Oily, unruly skin!

[lilmspsypnts]

My skin starts producing oil the moment I'm done with my morning routines and within an hour I have a thin layer of oil all over my face making it all bright and shiny. I've sampled almost all the serums and moisturizers but I just can't figure out what my skin needs.

If that wasn't enough: my skin used to be pimple/acne free but with all the experimenting I've been doing, those little buggers have started to pop up here and there.

So how do I figure out what's wrong and how do I fix it? I'm thinking that the samples might not have been enough, as in, my skin might've needed more time to adjust but I don't want to buy stuff all willy nilly without having some sort of plan first. Would love some input on this, I feel so lost.

[Autumn]

My skin starts producing oil the moment I'm done with my morning routines and within an hour I have a thin layer of oil all over my face making it all bright and shiny. I've sampled almost all the serums and moisturizers but I just can't figure out what my skin needs.

If that wasn't enough: my skin used to be pimple/acne free but with all the experimenting I've been doing, those little buggers have started to pop up here and there.

So how do I figure out what's wrong and how do I fix it? I'm thinking that the samples might not have been enough, as in, my skin might've needed more time to adjust but I don't want to buy stuff all willy nilly without having some sort of plan first. Would love some input on this, I feel so lost.

What are you using? Is your skin sensitive at all? I know it is tempting to keep trying things but then when you have a reaction it is hard to determine what caused it.

A couple of suggestions for oil control:

The silicia blend powders from SN are wonderful. I like untinted Blur but I think I have sampled them all.

I also suggest blotting. I have various types of oil blotters. You can also use brown napkins (available at restaurants).

I am still oily and break out at 51! It is frustrating.

I don't use a moisturizer but love the serums. Maybe eliminate the moisturizer?

[lilmspsypnts]

Thank you for your reply! I see that I left out a lot of info, it would probably be helpful if I wrote a little more detailed.

I've used both the KISS cleanser and the apricot oil one, I have sometimes wondered if the KISS cleanser maybe dried out my skin but I didn't see any improvements when using the apricot cleanser so I ruled those out.

I was using the oatmeal serum and the hemp moisturizer for maybe a year but I switched to green tea & aloe to see if there would be any improvement (there wasn't). I don't remember if it was after or around the same time that I started using Awesome Sauce too. No problems there either but still oily.

When I ran out of the hemp moisturizer I just went without a moisturizer for a while but my skin started getting very dry and I got problems with flaky skin so I started ordering samples to see if there was a moisturizer that could help with the oil problem but no dice. Instead I started getting pimples.

I do blot although wiping seems to work better. As soon as I get to work (that's about 1 hour after my morning routines) I go to the bathroom to blot and then every hour or every other hour... My skin isn't that sensitive so I usually experiment with whatever comes to mind, but not taking it slow makes it harder to eliminate what does what of course.

I wonder if maybe I don't use enough of the products or that I use too much - 1-2 drops of serum is enough to cover my face but it doesn't leave it damp for longer than 20-30 seconds. How much are you supposed to use?

I would like to get the oiliness under control with just skincare, if possible. I can't use the zink powder, perfecting powder or even foundation without my skin starting to produce even more oil so it's definitely lacking something...but what? I'll keep your suggestions in mind though, thanks for the tips!

[Autumn]

So none of the items caused problems? It can take a while for skin care to improve skin; even with prescription products.

I oil cleanse and previously had used SN Apricot cleanser. (I now make my own.) I have clogs and it did take at least a month before the clogs started lifting. Now I am into almost six months of oil cleansing and a noticeable difference.

Is there a pattern to your breakouts? Is it the oiliness that is the problem? I can't imagine blotting every hour!

One cheap thing that is NOT SN that may help oilness is Philips (or generic) Milk of Magnesium laxative. I apply with a cotton ball after an evening cleanse. I don't use it all the time. In the summer I am tired of waking up with a face that looks like I literally smeared oil all over. You can use this day and night. Be careful not to overapply during the day; it would look chalky.

It is recommended by Paula Bergon (the cosmetic cop of Paula's Choice) and many reviews on makeup alley (unlisted product).

I doubt that it would cause a reaction, but patch test first.

Edit to add: I use about two squirts of serum for my face. I like to include my neck and chest so maybe 1 -2 additional squirts. It absorbs quickly. If I use too much Awesome Sauce it can pill under my sunscreen moisturizer.

Of all the serums, the vitamin c and peptide did help my oiliness.

[packgal]

have you tried the oil control serum? i don't have oily enough skin to have used that one but it seems like many have had good results with it.

i'd probably stick with an anti-oxidant serum as well, either awesome sauce or the vitamin C. i like applying serums to a wet face to help hydrate the skin even more. (you could try the pore refining or strawberry toner, but i find water works fine too).

i don't recommend skipping moisturizer in your routine, especially since when you did your skin got flakey. oily skin can still be dehydrated and if it is it will pump out even more oil. i know the hemp is the one recommended for acne prone skin, and i would assume it's the same for oily skin, but i'm not positive.

i think if both the kiss cleanser and the apricot cleansing oil worked ok, but you wonder if the kiss dried you out, you may want to stick mostly with the cleansing oil. however, if were me, i would alternate them (ie maybe use the oil cleanser/kiss every other night) to make sure that your skin is getting really clean. the other route you might consider is to get a creamy, non-foaming or very low foaming cleanser. SN doesn't really offer one at this time but there are other good options.

also, have you tried the green goddess mask? using that a couple times a week might help your oilies as well.

[lilmspsypnts]

So none of the items caused problems? It can take a while for skin care to improve skin; even with prescription products.

