There are several reasons for oily and shiny skin, such as lifestyle habits and hormonal balance.
However, what many people fail to recognize is that your skincare methods can cause oily and shiny skin too.
- Using a cleanser that removes too much sebum from skin
- Not moisturizing enough can cause dry skin and excessive sebum production
Sebum is an important element that protects the skin from dryness and external stimuli.
Therefore, if the skin loses too much sebum or the skin is extremely dry, it will overproduce sebum to protect the skin.
In other words, many people who suffer from oily and shiny skin are most likely to be doing incorrect skincare, causing their bodies to overproduce sebum.
In this article, we will discuss the cuases of excessive sebum secretion and how to treat oily skin.
5 causes of oily nose and forehead
According to a survey conducted by Earthcare Asia, the most common area of concern for oilyness is the nose and forehead.
The cause of an oily nose and forehead is the same: excess sebum on the skin surface.
The reason for this excess sebum is because the skin barrier function is weakened and not working properly.
Below are 5 possible causes of a weakened skin barrier, and oily skin.
1. Skincare that causes excess sebum removal
If your nose or forehead is oily, you will most likely conduct skincare that removes oil.
For example, using oil blotting sheets, washing your face multiple times a day, etc.
Skincare that removes too much sebum can trigger the skin’s defense mechanism and cause more sebum secretion.
Skincare that was intended to help oily skin may actually make it worse.
To stop this vicious cycle, start by reviewing your face washing routine and cleanser.
2. Age
Sebum secretion varies greatly with age.
Sebum secretion is the most active from puberty to age 20.
The period from puberty to age 20 is when secondary sexual characteristics develop.
Male hormones increase in both men and women, stimulating the sebaceous glands and increasing sebum secretion.
As a result, many people suffer from acne during puberty.
Excessive sebum production during this period is nothing out of the ordinary.
After the age of 20, however, the influence of male hormones becomes lower.
This means that the cause of excessive sebum secretion after age 20 is largely due to skincare and lifestyle habits.
3. Hormonal imbalance
For women, sebum secretion also depends on their menstrual cycle.
There are 2 types of female hormones involved in menstruation: progesterone and estrogen.
2 weeks before the start of a new cycle, the level of progesterone increases.
This increases sebum and causes the skin to become temporarily oily.
There is nothing wrong with the overproduction of sebum during this time. It is natural and should be left alone.
In addition, between the end of menstruation until ovulation occurs, the level of estrogen increases. This is the period when the skin feels well and stable.
However, if you use the same skincare methods for these two different periods, you may upset the moisture balance of your skin.
The hormonal balance changes every 2 weeks, so it is important to conduct the appropriate care method.
4. Smoking
People who smoke tend to produce more sebum and are more prone to acne than those who do not.
This is becasue smoking affects lipid metabolism, resulting in the secretion of excess sebum.
Smoking also changes the appearance of pores and accelerates skin aging due to excessive sebum secretion.
5. Skin type
The cause of oily skin may be influenced by your skin type and condition.
Many people with oily or combination skin suffer from an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, chin)
However, people with oily or combination skin can still control the shinyness – as long as they know what skincare regimen suits their skin.
5 solutions to prevent oily and shiny skin
In order to prevent oily skin, it is important to stop excessive sebum production.
Below are 5 ways to stop excessive sebum production.
1. Use a cleanser that does not remove sebum
First, the following cleansing practices need to be avoided:
・Washing your face multiple times
・Using a strong cleanser
・Scrubbing too hard when washing your face
・Leaving the cleanser on for a long time
Sebum may be a nuisance, but it protects our skin and is essential for the skin’s barrier function.
It is important to revise your cleansing routine to make sure that you are not stripping your skin of its essential sebum.
2. Use a moisturizer that retains moisture inside the skin
Next, it is important to properly moisturize your skin in a way that stops excessive sebum production.
Proper moisturization is to:
- Hydrate your skin with a toner
- Lock that hydration within your skin and prevent it from evaporating with a cream
It is to replenish water and oil to your skin at the same time.
Just because your skin is oily, does not mean that you can skip on using creams.
3. Conduct all possibel measures for UV protection
UV exposure can increase sebum secretion because it causes oxidative damage to the skin.
Therefore, in order to stop excessive sebum production, it is important to take effective measures for UV protection.
When it comes to sun protection, many people take measures against UV rays because they are worried abour wrinkles and blemishes.
