All my life I’ve been struggling to find the best care of my oily combination, acne-prone skin. Hundreds of products were bought in search of the “holy-grail” items. Not to mention the actual money spent and wasted on failed, not suitable, or simply products that had absolutely no effect on improving my complexion. Everyone have always been sympathetically assuring me : “when you get older, your skin will get much, much, better”.
Well, hello…. now I’m only a few dozen months away from being 40 years old, and guess how my skin is now? Exactly the same! I am still struggling with oiliness, enlarged pores, blemishes, uneven skintone, pimple, even cystic acne. Plus the added bonus of getting old(er) and 2 pregnancies, now I have also acquired duller skintone with some sun spots.
Nonetheless, I’m now much better in choosing my skincare products than in my twenties. It’s true what they say, experience is the best teacher. Now, let me share some of my findings.
The most common misconception is if you have oily skin, you have to use products that’s drying & mattifying. That’s not always right, in fact, that’s usually incorrect. What we need is a product which controls & balances sebum production instead of ripping it off, which may trigger more sebum production to compensate. Which will initiate acne too, hence the vicious cycle continues.
So how do I choose skincare for my oily, combination and acne-prone skin? Let’s divide it by steps.
1. Choosing the right cleansers
Usually I start by choosing the right cleanser.
Cleansing routine is the most important step for this skintype. Cleanse twice daily everyday, and never, ever sleep with uncleansed face! It is the biggest sin you can commit, especially after a long day of wearing sunblock & makeup. I recommend the double cleansing method.
For this step I tend to get products which contain clay, great purifier and dirt magnet (such as Kose Ultimation Cleansing & Washing Cream and UNT Clear Purifier) or a combination of cleansing oil and gentle foaming cleanser. Kose Seikisho Cool Cleansing Gel is a practical gel that transform into oil upon application & can be rinsed clean, paired with Kose Seikisho Black Soap.
lautbiru
-