Everybody's skin produces oil. Your sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily or waxy substance that moisturizes and protects your skin and hair. Oily skin happens when your glands produce too much sebum, which can lead to a greasy surface, clogged pores, and acne. Oily skin is perfectly normal.
There are many reasons for oily skin, including stress, humidity, genetics, and fluctuating hormones.
Oily skin is often viewed as a problem that needs to be solved. But while excess oil production can lead to concerns, like acne or having a difficult time keeping makeup in place, there's nothing inherently "bad" with having this type of complexion. In fact, oil actually helps keep your skin healthy.
Genetics. If your mom or dad have oily skin, it's likely you will have inherited the trait. Oily skin can be passed on through your genes, as having larger sebaceous glands that produce excess oil is a hereditary attribute that can be handed down the family tree.
For people with oily skin, breakouts may never stop as they age. But oily skin does have a plus: It wards off wrinkles better than dry skin because the oils keep skin moister and smoother. Using moisturizer is one way to lessen the impact of wrinkles before they appear.
Oily Skin Types
Oily skin type is caused by overactive sebaceous glands, producing too much sebum. This condition is also known as seborrhea. Individuals with an oily skin type are more prone to certain skin blemishes and skin issues, especially acne. Like most skin types, oily skin is heavily influenced by genetics.
Will Oily Skin Go Away on Its Own? Since two of the main hormonal causes of oily skin are puberty and adolescence, some people see their oily skin fade with time, especially after puberty. Unfortunately, that's not the case for everyone.
While skin usually produces less oil with time, there are still plenty of people with oily skin well into their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. The good news? Those with oily skin tend to age really well. The downside: many anti-aging product may cause you to look shiny and super-oily and/or might cause acne.
Our pores can get clogged and enlarged throughout the day. The more water you drink, the better balance of oil and water on the surface of your skin. This can help reduce your pore size, decrease acne breakouts, and reduce blemishes.
While oily skin is slower to show signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, it is not exempt from other features associated with premature aging, such as uneven texture and hyperpigmentation.
If you are prone to oily skin, face touching can aggravate the presence of skin oil. Every time you touch your face, you are spreading oil from one part of your face to the other. The act of face touching can also clog your pores, which can lead to an outbreak of acne.
Your face is shiny and usually appears greasy later on in the day. Makeup doesn't stay on and seems to “slide” off. The oilier areas of your face have blackheads, pimples or other types of acne. Pores are visibly enlarged, especially on your nose, chin and forehead.
Stress and the Skin
When a person becomes stressed, the level of the body's stress hormone (cortisol) rises. This in turn causes an increase in oil production, which can lead to oily skin, acne and other related skin problems.
Naturally dry skin is likely to age faster because the drier the outer skin layers, the less pliable they are.
Normal skin
The scientific term for well-balanced skin is eudermic. The T-zone (forehead, chin and nose) may be a bit oily, but overall sebum and moisture is balanced and the skin is neither too oily nor too dry. A velvety, soft and smooth texture is a sign for a healthy and radiant skin.
The truth behind the myth. A widely accepted myth is that dry skin causes wrinkles. The reality is that dry skin only gives off the appearance of more wrinkles compared to oily skin. Natural oils or sebum in oil-prone skin help keep skin hydrated making skin appear more plump and moist.
She also says that diets that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, saturated fats, and dairy products can trigger our oil glands and cause an imbalance in oil production. In fact, even your skin care routine can make your face oily, especially if you're not using the right products.
Sebum production is double that of women, so male skin is oilier and shinier than female skin. As a result its pH is lower than that of female skin and is prone to impurities and acne.
Healthy skin looks smooth and feels smooth. If you look closely in the mirror, you will notice a uniform layout of your pores and tiny peaks around your hair follicles (yes, our face does have a fine layer of hair, almost invisible to the naked eye). The pores are small, tight, and feel smooth to touch.
Oily Skin Type
You may have: Enlarged pores. Dull or shiny, thick complexion. Blackheads, pimples, or other blemishes.
In fact, oily skin is often a symptom of dehydration. Your skin could very well be over-producing oil to compensate for the lack of moisture. That's why we've engineered our brand-new Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer, with a new approach to fighting oily skin.
Stop calling your skin dry.
When our skin is dehydrated it can feel tight and itchy but will appear oily. This unfortunate phenomenon occurs because when skin isn't properly moisturized oil glands will start pumping out sebum to protect the skin's barrier. The result is a shiny complexion that still feels parched.