Extremely Oily Skin

[cashun]

Does anyone know what the starlets of the 1940's used to control oil on the face and maintain that fabulous matte look.

I'll be 39 this July, and I have the oiliest of oily skin imaginable. (I was gonna make a crack about my face being like the gulf coast right about now, but I thought that might be too inappropriate, but seriously my face is a big oily slick.)

Anyway, benefits (for me at least) of having super oily skin is an amazing absence of wrinkles for someone my age. I'm constantly stopped about what it is that I use to keep myself looking like a perpetual 25 year old. Lucky me, I know I shouldn't complain, but my oil problem is pretty bad.

I drink tons of water (addicted to the stuff, it's fabulous with lots of ice and a squeeze of lemon), watch what I eat. The humidity certainly makes the problem worse especially in the summer time. I'm an indoor lady by nature, but even sitting a freezing office all day does not prevent the oil from accumulating and congealing with my foundation to create a weird gummy paste on my skin.

I've got a good hour maybe hour and a half before the oil gets out of control and my makeup starts creasing. I blot often, but that ends taking my makeup off after a few dozen early morning blots.

I need a heavy coverage of foundation to conceal some broken capilaries around my nose and cheeks and even my pale skin, I use an oil fre foundation from Lan Come, which I'm not happy with. I use a waterproof concealer to correct darkness under my eyes and any blemishes, freckles, ecetera, also by Lan Come. I follow up with a dusting of translucent powder, Lan Come as well.

The initial look is fine, but after a couple of hours the oil just over takes everything, and my makeup is running down my face (all over, but especially the t zone) my mascara (on top lashes only) is making racoon eyes under my eyes. I can't stand waterproof mascara, it makes my lashes brittle and spikey.

I've used the rice paper and powder single papers to blot oil from my face, but I go thru a book of those every week.

I wash my face with aveno products, the soy ones are great for my complexion. I use Zia gel around my eyes, and a light moistuizer at night. My foundation has a bulit in sunscreen, so I stopped using moistuizer under my makeup to help deter the oil factor. I blot my face before I put my makeup on.

I don't hate my makeup products that I use for initial loook purposes (before the attack of the oilies), but I'm very open to new products. My only concern is coverage of freckles, blood vessels, which need a heavy concealer or foundation.

I've tries those bare minerals and sheer coverage, but I don't get enough coverage, and them ake my skin look crepey and the powder gets into any fine lines I may have and make my look like I have wrinkles!

I want a beautiful matte full coverage look like Gene Tierney in Laura. I want my skin to look porcelain poreless. Not a grease slick or oil residue in sight. Now dewey looks, but beaurtiful MATTE flawless skin.

Does anyone know what they did back in the day to keep the oilies away?

 

[KittyT]

Have you talked to your dermatologist?

 

[Meeting Gman]

I too have oily skin on my face and have dealt with it ever since I was in high school. What suggestions I can offer are:

1. Don't use blotting paper, it's too expensive. Instead buy yourself a bulk of brown paper towels. You get a lot for a decent amount of money (about 30$ but it will last you a looong time.) You can also stop in a place like Taco Bell and pilfer some of their brown paper napkins. The brown paper does wonders in absorbing oil on your face. Chefs as well, use brown paper to absorb oil from fried foods.
2. Wash your face no more then 3 times a day. Over washing your face can stimulate it to produce more oils. I used to wash my face about 10+ times a day, now I limit it to 3 times, sometimes not even that. Use brown paper towels instead to blot the oil away.
3. Keep your hair off your face and keep your hair clean. Your hair can and will absorb oils from your face.
4. Use each side of your pillow case only once. This means you can use one pillow case twice before washing. The pillow case will absorb oil like you won't believe. Take a look at your pillow case, have you ever seen an oily spot on it? I'm sure you have.

If it is too much a problem for you that it hinders your life in some way, you may want to go to a dermatologist.

I have noticed a great decrease in the amount of oil on my facial skin, but it is still oily, but it is much improved. The following steps will take time, a good couple of months. Stick with it, blot oil - not wash!

Think back to a time where your face wasn't oily. What did you do differently then? My problem started when I'd wash my face at school between classes.

Also, I just started using Coty Airspun translucent face powder (unrelated to oily face issues) and it really helps with the shininess.