For some reason, people with oily skin tend to believe that their skin is tougher, and tend to neglect UV protection measures.
However, UV protection not only causes excess sebum production, but also has the following effects:
- UV rays penetrate not only the surface of the skin but also the deeper layers, damaging DNA.
- Even on cloudy and rainy days, UV rays are present and damage your skin.
When UV damage piles up, it can cause your skin to age faster and deteriorate.
Therefore, even if the sun is not out or if you do not feel the effects of sunburn, you should take UV protection measures year-round.
4. Avoid irritation and protect the skin’s barrier function
Even though the skin has its barrier function, it is still fragile to irritation.
When the skin is irritated, it reacts by breaking the bonds between the cells that make up the skin surface.
Therefore, it is important to gently touch your skin to avoid friction and irritation.
The skin surface is as thin as a sheet of plastic wrap.
There is no need to forcefully run or scratch your skin.
Here are some other types of friction that can cause irritation to the skin:
- Makeup brushes and sponges
- Makeup remover wipes
- Scrubbing the skin when face washing
- Scratching with fingernails when the skin is itchy from allergies, pollen, etc.
- Cotton pads when applying toner
Be careful of the materials you use to touch your skin too.
5. Prevent shine with base makeup
This is not a direct method to prevent excess sebum production, but it is a way to minimize the appearance of shine.
It takes time for sebum secretion to normalize, so using makeup can keep your skin smooth and silky.
Below are 6 makeup techniques to prevent shiny skin:
- Wash your face before applying makeup to remove excess dirt
- Moisturize your skin
- Remove excess sebum and oil with a tissue
- Use a primer or face powder
- Use a setting spray
By washing your face before applying makeup, you can create a flat surface that allows makeup to go on easily.
Skincare mistakes that cause oily and shiny skin
As we mentioned in the beginning, when the skin is healthy and the barrier function is strong, sebum is not secreted excessively.
Of course, hormonal balances and age can also cause oily skin, but the most common cause of oily skin is a weakened skin barrier function.
Therefore, in order to prevent shine, it is important to maintain healthy skin through proper skincare.
Mistake 1: Scrubbing the skin when face washing
People who have oily skin tend to scrub their face to remove the sebun.
This type of face washing increases friction on the skin, but also removes necessary sebum.
In other words, the more people suffer from oily skin, the more important it is to wash your face gently with minimal friction.
This is where we would like to recommend Earthcare Asia’s Double Cleansing Gel, a cleanser perfect for people with oily skin.
Double Cleansing Gel is a 2-in-1 product that acts as a makeup removing cleanser and face wash.
It removes greasy dirt and removes excess sebum in one wash, so it cleans the skin with minimal friction.
Mistake 2: Neglecting moisturization
People who have oily skin tend to believe that their skin is moisturized from the oil, and so that they do not need to moisturize.
However, this belief is a big mistake because, in many cases, the cause of oily skin is dryness.
As we have mentioned many times, sebum is secreted to prevent the skin from drying out.
Therefore, if the skin is very dry, sebum is excessively secreted and the skin becomes shiny.
The more you suffer from oily skin, the more you should moisturize correctly.
Once again, proper moisturization is to:
- Hydrate your skin with a toner
- Lock that hydration within your skin and prevent it from evaporating with a cream
It is to replenish water and oil to your skin at the same time.
Proper moisturizatio prevents dryness, suppresses excessive sebum production, and can fundamentally solve oily skin.
Although it is important to replenish a good balance of water and oil, it can be time-consuming, expensive, and difficult to continue this type of skincare because you will have to use many products.
In addition, using multiple products increases friction and irritation on the skin, weakening the skin barrier and causing it to become dry.
This is where we would like to recommend Earthcare Asia’s Aquatect Gel, a moisturizer perfect for people with oily skin.
Why Aquatect Gel?
・It contains 16 moisturizing ingredients for an ultra-high moisture retention
・It has passed 3 skincare safety tests that guarantee low-stimulation
・It is an all-in-one gel moisturizer
There is no other perfect moisturizer for proper moisturization!
4 lifestyle changes to prevent oily and shiny skin
Sebum secretion is not only influenced by age and skincare, but also lifestyle habits.
No matter how much you change your skincare, sebum secretion will not normalize if you do not review your lifestyle habits.
Here are 4 ways to change your lifestyle habits and avoid oily skin.
1. Good quality sleep
Sleep plays a very importat role in our lifestyle.
