are talking about active ingredients aimed at reducing sebum production and purifying the skin , not “make-up” ingredients which only matify by mechanical effect (absorbent). These are purely aesthetic, we will talk about them below. The natural sebo-regulating ingredients have largely proven themselves and are used as much in natural cosmetics as in conventional cosmetics. These are caprylic, salicylic derivatives, zinc, plant extracts rich in saponins or astringents.
A hydrating action: “oil-free” is not the solution
It is useful to remember that an oily skin is it by excess of sebum, and that the sebum comes from the inside. Do not think that a product that contains oil or just an oil will exacerbate your oily skin problem, it does not work that way. The only condition where a fatty substance applied to the skin will be harmful to oily skin will be an oxidized fatty substance (poor storage especially for oils sensitive to oxidation) or naturally comedogenic (moreover, certain non-fatty ingredients are also comedogenic, such as acrylates, which are gelling agents and commonly used as “matifiers”).