{"id":895749,"date":"2025-12-06T21:50:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T18:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=895749"},"modified":"2025-12-06T21:50:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T18:50:22","slug":"you-can-actually-train-your-skin-to-be-less-oily-heres-how","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=895749","title":{"rendered":"You Can Actually Train Your Skin to Be Less Oily\u2014Here’s How"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

You Can Actually Train Your Skin to Be Less Oily\u2014Here’s How<\/h1>\n
\n
\n
\n
By<\/span><\/p>\n
Faith Xue<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\"byrdie\"byrdie<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nFaith Xue\n<\/div>\n
\n
    \n
  • \n
  • \n
  • <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
    \nFaith Xue has worked in digital beauty for 10 years and is currently Bustle Digital Group’s executive beauty director. She was Byrdie’s editorial director for seven years.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \nByrdie’s Editorial Guidelines\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    Updated on March 09, 2022 07:00PM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
    Reviewed by<\/span><\/p>\n
    Rachel Nazarian, MD, FAAD<\/p>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n
    \"Dr.\"Dr.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    Reviewed by<\/span>
    \nRachel Nazarian, MD, FAAD\n<\/div>\n
    \n
      \n
    • \n
    • <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
      \nRachel is a board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai Hospital Department of Dermatology. She has contributed to Byrdie, as well as Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire, Allure, Vogue, and the New York Times, and more\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      \nAbout Byrdie’s Beauty & Wellness Board\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      Board-Certified Dermatologist<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      \n
      Fact checked by<\/span><\/p>\n
      Lisa Sullivan<\/p>\n
      \n
      \n
      \n
      \"Lisa\"Lisa<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      Fact checked by<\/span>
      \nLisa Sullivan\n<\/div>\n
      \nLisa Sullivan, MS, is\u00a0a nutritionist and health and wellness educator with\u00a0nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry.\u00a0\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      \nLEARN ABOUT BYRDIE’S EDITORIAL GUIDELINES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      \n
      \n
      \n
      \n
      \n
      \"face\"face<\/div>\n<\/div>
      <\/p>\n

      Stocksy \/ Design by Dion Mills<\/p>\n

      <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      \n

      William Shakespeare famously said, \u201cSome are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.\u201d Swap in \u201cgood skin\u201d for \u201cgreatness\u201d and you\u2019ve got a saying that applies directly to my life. I fall squarely into the second category, having \u201cachieved\u201d good skin through meticulous and painstaking product research, testing, and analyzing. When people compliment me on my complexion, I beam like a kindergartner, who was\u00a0complimented by her teacher for remembering to hold scissors the right way (and walking, not running). This might sound vain and superficial, or maybe even the slightest bit psychotic, but I\u2019m not ashamed. In fact, I\u2019m proud. I wasn\u2019t born with good skin, and sadly, did not have good skin thrust upon me. I worked <\/em>for the skin I have now, and though it is far from perfect, it\u2019s far less oily and acne-prone than the skin I had growing up.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

      But I haven\u2019t forgotten my pimply, oily days of yore. They linger on in the periphery of my brain, and the familiar flood of stress and anxiety floods over me still on occasion whenever I see the hint of a breakout forming. Thus, I wanted to share some key things I\u2019ve done and learned that have helped my skin go from supremely greasy to pleasantly dewy in the hopes that it might help anyone who has ever struggled with an oil slick of a T-zone. Yes, I have to give nature some credit\u2014most of my acne-filled days were during my hormonally-crazy teenage years\u2014but in general, my skincare routine is the key reason I no longer have to blot my face 10 times a day (true story). Also, keep in mind that these are tips that have worked for me. <\/em>If you have a skincare routine you love that goes against every single point I bring up ahead, by all means, stick to it. But if you\u2019ve been struggling with oily skin for a long time and are on the verge of shaking your fists at the sky, screaming, \u201cWhy me?!\u201d you might find some helpful information ahead.\n<\/p>\n