Skin is renewed through the turnover cycle, which is stimulated by a growth hormone that is secreted in large quantities during sleep.
Due to a lack of good quality sleep, the secretion of the growth hormone is decreased and the skin turnover cycle is disrupted.
It is said that the growth hormone is secreted the most 3 hours after falling asleep, particularly during non-REM sleep.
To improve your skin condition, the quality of sleep is just as important as its length.
To improve your sleep quality, it is said that exposure to sunlight when you wake up in the morning is effective.
Doing this will cause the melatonin hormone to be secreted at night, making you naturally sleepy.
2. Avoid meals that are high in carbohydrates and fats
Do not consume excessive amounts of sugary or fatty suchs, such as pizza and potato chips.
Although there is no problem with consuming these foods in moderate amounts, an excessive intake can promote the secretion of insulin, which can cause the body to overproduce sebum.
3. Eating a nutritionally balanced diet and taking supplements
Excessive sebum secretion can lead to clogged pores and cause skin problems such as acne and pimples.
Another problem with excessive sebum production is that the oxidation of sebum causes inflammation.
The following nutrients are considered good for the skin:
- Zinc
- Niacin
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin C
One way to support your health is to take supplements for ingredients that are difficult to obtain through meals.
However, keep in mind that supplements are not medicine, and are foods that support health.
Please be aware that taking supplements is not enough.
Rather than choosing supplements that control sebum secretion, it is better to choose ones that contain ingredients that help the skin barrier function and maintain skin health.
In addition, isoflavones are said to be effective for excessive sebum secretion caused by hormone imbalances.
4. UV protection measures
UV rays not only cause sunburn, but also affect sebum secretion.
When the skin’s moisture level decreaes due to UV exposure, sebum is over-secreted to prevent it from drying out.
In addition, UV rays oxidize sebum and change it into lipid peroxide, which is harmful to the skin.
Therefore, in order to prevent shiny skin, UV protection measures should be taken all year-round.
FAQ about oily and shiny skin
Why is my skin still oily after using oil blotting sheets?
A: Removing too much sebum can increase sebum in order to protect the skin from drying out.
Instead of wiping the skin with hard pressure or with multiple oil blotting sheets, gently press the oil blotting sheet only to areas where shine is a particularly concern.
I heard that astringent toners are good for oily skin. What are they?
A: Astringent toners contain ingredients that tighten pores and suppress sebum.
They suppress the secretion of excess sebum and are recommended for people who suffer from shiny skin.
However, using astringent toners on your entire face can lead to dry skin, so it should only be used on areas where shine is a particularly concern, such as the T-zone.
Until what age does oily skin continue?
A: For women, sebum secretion peaks in their 20s. For men, it peaks from their 20s to 40s, and then declines with age. For women, their skin tends to become less oily in their 30s, while for men, sebum secretion is often active even in their 50s.
What will happen if I don’t do anything about the sebum on my T-zone?
A: It is fine if sebum is secreted in moderation, but excessive secretion is a cause of acne and other skin problems.
If excessive sebum secretion is left untreated, it leads to clogged pores and acne.
As the amount of sebum increases, clogged pores become more noticeable.
Do not leave your skin in a state of excessive sebum secretion!
What is the cause of my oily nose and forehead? What should I do to control it?
A: A shiny nose and forehead are caused by excess sebum floating on the surface of the skin.
The reason for excessive sebum secretion is because the skin barrier function is not working properly for some reason.
There are 5 main causes:
- Age
- Hormonal imbalance
- Incorrect skincare
- Smoking
- Skin condition
Regardless of the cause, the most important thing is to maintain an appropriate amount of sebum and moisturize the skin.
Specifically, it is important to moisturize properly by replenishing water and oil to the skin.
Summary
There are many causes of oily skin, such as lifestyle habits and hormonal imbalances.
But an often overlooked cause is skincare.
People who have oily and shiny skin:
- Scrub harshly while face washing
- Neglect moisturizing
However, your body prodces excess sebum to protect the skin.
By properly cleansing and moisturizing, you can strengthen your skin barrier and prevent oily skin.
- Know the causes of excesive sebum production
- Know your skin type
- Know what skincare products are best suited for your skin type
- Know how to properly wash and moisturize your skin
- Improve your lifestyle
It may be difficult to change and improve everything at once, but you should gradually review your skincare and lifestyle habits to reduce excess sebum.
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