5 harmful habits that are making your oily skin even more oily

Most of us are never content with our skin. At times it seems too dry and other times it’s too oily. Out of the two scenarios, we dread the latter the most, You see, we believe oily skin will clog our pores and result in pimples! But, have you ever wondered how much oil is too much oil? 

We need oil to keep our skin soft, to lock in the moisture and keep environmental irritants at bay. On the flip side, too much production of oil can make your skin look greasy and cause acne. 

No wonder we keep looking for ways to scrub away all the grease, but it’s quite counterproductive. Getting rid of the natural sebum can actually increase the production of oil. Yes, it’s true. We do certain things every day that can worsen oily skin. Hence, you need to get rid of these habits in order to control oil production. But, how will you put an end to these habits, if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing wrong? That’s why we are here to help you! 

Let’s learn about five habits that are causing your skin to become more oily:

1. You wash your skin multiple times a day

We know it’s very tempting to wash your face multiple times a day, especially when your skin looks like an oil tank. Of course, it does help temporarily but it causes severe damage in the long run. Overwashing your skin causes all the oil to be stripped off and makes your skin think it needs to produce even more oil. This leads to overproduction of oil and makes your skin look even more greasy.

2. You don’t use a moisturiser

You might be tricked into thinking that you can skip a moisturiser because your oily skin doesn’t need it. That, my friends, is very far from the truth. Skipping your daily dose of a good moisturiser can make your skin even more oily. You see, a moisturiser adds adequate moisture to your skin, making your skin feel that it isn’t too dry. Applying a good moisturiser helps bring down the oiliness by lowering the production of sebum.

3. You scrub your face too hard

It is almost instinctive to want to scrub off all the oil and grease off your face. However, experts suggest that scrubbing your face too hard causes the skin to produce even more oil. Instead of using an aggressive scrub, opt for a salicylic acid treatment which is lipophilic. What that means is that it can absorb oils, and does not cause any harm to your skin.

4. Do not overuse the toner

For most people with oily skin, a good toner is an important part of the skincare routine. It helps get rid of excess dirt, oil and grease from the skin. There’s no doubt that you want squeaky clean skin, but it is important to remember that a harsh astringent can strip the skin of all the sebum, triggering itchiness and irritation. When natural oil is stripped off from the skin, our body tries to replace it. No, we aren’t asking you to give up on a toner — but use one without alcohol.

5. You’re letting stress get to you

We know stress is a part of our lives, but unfortunately, it wreaks havoc on the skin. When we are stressed, our body produces cortisol in large quantities and this causes our hormones to go off balance. It eventually leads to breakouts and exacerbates skin damage. So, take some time off and rest. Your skin will be better off!

Girls, break these habits and your skin will definitely become less oily.