If you consistently notice that you have an oily T-zone - from your forehead down the bridge to your nose - you probably have oily skin. Guys with this skin type have a lot of greasy buildup on their skin by the end of the day. And they tend to have a slick, shiny complexion.
Men with oily skin usually want to know how to get rid of oily skin fast. That's because the thick, greasy look and feel of very oily skin isn't great.
But instead of stripping away all that oil with a scorched earth approach, consider why you need skin oil, what may be causing your oily skin, and how to treat your oily skin the right way.
Why Does My Face Get Oily as a Male?
Underneath your skin are your sebaceous glands. These glands protect and coat your skin with natural lubrication called sebum - which is skin oil. For most men, the sebaceous glands operate normally and add a thin layer of oil to maintain the skin's natural barrier.
But, in men with oily skin, oil production goes into overdrive. This is partially due to genetics - some people simply have more oily skin than others. But there's a specific reason why men tend to have oily skin more commonly than women.
What Hormone Causes Oily Skin?
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgen responsible for the development of male characteristics throughout the body. High levels of DHT cause an excessive production of sebum, leaving your skin oily and greasy.
While both men and women produce DHT, men have higher levels of this and other androgens. Research shows that "men in general have higher sebum output attributed to higher testosterone levels".
Why Do I Have Oily Skin?
The exact reasons why you have oily skin may be impossible to identify. That's because researchers are still not clear on the precise biological mechanisms that make some people have dry skin while others have oily skin. But these are some risk factors for having oily skin:
- Being male
- Living in a humid climate
- Being African American
- Having high levels of androgens
Why Is My Forehead So Oily?
If you find that your forehead is often more oily than the rest of your face, you're not alone. Many guys with oily skin have the same issue. That's because the sebaceous glands that produce skin oil are larger in your forehead than in other parts of your body.
Genetics are the main cause of oily forehead, but it can also occur because of other factors. The weather, the skincare products you use (or don't use), and even your hair can be partially responsible for an excessively oily forehead.
Why Does My Face Get Oily Throughout the Day?
Lots of guys find that, by the time the late afternoon rolls around, their skin is all oily and greasy. What gives?
This is just another factor of oily skin in men. As you go about your day, oil and sweat mix and coat your skin. While a thin layer of this oily coating is essential for skin health, too much ends up accumulating and giving you that shiny, greasy look.
There's nothing to worry about here - having oily skin at the end of the day is extremely common in men. There are even some benefits to it. Instead of overreacting and using harsh products to cut back on oil, use the tips below to treat your oily skin properly.
Benefits of Oily Skin
Do you feel like you're cursed with oily skin? Some guys only want to know the oily skin routine. And while it can feel like a burden at times, there are actually many benefits to this skin type.
Before you rush to find out how to remove sebum from face and get rid of oily skin, consider the advantages it offers.
Is Oily Skin Good?
Your skin needs a thin coating of sebum to maintain its natural barrier. This is what holds in moisture, prevents dehydration, and protects your skin from bacteria and other foreign invaders.
Guys who have dry skin tend to have too little oil on their skin. That creates problems that you may never have to worry about as a man with oily skin - problems like flaking, sensitivity, redness, tightness, and itch. While you still may experience these things from time to time, they tend to be far less frequent in men with oily skin.
So is oily skin good? It can be! It's important to play to your strengths with a skincare routine designed to enhance the benefits of oily skin while diminishing its potential negatives.
Does Oily Skin Age Better?
In general, yes! There are many factors that come into play when it comes to the aging process. But dry skin tends to age faster than oily skin.
Guys with oily skin usually have thicker skin than their dry or sensitive-skinned counterparts - which staves off the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for longer. Thick, oily skin is also resistant to the caved in look that some guys develop as they get older.
Having thicker skin also means you've got more collagen and fat cells underneath the skin. Collagen is a protein in your skin that improves hydration, elasticity, and cell regeneration. Fats help fill out your skin and diminish the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and divots.
Does oily skin age better? It certainly can, but you still have to treat your skin right and stick to a consistent skincare regimen if you want to look your best.
How to Deal with Oily Skin
Now that you know why you have oil skin, you'll be better able to build a daily skincare routine that revolves around preventing and controlling oil production and buildup.
First, let's establish what's possible.
Can You Change Your Skin Type?
No. If you've got oily skin, you're stuck with it. Your skin type itself is determined by genetics - so if you’re born with dry skin, it's staying that way for better or worse. However, you can manage it better and promote more balanced, hydrated, and vibrant skin.
What to Use for Oily Skin
The key knowing how to control oily skin is understanding what triggers your high oil production and how to minimize that with a skincare routine. Everyone is different, but in general these products are best for men with oily skin who want an easy solution for how to reduce oily skin.
Face Wash
Cleanse your skin of oil, bacteria, and the sludgy, shiny buildup of both each morning and night using face wash. For guys with oily skin, our Clarifying Gel Face Wash is your best bet. It's made with coconut based cleansers, geranium, and aloe vera. So you get the benefits of natural cleansers and avoid the harsh, oil-stripping effects of most cheap soaps made with strong detergents.
Face Scrub
Every other day (or less depending on how your skin reacts), use an exfoliating scrub to prevent oil from piling up in your pores. Using an exfoliating product gets rid of the oil, bacteria, and dead skin mix that often leads to blemishes.
Our Renewing Face Scrub for men is just right for men with oily skin - or any skin type for that matter. Instead of harsh microbeads or fruit pits, it scrubs with pumice and jojoba beads. Plus, its energizing formula with coffee and green tea extracts makes your skin feel fantastic.
Toner
This product is designed to cut back on oil production and maintain your skin's important pH balance. That in turn will prevent excessive oil and ensure that your other skincare products are absorbed effectively by your skin.
Our Balancing Toner skips the skin-irritating astringents common in other products. Its formula is comprised of cucumber distillate, witch hazel, peppermint, and other natural ingredients that leave your skin fresh, smooth, and with just the right level of oil.
Moisturizer
Some guys with oily skin think they should just skip the moisturizer. After all, won't it make your greasy skin issue even worse?
Nope. Even with oily skin, you’ll want to use face moisturizer.
A thin layer of moisturizer will help keep your skin hydrated, preventing your sebaceous glands from going into overproduction mode. The more constantly hydrated you can keep your face, the less likely you'll have a problem with too oily skin.
Our Daily Essential Face Moisturizer is oil-free, with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, jojoba, and green tea extract. Use it immediately after you wash your face in the morning and before you go to bed each night. It's lightweight, so it absorbs quickly into your skin instead of sitting on top of it and creating more greasy shine like heavier creams can.
Face Mask
Besides the daily (or nearly daily) skincare products mentioned above, there's one more luxurious product that you can use occasionally to get rid of oily skin and feel your best.
Our Purifying Charcoal Face Mask is a deep cleaning, pore purifying, skin tightening product that both treats oily skin and fights the aging process. Use it once or twice a week at the most. This mask's natural clays and nourishing ingredients dry on your skin, absorbing excess oil and other impurities. Then, you wash if off and reveal bright, clear, balanced skin that would never be called greasy.
Treat Your Oily Skin Well
Oily skin doesn't have to be a bad thing - it even offers some advantages. Be sure to use gentle products and follow a skincare routine that's designed for your skin. That way you'll stay confident, poised, and looking great regardless of your skin type.
