How to Minimize Shine For Oily Skin in 4 Steps

How to Minimize Shine For Oily Skin in 4 Steps

Oily skin is hereditary. It can be passed down from generation to generation like an unwanted inheritance.  It's a problem that some have been battling since puberty. It can prolong bouts of acne and turn flawless makeup applications into a shiny mess. Blotting papers, primers and countless products promise to mattify the skin, but you must first understand the cause and what can aggravate those temperamental pores to understand what you can do to nix the shine.

Sebum is the oily substance connected to your hair follicle that your body naturally produces to lubricate your skin and hair. Your sebaceous glands produce sebum as a reaction to dehydration. It coats the hair and skin to moisturize it and then waterproofs it to lock in moisture. It's a myth to think that trying to dry out skin will help with shine. It has the opposite effect. Withholding moisture will exacerbate the problem by stripping the skin of vital hydration, enlarging sebaceous glands, producing more oil and stimulating breakouts. The key to healthy, less oily skin is hydration.

Step 1: Cleanse

Start with a cleanser that balances and nourishes skin without stripping it of vital moisture, such as Purity Clean. It's okay to use a cleanser that contain oils like tea tree or peppermint, as these oils help calm and balance pores. When paired with ingredients such as Lactic Acid and Salicylic Acid, the skin is exfoliated to remove dead skin cells that impede moisturization, and clarified to remove excess oil and dirt.

COSMEDIX Purity Clean Exfoliating Cleanser

 

Step 2: Tone

Ryan Christopher, director of global education at COSMEDIX, recommends immediately following your cleanser with a toner such as Purity Balance because it contains salicylic acid. “Salicylic acid helps decongest the pores and sterilize the follicle,” Ryan said. “It helps open up your skin so other active ingredients can penetrate deeper.” It essentially helps replace sebum with moisture for more glow and less shine.

Step 3: Moisturize

An oil-free moisturizer is the last daily essential for matte skin. Ingredients that not only moisturize the skin, but restore the skin's lipid barrier is the key. A weak surface layer contributes to transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which means moisture evaporates from the skin leading to dehydration.  A strong lipid barrier helps lock in moisture so your body won't signal your sebaceous glands to produce sebum to moisturize your skin.

Some moisturizers are using advanced technology to help control shine and its effects. Lilac Stem Cells have been proven to help control excess oil and balance the skin for a more matte complexion while also reducing redness and improving skin’s tone and texture. It has noticeably been used to treat acne a side effect of oily skin. Shineless Oil-Free Moisturizer contains Lilac Stem Cells as well as Trehalose and Niacinamide. Trehalose acts a humectant that draws moisture into the skin, and Niacinamide helps improve the skin's barrier function that stores moisture for lasting hydration.

COSMEDIX Shineless Oil-Free Moisturizer

 

Step 4: Change Your Habits

A good regimen is a good start, but there are other factors that stimulate oil production that you can also control. Though cleansing and exfoliating your skin is good for it, over doing it can have the opposite effect. Again, squeaky clean leads to dryness, which is the opposite of what you're trying to achieve. Also, makeup must be compatible with your skin type. Oily skin should opt for oil-free foundations and complexion products. Moisturizing before makeup application and setting your look with a moisturizing spray helps curb shine. Lastly, calm down. Stress can stimulate oil production that minimize the effects of a shine-free regimen.

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Face Masks Beauty Bloggers Swear By

Cosmedix Face Masks - Glow, Detox, Restore Face Masks

Being selfie-ready at all times is their job, so fitting in spa time may be minimal due to their maximalist schedules. Bloggers have turned to at-home facials, masks and treatments to keep themselves photo-ready when they need it most. Here are the masks some beauty bloggers are adding to their regimen for spa-like results at home.

Glow, Detox, Restore

Activated charcoal in the Detox Mask acts as a magnet to draw out grime from your pores, while kaolin clay soaks up oil and impurities. Think of it as a vacuum for your skin that whisks away all the dirt and pollutants that you may not immediately see until they stimulate a breakout. “This mask definitely left my skin feeling clean and soft, and best of all, breakout-free,” said Blaire of PeachesInAPod.com.