I oil cleanse and previously had used SN Apricot cleanser. (I now make my own.) I have clogs and it did take at least a month before the clogs started lifting. Now I am into almost six months of oil cleansing and a noticeable difference.

Is there a pattern to your breakouts? Is it the oiliness that is the problem? I can't imagine blotting every hour!

One cheap thing that is NOT SN that may help oilness is Philips (or generic) Milk of Magnesium laxative. I apply with a cotton ball after an evening cleanse. I don't use it all the time. In the summer I am tired of waking up with a face that looks like I literally smeared oil all over. You can use this day and night. Be careful not to overapply during the day; it would look chalky.

It is recommended by Paula Bergon (the cosmetic cop of Paula's Choice) and many reviews on makeup alley (unlisted product).

I doubt that it would cause a reaction, but patch test first.

Edit to add: I use about two squirts of serum for my face. I like to include my neck and chest so maybe 1 -2 additional squirts. It absorbs quickly. If I use too much Awesome Sauce it can pill under my sunscreen moisturizer.

Of all the serums, the vitamin c and peptide did help my oiliness.

I've gone through a full-size bottle of both the Apricot and KISS cleanser. I still have the same blackheads I used to have before starting to use the SN products, I did not break out/get more pimples and the oiliness is the same - that's what I meant with no improvement. But they have of course fulfilled their purpose of cleaning my face very well, I'm happy with both.

Before I started experimenting with every moisturizer available, like a mad scientist, I didn't have a real problem with blemishes. I had some blackheads (they were so few so I wasn't bothered by them) and a few hormonal pimples. My problems were that I had enlarged pores and my skin was overproducing oil so I figured that my face was dehydrated but the serums don't seem to be enough to stop the oil production (or I'm doing something wrong/using the wrong products).

I haven't tried the Vitamin C serum (I thought I was too young, I'm 28) but I'll sample it now, thank you for the advice!

[lilmspsypnts]

have you tried the oil control serum? i don't have oily enough skin to have used that one but it seems like many have had good results with it.

i'd probably stick with an anti-oxidant serum as well, either awesome sauce or the vitamin C. i like applying serums to a wet face to help hydrate the skin even more. (you could try the pore refining or strawberry toner, but i find water works fine too).

i don't recommend skipping moisturizer in your routine, especially since when you did your skin got flakey. oily skin can still be dehydrated and if it is it will pump out even more oil. i know the hemp is the one recommended for acne prone skin, and i would assume it's the same for oily skin, but i'm not positive.

i think if both the kiss cleanser and the apricot cleansing oil worked ok, but you wonder if the kiss dried you out, you may want to stick mostly with the cleansing oil. however, if were me, i would alternate them (ie maybe use the oil cleanser/kiss every other night) to make sure that your skin is getting really clean. the other route you might consider is to get a creamy, non-foaming or very low foaming cleanser. SN doesn't really offer one at this time but there are other good options.

also, have you tried the green goddess mask? using that a couple times a week might help your oilies as well.

No, I haven't tried the oil-control serum yet. I was hoping that the problems would be solved if I just hydrated my face a little better and then I forgot all about it. It's in my cart now.

I have used the lavender toner and the pore refining toner (full-size of both) but the latter seems to make my face even oilier? I have no idea why since it's supposed to be very hydrating.

I do have a sample of the green goddess mask! Gonna try it out this week and see how it does.

Thanks!

EDIT: I might be exfoliating too much! I have some experimenting to do now, I'll report the results in a month or so.

[packgal]

let us know how it goes! good luck

[meadowbird]

I had the same issue, which isn't really a problem for me now. The more I previously tried to dry out the oilies, the oilier I got.
I use this: Nubian Heritage African Black Soap. I don't feel good recommending non SN products, but it works, is cheap, lasts ages, and did I mention it works? This is the only brand I have tried and so the only one I can recommend. It is not harsh.
I then use either Super Serum, Awesome Sauce or Vit C (not everyday) and then a few drops of organic argan oil (sometimes coconut oil in the winter) mixed with a dab of Macro Natural Vitamin E Cream.
I've been doing this for about 2 months, and my skin in continuing to improve. I highly recommend the soap.
Also, the SN perfecting powder is my fave SN product. I prime and finish with it, keeps my face natural. I am always oilier if I use the blur powders.

On a side note, have you considered having your hormone levels checked? This kind of oil production is consistent with the body producing excess androgens. This was also an issue with me.
If that's the case, two cups of spearmint herbel tea per day helps, also saw palmetto.
My skin has also improved since taking a DIM supplement (helps the body to metabolise excess estrogens, xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens).

Hope some of that is helpful!

[lilmspsypnts]

Hi ladies,
Thought I would report my findings in case anyone else is experiencing the same thing.

I went back to the basic of the basics, KISS cleanser, Oatmeal serum, Hemp moisturizer and stopped exfoliating altogether. My face got less and less oily, the pimples disappeared and then suddenly it was too dry and the flakiness started up again. I figured either it was because I hadn't exfoliated or because the Hemp was too light or both.

So I started exfoliating once a week and switched to the Jojoba moisturizer. The flakiness stopped but I felt that my skin was still a little on the dry side and since the weather was getting colder, I ordered a sample of Argan & Goji Berry moisturizer. My skin has balanced itself a little now, it's less oily. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get rid of the oiliness completely but I'm gonna keep trying.

* Once I run out of my KISS cleanser I'm going to try some other alternatives
* I got a sample of the Vitamin C serum and the Oil Control serum that I'll try when I run out of the Oatmeal one
* I also got a bottle of the Daily Defense moisturizer, going to give it another chance when I run out of the Argan & Goji Berry moisturizer