 

[kymeratale]

I share your pain Cashun. Yes, the lack of wrinkles is nice (we are the same age), but it sure is a pain in the butt.

I use Revlon Colorstay foundation, the combination/oily skin version. It is very good at staying put, even with blotting. It really does help control the oil and gives me a quite matte finish. I gave up on mineral foundations for the most part and every other liquid foundation I have tried is too oily for my skin. Even the supposed mattifying or oil control type foundations don't help and I haven't found any kind of mattifying gel or base that works for any length of time.

I have learned to go easy on the powder with the oily skin. It is easy to want to keep adding more to get the matte finish, but by the end of the day, cake-o-rama! I use a little powder and stick with blotting (but not the papers with powder). I don't usually use the powder until it is time for a touch up, so I can minimize how much I use. I do up my makeup first thing and wait until the oil is coming through later before I start powdering. With the Colorstay foundation, this is possible. Really avoid anything with shimmer or any kind of shine in it for blushes or powders or eye shadows. It just adds to the shiny look from the oil. Look for matte finish everything. That can make a surprising difference in the look.

I have been using Clinique High Impact Curling mascara and it does not smear or smudge. It stays put and even when I go to wash it off, it flakes rather than running. I don't get the dreaded raccoon eye from oil anymore. I'm not sure if the regular High Impact is the same, but this solved that whole problem for me.

Be careful about skipping the sunscreen in favour of what is in your foundation. We don't wear enough foundation to actually protect the skin from the sun. I know the thought of adding more product is not appealing, but you really need to find a sunscreen that you are happy with. If you just can't wear moisturizer with a sunscreen in it, give the Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry Touch sunscreen a try.

I happened upon a cleanser that is helping, purely by accident. The one I had been using was discontinued and I was casting about for a new one. This was in the winter and I tried the Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser and found that it was quite drying. I stopped using it during the winter (very dry and cold here) since it was giving me flakies. Now that it is summer, I am using it and it is really helping to control the oil. You can also try a benzoyl peroxide gel, even if you don't have a zit problem. It helps control the oil I find. Also, I have been using the beta-hyroxy acid exfoliator from Paula's Choice and it really helps with my roseacea (to which oily skin can be prone) and seems to help with the oil production.

Just be careful not to irritate your skin too much by trying to dry it up. I went a little too far that way in the past and you end up with flaky patches with the oil, impossible to do anything with. The irritation also seems to cause more oil production.

Hope some of this might help. I often console myself with the thought of how well my skin will age.

 

[kymeratale]

PS, my avatar pic is with the Colorstay foundation on after a night out with only a one bit of blotting during and no powder. It really does help me.

 

[MirandaFern]

Use a Mattifying primer BEFORE your foundation. Granted I'm only moderately oily in the t-zone, but I find it works wonders.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Your milage may vary and I have not personally tried this, but one of my fave beauty bloggers....suggests


http://15minbeauty.blogspot.com/2010/05/milk-of-magnesia-secret-to-matte-face.html

 

[Coralee]

I feel your pain. I have sensitive, very oily, acne-prone skin and console myself with the fact that I won't wrinkle as easy as time goes by. I found that using the Mary Kay Timewise system has really helped cut down on the oil and breakouts I experience. I also like their medium coverage foundation and find it's no too heavy and can cover my acne scars fairly well.

You might want to give it a shot. I've put my skin through a lot of abuse trying to find the right products and the MK system works best for me.

Good Luck!

 

[TimeWarpWife]

Oprah had a dermatologist on her show years ago who suggested a cheap and effective way to combat oily skin was good old hydrogen peroxide. My dd has incredibly oily skin and this works really well. Wet a cotton ball with the peroxide and then dab your face with it. Sea Breeze astringent also works on dd's face and Walmart has its own brand which is a little cheaper than the name brand. All of you with oily skin will be thankful for it one day. My dh is the oldest of the 4 brothers in his family, but thanks to his oily skin he looks the youngest.

 

[Bettys Closet]

I sometimes get oily skin too. i find that it has been better since i have been using natural products. especially the ones i have found at lush cosmetics. they are all natural and some vegan. i recommend highly. try the coal face cleanser! or maybe the herbalism cleanser... have a look at their website!

