Stopping Oily Breakouts

In the past few weeks the weather has been hot hot hot and for many of us with combination or oily skin it has been a struggle trying to keep our skin in check. Sweat, makeup and oily has caused small to large breakouts. Many of my clients who usually have gorgeous perfect skin have been plagued with a series of small eruptions and they are freaking out. So, what can you do?

First, keep a pack of face blotter papers on hand. They are wonderful, very inexpensive and will save your face from oil slick. (I buy mine from Ebay) Secondly, don’t start over washing your face. This is a sure-fire way to stimulate more oil production. Its fine to splash water on it as needed but forget the heavy cleansers and scrubs. Your skin is not dirty just oily.  The key is to keep your skin balanced and free of debris. You are probably sick of reading this but;

1.  Begin to drink more water. Water cools the body down, provides internal hydration and most importantly for skin, helps to push out any impurities that may be causing the breakouts from the inside.

2.  Keep your hands off of your face. Yes your grimy little fingers that are probably touching all types of germy surfaces covered with  other people’s bacteria. (Never thought about that did you?) From the turnstile when you come from the subway to the change that the Starbucks clerk hands back to you for that Latte Grande your hands are grimy. Make it a point to wash them regularly during the summer and carry a waterless hand cleanser too.

3.   Clean that cell phone. The new pathology that I’m seeing when I examine the skin is tiny blackheads and congestion around the corners of the mouth. This is also where a lot of people drool when they sleep.(Gross but true) Make it a point to clean that area well.  

4.   Change your pillowcases more regularly. Oil and products used on the hair can cause massive breakouts on the skin. One trick that I tell my clients is to get a bath towel and fold it twice. Sleep on a fresh side each night. You’d be surprised how this can cut down on the breakouts.

5.   Get professional facials regularly. Get on a good skin regimen with the recommended products from your esthetician. The right esthetician will respect your budget and listen to your concerns.  Make certain that the person you choose has experience with your ethnicity and the particulars of your skin, this is very important. Don’t be shy about asking before you book an appointment. After all this is just another skill set that plenty of people have-you just have to find the right person.

Linda Harding-Bond is a licensed esthetician and President of Moontide Consulting specializing in ethnic skin care and retail sales with a global perspective.