Let me start by revealing a not-so-secret secret about me. I sweat a lot. I also have oily skin. Great for colder months, but summer is my nemesis. By the time I navigate the streets of Mumbai and get to work, I am a puddle of sweat. My mascara is in my eyes and my blush has forgotten where it is supposed to be and my lipstick is more on the face tissues I’ve used than on my lips. It is safe to say I have tried and tested every trick under the sun to keep my skin looking less oily and my makeup in place in the hot summers of Mumbai.
Some worked and some didn’t, and I have listed the ones that I feel have worked the best for my oily skin in keeping my makeup intact.
- Double cleansing
- Exfoliate regularly
- It’s all about priming
- Go light with foundation and concealer
- Keep blotting sheets handy
Double cleansing
This is one change in my skincare routine that has made a lot of difference to my oily skin. Every evening, before bed, I use oils like jojoba or coconut to first massage my skin and loosen the makeup. Then I use a face wash to rinse it away.
It may feel counter-intuitive to use oils on oily skin, but think about it this way – oil mixes with oil and dissolves it. So the oil I massage on my skin dissolves the makeup and natural oils so I can easily wash them away.
Exfoliate regularly
When you have oily skin, it is necessary to make sure your skin is kept clear of excessive oil and dirt build-up. Use a face scrub that suits your skin type once or twice a week to remove the debris and dead skin cell build-up on your skin. I like to use the St. Ives Gentle Smoothing Oatmeal Scrub & Mask as this leaves my skin feeling smooth and it is super gentle on my skin.
It’s all about priming
Using an oil-free primer makes sure your makeup has a smooth base to go on, and it also locks it in place for many hours. A good primer will also prevent your makeup from slipping and settling into fine line and creases. I use the Lakmé Absolute Blur Perfect Makeup Primer over my T-zone because that is where it gets super oily through the day.
Go light with foundation and concealer
I use very little foundation on a daily basis. I do not like to load my oily, sweat-prone skin with too much foundation and concealer. Instead I dot foundation just around my nose, under my eyes and at the centre of my forehead, and use a round fluffy brush to diffuse it outwards towards the hairline.
Keep blotting sheets handy
Blotting sheets are the best when it comes to taking care of excessive oiliness that shows up around mid-day. I have my trusted sheets in my bag all the time and around mid-day I just gently press down on my T-zone to make it look matte again. The advantage of using these is that they do not move the makeup, but soak up the extra oil.
Written by Harshitha Prabhakar on Apr 12, 2019