 

[Annichen]

No matter how good advice you may find on here, the best thing you can do for your skin, and in the long run the cheapest, is to go to a dermatologist.

 

[User25159]

I feel your pain! Lately I discovered De-slick in a tube by Urban Decay
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P260800&categoryId=C10461 and it's been my best friend. I still have to use blotting sheets (i use drugstore brand bc they're the cheapest. who wants to spend an arm and a leg these things?), but less often AND it keeps my makeup on. I've mentioned this somewhere else, but I also use a really awesome concealer by Kat Von D that stays put even without the De-Slick. It's got crazy coverage and i've read stories from gals who use this as their foundation. For me, it covers amazingly and also stays put through blottings.
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P231113&categoryId=C18697

Hope this helps!

 

[lframe]

Same problem

I went to have a facial and the esthetician looked at me under one of the UV "things" and she actually said that I had dry skin! My derm confirmed the same thing. I was over cleansing my face and making it produce more oil to overcompensate.

Now, I still get oily, but since I started using an oil based cleanser, it has been nowhere near as bad.

Hope this helps!

Lisa

 

[JazzyDame]

Sometimes we exacerbate an oily skin condition by deliberately trying to remedy the shiny effect of oil production by over-cleansing, which strips our skin, causing it to produce more oil to compensate. A gentle approach is always best. Purpose Gentle Cleansing Bar is a wonderful, pure, oil-free, glycerin-based soap that gently but effectively cleanses without over-stripping/drying the skin. It's hypo-allergenic and great for sensitive skin, as well. It's been around for years (highly-recommended by dermatologists) and smells lovely and nostalgic, a scent that can only be described as clean, old-fashioned and...soapy.

Rather than using an alcohol-based toner or astringent to try to dry out oily skin, perhaps you should try that old-fashioned, tried-and-true remedy: witch hazel. It's gentle on the skin and effectively deep-cleans and tightens pores, removing every trace of makeup, without stripping the skin. Feels refreshing...and it's cheap! I like T.N. Dickinson's brand--it's 100% natural.

Perhaps trying an easily-absorbed oil-free facial moisturizer (with sunscreen) would be helpful, as well. One I love is Trader Joe's Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion SPF 15. It's not greasy, and it's PABA-free, so it won't cause as adverse reaction on sensitive skin.

A balancing foundation, such as Your Skin Foundation (Carmindy's line by Sally Hansen Natural Beauty), will provide a nice, fresh look for your skin. This foundation is incredible and, I think, will provide just the coverage you're looking for. It's not your ordinary liquid foundation. It's more of a whipped, creamy liquid, and gives impeccable coverage with a smooth, velvety finish. They have some lovely pale shades available, so you'll have no problem finding a match. This foundation photographs beautifully, as well. They also have a wonderful translucent loose powder, if you prefer to dust a bit on for a perfectly matte look. (Tip: use a big, fluffy brush rather than the sponge applicator that comes with the powder for a finer, more flawlessly polished look.) This powder is amazing--it's naturally-derived, and uses bamboo powder, rather than talc, which is SO much better for your skin because it won't clog your pores or cause itching and irritation.

As for "racoon eyes", I understand...here's a tip: using an eye shadow sponge applicator, apply (just like eye shadow) Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder from your lid up to your brow, then apply your favorite eye shadow. Your shadow will stay put all day, and no mascara smudges on your brow bone (and no need for waterproof mascara...I hate it too. Makes eyelashes brittle). While you're at it, apply a very thin, almost undetectable line of the same pressed powder under your lower lashline to prevent liner and mascara from running away from you here, as well.

Hope these tips help...Gene Tierney was simply stunning in Laura, wasn't she? Screen perfection, indeed.

 

[lframe]

Fantastic

Fantastic explanation, Jazzy Dame. You put that so well! It is true though, now that I am using a more "fatty" way of cleansing my face, it feels so much better and my breakouts and oil slicks are much better.

Oh and if you frequent Starbucks? Grab some of the napkins, I keep some handy in my car and purse for blotting.

 

[littleblackcar]

I have ridiculously oily, temperamental, skin . . . and I live in a humid climate. I don't normally wear makeup because it makes me feel like my face has been battered (like, with flour) and deep-fried, and it always curdles after an hour or so.

