If you suffer from oily skin, you know that the struggle is real. Oily skin is a common affliction among both men and women, but women often exacerbate the problem by trying to overcompensate with cosmetics. If you find yourself suffering, there's a good chance you could be making a few common makeup mistakes that make skin oily. By trying to solve the problem and taking matters into your own hands, you could be making the problem worse.
Personally, I've found that the older I get, the more finicky my skin becomes. I've always been cursed with sensitive skin, but up until a few years ago, my skin was fairly average. As long as I didn't mess around with too many products, I didn't hit too many bumps in the facial road. But I, like so many other women, have hit this period of my life where my skin is starting to act up. Where I suddenly have to pay very close attention to my night time routine, or else my skin becomes an oil spill overnight. And trust me, nobody wants to wake up feeling like an oil spill occurred on their face. To prevent your skin from extra oil, watch out for these common makeup mistakes you might be making, in order to prevent yourself from making things worse.
1
You're Not Prepping Your Skin
Celebrity makeup artist Stephen Dimmick told the Huffington Post that makeup primer helps combat shine. Primer has a simple, but important job — it prepares your skin for the rest of your makeup, especially foundation, making the application smoother, and your makeup last longer.
Try: LORAC POREfection Mattifying Primer, $32, Amazon
2
You're Using The Wrong Foundation
"If someone has dry skin, a matte foundation will make the skin look dehydrated," L'Oreal brand ambassador Sir John, to Allure. "And oftentimes people who are oily use powder foundation because they think they're doing their oily skin a service." In other words, research which foundations works best with your skin type.
Try: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation, $10, Amazon
3
You're Using Too Much Product
The trick to a matte face all day long isn't a thousand products, it's which products you use. From oil-free foundation to matte face primers, using quality products over quantity of products will help your skin stay oil free all day long.
4
You're Using Too Many Products
Using too many different types of product can change the pH of your skin, and that's bad news. "Your skin has to adjust to the new actives you're putting on it and if it doesn't have a chance to adjust, you could end up lowering the immune system of the skin by inundating it with too many active ingredients," cosmetic chemist Mary Schook told Cosmopolitan. If you're switching between products too often, it can cause your skin to overcompensate for the quick changes, increasing oil production, and increasing breakouts.
5
You're Reapplying Throughout The Day
Rather than creating a routine that helps your makeup last all day, if you find yourself reapplying your makeup consistently throughout the day, you could be contributing to the blockage of your pores.
6
You're Only Using Makeup Remover Wipes To Cleanse
Makeup wipes are a quick fix in a pinch, but you should still be washing your face properly every night before you go to bed. As Craig Kaffert of Amarte Skin Care told Huffington Post, you don't want to leave any of your makeup wipe's chemicals on your face overnight.
Try: COS Naturals Vitamin C Facial Cleanser, $19.95, Amazon
7
You're Over Cleansing
Many people think that by scrubbing your face every night, you're doing it a favor. But the truth is, if you're overcompensating for oily skin every night by stripping the skin down too far, you're only doing more damage. Use a gentle cleanser, and be consistent — your skin will thank you for it later.
