Skincare Routine for Oily Skin: A Dermatologist's Step-by-Step Guide

Oily skin is a concern that plagues so many of us with overly shiny and greasy faces, or worst, noticeable acne breakouts that keep coming back. The sticky, oily substance—or sebum—is produced by middle layers of your face’s skin called the sebaceous glands.

Excessively washing to rid your face of sebum may seem like the logical thing to do, but by doing so, you could cause other issues. Dr. Stacey Tull, MD MPH dermatologist and owner of St. Charles County Dermatologic Surgery, tells Men’s Health, “Washing your face too much can result in your skin trying to produce excess oil to compensate.” She adds, “It also removes the skin’s natural protection (sebum) that combats inflammation and bacteria while supplying antioxidants to guard the skin’s cells.”

After washing off the oils, dirt and grime from your face with a cleanser, a toner will finish the job by taking care of any left-over gunk. Dermatologists warn of potential damage from overusing toners. If you begin to experience ​​dryness, redness, or irritation, cut down the frequency to every other day or even less often than that.

Dr. Tull recommends using toners that are alcohol free. “When we apply alcohol to our face, it tricks the skin into thinking that it needs to produce more oil and it becomes a vicious cycle that leaves you with much oiler skin than before.”

You also want to consider a toner that contains salicylic acid, which is a beta hydroxy acid. “Beta hydroxy acids are better suited for oily skin,” according to Dr. Tull. Alpha hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid or lactic acid, “are better for dry/sensitive skin types.”