      Let\u2019s get started, shall we? Keep scrolling to find out how I trained my skin to be less greasy, with tips from the experts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
      \n
      \"how\"how<\/div>\n<\/div>
      \u00a0Michela Buttignol\/Byrdie<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
      \n

      Meet the Experts<\/p>\n

      \n
        \n
      • Donna Tol is a strategic account manager and esthetician at SkinMedica.<\/li>\n
      • Amir Karam, MD, is a double-board certified facial plastic surgeon in San Diego, CA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
        \n
        \n
        01<\/span>of 06<\/span><\/div>\n
        \n

        I Said Bye to Sulfates <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Flip through any of your cleansers or shampoos and you\u2019ll most likely see ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. They are cheap detergents and surfactants that cleanse your skin and hair and give you that nice, satisfying bubbly lather. Here\u2019s the thing: They\u2019re way too harsh for the skin on your face, and could be making your oil problem worse. \u201cWhen you use something that\u2019s too drying, it eliminates too much oil, so your body goes into overdrive and it ends up producing more oil,\u201d explains Tol.\n<\/p>\n

        One of the biggest paradigm shifts I went through in my journey to good skin was to realize that I shouldn\u2019tnecessarily be reaching for products that say they\u2019re \u201cfor oily skin\u201d because they\u2019re usually filled with sulfates. “People with oily skin should avoid sulfates because they can cause more irritation, which can cause more acne. Sulfates typically found in foaming agents can dry out the skin. Different\u00a0types of sulfates can lead to clogged pores and acne breakouts,” Karam points out.\n<\/p>\n

        I might even go as far as to say that most traditional foaming cleansers have sulfates, so it\u2019s really about doing your research and going out of your way to find a good non-sulfate cleanser that still leaves your skin feeling clean. Some of my favorites are Ren\u00e9e Rouleau Moisture Protecting Cleanser, Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam, and BareMinerals Smoothness Hydrating Cleansing Oil (it\u2019s an oil cleanser but gets rid of all your makeup and turns into a slight lather when you add water).\n<\/p>\n

        Everyone on the Byrdie team is obsessed with Eve Lom\u00a0Cleanser and I\u2019ve recently seen the light, too. If you\u2019re looking for something more affordable, I always look to Korean brands; Purito From Green Cleansing Oil feels utterly luxurious, while the 107 Chaga Jelly Low pH Cleanser is made with delicate green tea powder for a low-stakes exfoliation moment.\n<\/p>\n

        \n

        Byrdie Tip<\/p>\n

        \n

        If you tend to wear a lot of eye makeup, you\u2019ll want to double-cleanse with a richer oil cleanser first.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        \n
        02<\/span>of 06<\/span><\/div>\n
        \n

        I Realized the Difference Between Dryness and Dehydration <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Tol also told me something else that pretty much blew my mind. \u201cThere\u2019s a difference between having oil in your skin and having moisture in your skin,\u201d she told me. \u201cWhen you\u2019re dehydrated, you\u2019re lacking moisture and hydration. When you\u2019re dry, you\u2019re lacking oil. It\u2019s two separate things.\u201d In other words, even if your skin looks <\/em>oily, you could still be dehydrated and lacking moisture. This means that even oily skin types could benefit from a light moisturizer.\n<\/p>\n

        Karam explains in more detail, “Typically dehydrated skin looks and feels rough, looks dull and feels tight, shows more fine lines and is more sensitive. Sun is a big factor in dehydrated skin, so is hard water and aging. Dry skin, however, feels rough and appears dry and flaky.”<\/p>\n

        \n

        Byrdie Tip<\/p>\n

        \n

        Look for light, hydrating ingredients in your serums and moisturizers like hyaluronic acid, which holds up to a thousand\u00a0times its weight in water.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        Keeping your skin healthy and hydrated will keep it happily in balance, and I\u2019ve found that using a hyaluronic acid serum like Pestle & Mortar\u00a0Pure Hyaluronic Serum morning and night soothes and calms my otherwise-temperamental complexion. So, repeat after me: Moisture is your friend, not your foe.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        \n
        03<\/span>of 06<\/span><\/div>\n
        \n