It's gotten better, though, since I swore off soap and astringents, and started using Cetaphil and a *non-comedogenic* moisturizer. Yeah, I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but it's seriously helped. Mine are Nutrogena Healthy Skin and one by Aveeno. I forget the exact name, but it has a pale-pink pump-top and is supposed to sooth redness. The Nutrogena one has some sort of "medication" in it so I only use it once a day; anything "medicated" tends to burn my skin a bit if I use it more than that. I literally used to get chemical burns from the benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid stuff I used in high school, and the things I got from the doctor. I think I tried everything they had at the time: Acutane, antibiotics, washes, ointments. Ugh.

Another plus is that I was starting to get small lines around my mouth, but they disappeared once I started using the moisturizer.

None of this is vintage-accurate, unfortunately, but I've also had pretty good luck mixing liquid makeup with moisturizer when I wanted a less-made-up look. I think I was using Nutrogena Skin-Clearing liquid makeup.

 

[JazzyDame]

Fantastic explanation, Jazzy Dame. You put that so well! It is true though, now that I am using a more "fatty" way of cleansing my face, it feels so much better and my breakouts and oil slicks are much better.

Oh and if you frequent Starbucks? Grab some of the napkins, I keep some handy in my car and purse for blotting.

Yes! Great tip, Lisa! Those plain brown napkins are wonderful and very effective for oil blotting. I stopped using those teeny-tiny little oil blotting papers longs ago in favor of those generous (and, I think, more effective) brown napkins.

 

[40'sfetish]

I know exactly what you're going through! Very oily skin here too and 39 at the end of the year. I've also been prone for years to HUGE whopping blind pimples due to my oily skin. Best thing I ever did was to start using the oil cleansing method. It has seriously evened out my skin and I made the move to mineral foundation. I use one from heirloom body care but I think it's australian only.

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

http://www.heirloombodycare.com.au/mineral-makeupfinished-product-c-105.html

 

[I<3Tiki]

I, too, can relate and I have found a really great product. However, the Etsy shop that sells it seems to be on hiatus at the moment. But I did convo her & she said she is coming back. Anyway, when/if she does (and I really hope it's when), the shop is called AyurvedicAlternative & the product is called "Midnight Magic". It's a powder that you mix in with either an aloe vera gel or whatever moisturizer you like to use. I mixed it with "Say Yes to Tomatoes" facial moisturizer (night & daytime) & it was pretty impressive. It basically does for my face what Urban Decay's Primer Potion does for my eyelids (which is another great product for keeping the shadow creases at bay). To give you an idea of my experience, on a workday, I was usually hitting the paper towels by about 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. With the Midnight Magic, I'm shine free until at least 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. It also comes with facial masque (that you mix with water) but I was so-so about the that because I didn't like the smell (reminded me of those hippie stores that used to be in the malls in the 90's) and it kind of tingled a little bit at first, so I ended up using it more as an exfoliating cleanser that I leave on for a few extra minutes in the shower. Anyway, if AyurvedicAlternative comes back, I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Like Bettys Closet & 40's Fetish, I have also found better results switching to more natural & gentle products & to mineral makeup. I have never tried the Bare Essentials line (though I did try Ulta's mineral makeup & it was awful on me), but I have been using Ella Rose Minerals (also from Etsy) & have been pretty happy with it.

 

[HepKitty]

kymeratale, thank you so much for sharing the info on the revlon colorstay. I've always avoided revlon anything because of cost but i started using some other stuff that was about as expensive and didn't do me any favors at all. in fact it made things a lot worse!

what I've done recently that's helped tremendously:

revlon makeup (can use 2 coats to cover blotches, works like a charm)
Jason natural vitamin E cream (the whole counter-intuitive thing again, it goes quite well under the colorstay makeup)
eating cashews (controls acne causing bacteria how I'm not sure but I'm not about to argue)
aveeno spf 70 sunscreen (can use that and the vit e cream under the makeup no problem. honest!)
and the one thing I've known about and used for years, witch hazel
tea tree oil when needed
*edit: milk from cows not given hormones. big difference!

too bad I didn't find this stuff out ages ago... thanks ladies for the tips on brown paper, those blotting papers just create a layer of sludge on your skin anyway when the powder mixes w/ oil. gross!