Cleansing: How To Properly Wash Oily Skin

I always used to wonder – why does my face get so oily after washing it?

You have to agree – oily skin can be difficult to deal with. But following a skincare routine including a suitable cleanser can help manage your oily skin issues to a great extent.  

Our skin is exposed to a lot of dirt, dust, pollution, and harmful radiation from the sun throughout the day, which harm our skin and make it greasy and dull. 

Cleansing is an important step in order to keep your skin healthy and refreshed. A right cleanser will help to get rid of excess oil on your face without stripping away all the natural oils that help protect the skin and keep it healthy. 

Depending on the amount of time you have and your budget, there are many ways in which you can cleanse oily skin. Having a regular washing routine for oily skin is very important to achieve clean and problem-free skin. 

What Causes Oily Skin?

The sebaceous glands, located in the dermis of the skin, secrete an oily material called sebum. Sebum helps to protect and lubricate the skin and hair. The amount of sebum produced by these glands is determined by a number of factors, including genetics, age, sex, and hormones.

People with oily skin tend to have larger sebaceous glands and produce more sebum than people with dry skin. This can lead to the pores becoming clogged, which can result in blackheads, whiteheads, and acne.

Oily skin is often seen as a problem because it can be difficult to control shine and manage breakouts. However, oily skin can also be a sign of good health and youthfulness.

How To Wash Oily Skin – 7 Tips

girl with oily skin

Wondering how to stop oily face during the day? Follow these steps to wash your oily face – 

1. Always Use A Gentle Cleanser To Wash An Oily Face

A hard cleanser will only strip away the natural oils that protect your skin, making it dry and irritated. So, make sure you use a very gentle cleanser or face wash to avoid any damage to your skin. You can try the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser or the Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser.

2. Do Not Scrub Your Face Too Hard

Scrubbing your face too hard will only aggravate the problem and make your skin even oilier. Gently massage the cleanser in circular motions onto your skin and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.

3. Wash Your Hands Properly Before Cleansing Your Face

One of the most important tips to get rid of oily skin is to make sure you wash your hands before you cleansed your face. This will help avoid any transfer of bacteria or dirt from your hands onto your face.

4. Wash Your Face With Lukewarm Water

Lukewarm water helps to open up the pores and loosen the dirt and oil trapped in them. This will make it easier for the cleanser to do its job and remove the oils from your face.

5. Use A Cold Compress To Close The Pores

Once you have washed your face, you can use a cold compress to close the pores and prevent them from getting clogged. This will help reduce the amount of oil production on your face.

6. Pat Your Skin Dry With A Soft Towel

Do not rub your skin harshly with a towel as this will only aggravate the problem. Gently pat your skin dry with a soft towel to avoid any damage. Change your towels frequently to avoid any build-up of bacteria.

7. Apply A Moisturizer

A good moisturizer is essential to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Make sure you choose a moisturizer that is specifically meant for oily skin to avoid any further problems. Try the Cetaphil Oil Control Moisturizer or the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel.

How Often To Wash Oily Skin

How many times to wash oily skin?

People with oily skin should wash their faces twice daily, preferably with warm water. 

When you wake up and before going to bed – are the two best times to wash your face.

In addition to these two times, make sure you wash your face after exercising or when you are exposed to a lot of heat. 

What Is The Best Cleanser For Oily Skin?

People with oily skin tend to prefer liquid or foaming face washes containing AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) such as lactic acid and citric acid. AHAs help in exfoliating and getting rid of the dead skin cells. 

Cleansers containing emollients (a preparation that softens the skin) help to retain moisture in the skin. 

If you have acne-prone skin, use a cleanser containing salicylic acid. It will help to fight acne by clearing up your clogged pores and keep your skin clean at the same time. 

How To Cleanse Oily Skin Naturally

oily skin care home remedies

Want to know how to clean oily face at home? Make your own cleanser. 

Preparing your very own homemade cleanser for oily skin is a good idea, as you can have control over the ingredients. Natural ingredients will help to get rid of excess oil without damaging your skin and without over-drying it. 

Olive oil, milk, tomatoes, oatmeal, honey, egg whites are great home remedies to include in your homemade facial cleanser. 

Once a week, you can prepare a homemade face mask to absorb excess oil from your face and get rid of dead skin cells. 

How To Oil Cleanse Oily Skin

If you normally wear a heavy foundation, you might find a shiny appearance on your skin later during the day. 

An oil cleansing method may help gently remove your makeup, prevent acne, and breakouts. 

Research has shown that the bacteria that thrive on the natural lipid layer of our skin help to fight against skin infections like acne. Using oil-based cleansers can help protect that layer of the skin and the good bacteria that live there. 

The idea behind using oils is that “like dissolves like”. Oil cleansers can help get rid of excess oil, dirt, and dust from the surface of the skin. They also help remove makeup and clean up clogged pores that cause acne. 

Oils used in the oil cleansing method also have healing properties and many other skin benefits. 

Look for oil cleansers that are non-comedogenic, so they won’t clog your pores. 

Best oils for oil cleansing are – 

  • Olive oil
  • Castor oil
  • Jojoba oil
  • Argon oil
  • Sunflower oil
  • Grapeseed oil
  • Sweet almond oil

Follow these steps to oil-cleanse –

  • Take a few drops of oil (olive oil, jojoba oil, castor oil or any other oil mentioned above) on your palm.
  • Gently massage the oil on your face with the help of your fingertips for 1-2 minutes to remove makeup and dead skin cells.
  • Let the oil penetrate into your skin.
  • Wash your face with warm water or use a damp, warm cloth to wipe off the oil from your face. 
  • Follow up with an oil-free moisturizer.

You can buy these drugstore oil cleansers as well – 

How To Double Cleanse Oily Skin

Simply put, double cleansing means using two different types of cleansers, one after the other. This normally involves using an oil cleanser first, followed by a regular gel or lotion cleanser. 

Double cleansing is most useful at night when you want to remove all your makeup and sunscreen. 

  • Follow the steps above to oil-cleanse your face. 
  • Wash your face with a gentle face cleanser ( like Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser) that will not strip the skin of its new hydration.
  • Pat dry with the help of a towel and follow up with an oil-free moisturizer. 

Is Double Cleansing Good For Oily Skin

Double cleansing is a good solution if you wear heavy-duty makeup and mineral-based sunscreens.

It can be particularly great for people with insanely oily skin, who feel that their regular cleanser is not able to get rid of all the oils, and using a strong cleanser dries out their skin. 

An oil cleanser helps to hydrate the skin and get rid of heavy-duty makeup like foundation and sunscreen. But it may leave behind an oily residue that may clog pores. 

Double cleansing is useful to get rid of that residual oil. Oil cleanser makes the way for your regular cleanser so that it doesn’t have to remove layers of makeup. 

Modern oil cleansers contain emulsifiers instead of pure oils. These oil cleansers form an emulsion when oil mixes with water on your face, which can then be wiped off with water. 

Cleansing is one of the first steps of an oily skincare routine. Check out the rest of the steps.

Leave a Comment