        But I Still Had My Acne Backups <\/span><\/h2>\n

        I went through a strange phase about a year ago where I kept getting a breakout in the middle of my forehead consisting of small, poppable bumps. It would rear its ugly (white) head every few weeks without warning, and I would pile on the concealer and just hope and pray it would go away. Then, I tried this miracle product from the U.K. called Medik8 Blemish SOS Rapid Action Target Gel. This product cleared my forehead breakout overnight, quite literally. It’s formulated with salicylic acid that unclogs pores, skin-brightening niacinamide, and antibacterial azelaic acid.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        \n
        04<\/span>of 06<\/span><\/div>\n
        \n

        I Restricted Alcohol to My Margarita Habit <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Though there are many health benefits to cutting alcohol out of your diet, I admit I haven\u2019t gotten there yet\u2014I dare anyone to try and tell me an ice-cold margarita after a long week isn\u2019tgood for my soul. But I have cut alcohol out of my skincare routine, and my skin has responded by being less oily and happier in general. Alcohol\u2014often called benzyl alcohol, SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol in ingredient labels\u2014is just straight-up bad for your skin, dry or oily.<\/p>\n

        It\u2019s drying (no surprise), and it can actually weaken your skin over time if used consistently. Karam explains, “Alcohol is bad for oily skin because it can enlarge pores, and alcohol-based products can lead to an increase in the skin’s greasiness. Alcohol harms the protective surface and depletes substances for healthy skin. And, it can stimulate oil production at the base of the pore so you produce more oil.”\n<\/p>\n

        Here\u2019s the trap: A lot of products aimed towards oilier skin types or touted as \u201clight\u201d and \u201ceasily absorbed\u201d rely on alcohol to give that quick-dry, weightless finish people obsess over. One of the biggest lessons I\u2019ve learned as a beauty editor is to ignore all the marketing talk and zero in on the ingredients. The ingredients don\u2019t lie\u2014clever marketing can. I don\u2019t let any product that lists alcohol in the first five ingredients near my face, no matter how grand the promises are (if it\u2019s near the end of the ingredients list and it\u2019s from a brand I love and trust, I\u2019ll make an exception).\n<\/p>\n

        Instead, light moisturizers like SkinMedica\u00a0Ultra Sheer Moisturizer\u00a0and Huxley Anti-Gravity Cream keep my skin hydrated without drying it out in the long run. One thing to note: cetearyl, cetyl, and stearyl alcohol aren\u2019t actually bad for you, so don\u2019t denounce products that contain these ingredients. They\u2019re emulsifiers classified as \u201cfatty alcohols\u201d that aren\u2019t harmful and usually derived from coconut or vegetable oils.\n<\/p>\n

        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
        \n
        05<\/span>of 06<\/span><\/div>\n
        \n

        I Treated My Skin Like the Queen It Was All Along <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Here\u2019s the truth: If you aren\u2019t born with naturally perfect skin, then you\u2019ll probably have to put in some work. In the past, I saw skincare as a chore, left to the last five minutes before bed, and executed as hastily as possible. But then I started seeing real results from the products I was using, and gradually, skincare became more of a ritual and an indulgence rather than an annoying necessity.\n<\/p>\n

        I started to look forward to my weekly mask (Charlotte Tilbury\u00a0Goddess Skin Clay Mask, is utterly luxurious and never dries out; Glossier Mega Greens Galaxy Pack, is a great affordable alternative), and I would take time to treat myself, usually settling in the bath or cuddling up in bed with a good book as I waited for the mask to work its magic.<\/p>\n

        I also treat my skin with serums that are chock-full of brightening, texture-smoothing, and oil-balancing ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea (also called Camellia Sinensis leaf extract), and grape extract (also called Vitis vinifera seed extract). SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is a beauty editor favorite; Instanatural Age Defying and Skin Clearing Serum is more affordable and Byrdie editorial project director Lindsey\u2019s go-to.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        \n
        06<\/span>of 06<\/span><\/div>\n
        \n

