Help! I Have Oily Skin

Don't you just hate it? You wash your face in the morning and then after an hour or so your forehead, cheeks and nose are shinier than newly waxed car. If having oily skin is in your genes and part of who you are you can't avoid it. All you can do is manage your oily situation best you can. To that end here are some how-to tips.

The most crucial step to caring for your oily facade is picking the right cleanser. Always remember to wash your face daily, every morning and night. And if you think sleeping in with your makeup on will give you a photo op worthy face, think again. Be sure to remove all makeup every night.

Fact or Fiction: Oil based cleansers clears up oily skin. This one's definitely a fact. This is because oil based cleansers contain solvents that unclogs your pores by removing sebum and other oily gunk. They also don't strip your skin of its much needed moisture.

Tip: Want to further remove the oily gunk from your face? Use a facial cleanser that has salicylic acid in it.

Avoid over-exfoliating. Whether you're using facial scrubs or a wash cloth, don't do it everyday. This causes your oil glands to get busier producing more oil than your face can handle. It's best to exfoliate once a week instead.

2% Salicylic Acid a day keeps the oil away. If you have an oily T-zone, soak a cotton pad with an alcohol-free salicylic acid toner and wipe down your forehead, nose and chin. Do this after washing your face.

Moisturize. Use a light, oil-free moisturizer. During the summer months you can replace this with an oil controlling primer.

Care for your skin. Treat your oily skin once a week with a face mask containing 2% salicylic acid or 2.5% benzoyl peroxide to unclog the pores. For sensitive yet oily skin, use a gentle clay mask.

Fact: Oily skin also gets sunburned. So the only way to protect your skin is to use sunscreen made for oily skin. They sometimes come in alcohol-based gels or creams. But choose the right stuff that works for you.

Coverage for oily skin. Unlike heavy foundations that clog pores, mineral powder foundations actually absorb oil and won't clog your pores. These can also give you a matte, natural looking, flawless finish.

Most importantly: Drink 8-10 glasses of water. Yeah it's a lot but this moisturizes your skin and flushes out toxins that can cause your skin to break out.

Having oily skin doesn't have to be a curse. While it's not necessarily a day at the beach, all you have to do is learn how to take care of it. But by following these simple steps you can control your oily skin and keep it healthy as well. Just remember, no matter how much you want to make oily skin un-oily it's not likely to happen. You're better off learning techniques like these that can help you make the most of an oily situation.