Blaire is also a fan of the Glow Bamboo Brightening Mask. “After using this mask, my makeup looked flawless!” said Blaire. Glow utilizes bamboo extract to exfoliate the skin, improving texture and allowing the brightening ingredients to work their magic on a better surface instead of rough, dry, hard-to-penetrate skin. The result is reduced discoloration and a brighter, more luminous appearance. “I could not believe the improved texture of my skin after using this mask,” Blaire said. “If you are going to start out with one of these masks, this is the one I recommend.”

Serein Wu of the YouTube channel Dress Yourself Happy uses the Restore Moisture-Rich Mask as an early morning pick-me-up. If there was such a thing as vitamin water for your skin this would be it. The Restore Mask has a cocktail of vitamins and essential fatty acids that moisturize the skin and improve the lipid barrier to lock in moisture for smoother, plumper and more hydrated skin. “I like to use it during the day if I wake up feeling really dry,” Serein said. “It's just a really nice, comfortable cream. You can use it as a sleep mask if you wanted to, but I just apply it for a quick hydrating treatment.”+

Local influencers learned first-hand the beauty of layering masks at the COSMEDIX Mask + Mingle event held at the COSMEDIX headquarters. Multi-masking is the art of applying different masks to different parts of your face or using one mask, washing it off and then using another (or two!) to get the results you want.  It is the best anytime fix in lieu of a spa treatment that allows you to spot treat problem areas and refresh the rest. Influencers tested the Detox, Restore and Glow masks and customized their application based on their skin needs, such as applying Detox to their t-zone and Restore to the rest of their face and following that mask duo with a full-face Glow Mask. “Never had my skin felt so soft!” said Cat of CatGalletti.com. The next day some of our guests were still glowing. Molly of @MissMollyMoon said, “My skin is feeling super hydrated and healthy after a little multi-masking and mingling yesterday. I’ve gotta say I'm already loving these new masks from COSMEDIX.”

Cosmedix Face Masks - Mask & Mingle Event

Watch our video to learn more about our new masks.

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Spring Forward with COSMEDIX

Spring Forward with COSMEDIX

The onset of spring means more time spent outside. Fresh air and outdoor activity are vital to our health and well-being, but can also leave skin exposed to the destructive effects of solar radiation and free radicals. Here is how you can take care of your skin during the summer months.

Q: What external dangers threaten my skin during the warmer months?

A: The skin and body change with each season, especially from winter to spring. It is important that we adjust our skin care program to reflect those changes. When spending time outdoors, wear a hat, apply sunscreen and keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fresh water. Geographic location also plays a large part in choosing how we are to take care and protect the skin. The closer to the equator we live, the stronger the sun’s rays.  Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes prior to sun exposure. Although we have to be aware of environmental conditions such as pollution and strong sunlight, it is also important to spend time outside away from inside stale air found in offices and homes. Spend more time in the gardens, parks woods or in areas away from road pollution.

Q: How can I restore radiance to skin that has been overexposed to environmental stressors?

A: Correcting the skin through a series of professional programs that include chirally correct clinical treatments €” such as COSMEDIX’s Benefit Peel€” along with home care will help rebuild and strengthen skin tissue. Encapsulated retinol, vitamin C, enzymes and anti-inflammatory ingredients are all formulated to be gentle yet effectively restore the skin.

Q: What additional steps can I take to help prevent skin damage?

A: Beauty begins from within. The immune system is a remarkable mechanism that consistently reacts on our behalf. It protects us from outside interlopers and assists in keeping us healthy. The body should be kept in a state of alkalinity. This can be achieved through a diet rich in vitamin C and antioxidants€”found in fresh fruits and vegetables€”to help boost the immune system and balance the acidic effects of meats, refined sugars, alcohol, soft drinks, artificial colors, sweeteners, coffee, and cigarette smoking. Fifteen minutes of daily walking helps increase circulation, boosts our immune system and increases a positive state of well-being.