        I Already Said This, But: Treat Your Skin With Love (and Moisture) <\/span><\/h2>\n

        \u201cI think people get confused,\u201d Tol says. \u201cWhen you have oily skin you want the oil gone. But the oil is there to provide a natural layer of protection on your skin, so you need to have it there.\u201d She brings up how oil breaks down oil, so you shouldn\u2019t shy away from an oil cleanser. I\u2019ve recently gotten over my aversion to face oils, and now reach for Vintner\u2019s Daughter Active Botanical Serum\u00a0and May Lindstrom Skin Blue Cocoon\u00a0any time my skin feels dull or tired; Kahina Giving Beauty Argan Oil is another great option and can be used on your hair and body, too.\n<\/p>\n

        “It is good for someone with oily skin to use the right oils because the right oils balance the skin and regulate sebum production. Dehydrated skin actually tends to overproduce sebum in order to compensate for the lack of moisture. Examples of healthy oils are Jojoba oil which prevents moisture loss and chaulmoogra\u00a0oil which has fatty acids,” says Karam.\n<\/p>\n

        Instead of over-exfoliating, I exfoliate just once or twice a week with a more intense treatment (i.e., Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel), or I use a gentle chemical exfoliator like Ever Biomimetic Peel Pads\u00a0every day to increase cell turnover and help my hydrating products penetrate better.\n<\/p>\n

        Nowadays, I welcome moisturizing masks, essences, and other lightly hydrating skincare products with open arms\u2014and since then, my skin has never looked better. I can go a full day without reaching for my blotting papers, which gives me time to focus on more important things, like whether or not I should start Vanderpump Rules<\/em> (all signs point to yes). It seems to go against logic, but this paradigm shift has changed my life (and skin) for the better, and I\u2019ll never go back to harsh cleansers, exfoliators, and drying treatments again\u2014just try and take my hyaluronic acid serum from me, I dare you.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        \n
        \n
        FAQ<\/div>\n
          \n
        • \n
          What causes oily skin?<\/span><\/div>\n
          \n
          \n
          \n

          Oily skin can be caused by a number of factors, including (but not limited to): hormonal fluctuations, genetics, weather, and certain skincare products containing alcohol.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n
          Does using an oil make your skin more oily?<\/span><\/div>\n
          \n
          \n
          \n

          Despite sounding pretty counterintuitive, using an oil on your skin can actually help balance out oil production.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n
          What oils are best for oily skin?<\/span><\/div>\n
          \n
          \n
          \n

          Oily skin really benefits from lightweight oils like jojoba, argan, and squalane oil. If you have acne-prone skin, rosehip seed oil is a great option, as it can also reduce acne scarring.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

          10 Blackhead Treatments Dermatologists Use On Themselves<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
          \n
          \n
          Article Sources<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
          \n
          Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.<\/div>\n
          \n
            \n
          1. \n

            Environmental Working Group. Sodium laureth sulfate.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          2. \n

            Environmental Working Group. Sodium lauryl sulfate.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          3. \n

            The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. 7 skin habits that have to stop. Updated January 9, 2018.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

            \n
            \n
            Read more:<\/div>\n
              \n
            • Skin<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Skin Type<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Oily<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

              Source URL: https:\/\/www.byrdie.com\/how-to-make-skin-less-oily-4686907<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              You Can Actually Train Your Skin to Be Less Oily\u2014Here’s How By Faith Xue Faith Xue Faith Xue has worked in digital beauty for 10 years and is currently Bustle Digital Group’s executive beauty director. She was Byrdie’s editorial director for seven years. Byrdie’s Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 09, 2022 07:00PM Reviewed by Rachel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":895750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-895749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-byrdie-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=895749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895749\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/895750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=895749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=895749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=895749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}