Oily skin & large pores
I’m sure these topics have been covered many times before (I did
actually do a search through the archive)but I figured since I’m new
here, I’d ask about them again. I’m 30 years old and male, and I
have very oily skin and large pores. The obvious question is, what
can I do about it? I’ve tried many different products, but it seems
that in many cases, as the product tries to dry out my skin, an hour
later it is oilier than before. Somebody recently told me to take
lechithin and flax oil, but so far that does not seem to be doing the
trick. I have also read that by cutting down on carbohydrates, this
may help. Anyway, are there any suggestions for a basic cleansing
ritual that can help me with these problems? I’m getting sick of
buying product after product and being disappointed that my face
never seems to get any less slick.
December 18th, 2004 at 3:29 am
i got a sript from my derm called clindets. they’re the size of alcohol
swabs and they’re medicated. they’re great. first product i can really
recommend for oiliness and don’t dry out the skin.
I’m sure these topics have been covered many times before (I did
actually do a search through the archive)but I figured since I’m new
here, I’d ask about them again. I’m 30 years old and male, and I
have very oily skin and large pores. The obvious question is, what
can I do about it? I’ve tried many different products, but it seems
that in many cases, as the product tries to dry out my skin, an hour
later it is oilier than before. Somebody recently told me to take
lechithin and flax oil, but so far that does not seem to be doing the
trick. I have also read that by cutting down on carbohydrates, this
may help. Anyway, are there any suggestions for a basic cleansing
ritual that can help me with these problems? I’m getting sick of
buying product after product and being disappointed that my face
never seems to get any less slick.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this message is confidential and may be
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recipient, any disclosure, copying, or distribution of the message, or any
action or omission taken by you in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be
December 18th, 2004 at 7:30 pm
Hi … those products are designed to strip the oils you’re so sick of
feeling. This results in the oil glands overproducing (more than before) to
compensate. Your skin needs coaxing into producing less oil while you
maintain a clean face, and gentle, thorough cleansing without stripping the
oil’s acid-mantle barrier is needed.
For the extremely oily, I suggest jojoba. You’ll be amazed at how well it
can help balance this. Steam your face (or splash with very warm water),
apply some jojoba. It is technically a liquid wax most like our sebum,
though it feels oily. It helps loosen the matter in the pores, softens
surface skin, and helps skin exfoliate properly, while also helping to
balance the level of oil production over time. Mix equal parts ground oats,
dry milk, and sugar - store in water-tight container and do not let water or
steam into the product. To clean your steamed / oiled face, pour about 1
Tbsp of this powder into your hand, add just enough water to make a paste,
and scrub without pressure, as if the oat mix were soft bubbles (let the
powder do the scrubbing for you). Rinse well. As you first start to use,
you may notice more flaking than expected … a wetted washcloth can help
remove extra flakes.
To close pores and assist the less-oil effort, you want something astringent.
However, alcohol is so drying, you’ll be again burning that candle at both
ends. Dimestore witch hazel with only 14% alcohol by volume is the highest
amount of alcohol I’d recommend for anyone. If that proves too drying, look
for witch hazel products in your health-food store that do not have alcohol,
or buy them online.
Some theories are that a little of the right oil as a skin softener help,
others say it’s too much. If acne / clogged pores is a problem, then I’d
consider a drop or less of one of a few oils mixed into between 1 and 2 tsp
of the witch hazel. My experiments with a few vary with the season as to
results - humidity plays a huge role here, as well as temperature of the day
Try this and let us know how it goes … we can tweak this to better fit your
needs if needed.
Taking oil supplements is funny advice, but I’m not laughing at you for
trying (we’ve all tried many things) … we need them when there’s inadequate
oil production, not when there’s too much. Maryanne is very up on
supplements and diets, perhaps she can advise ???
- Katie
December 19th, 2004 at 8:44 pm
try clindets. i obtained them from the derm. they’re the size of alcohol
swabs but they’re medicated to get rid of oil. they’re great.
I’m sure these topics have been covered many times before (I did
actually do a search through the archive)but I figured since I’m new
here, I’d ask about them again. I’m 30 years old and male, and I
have very oily skin and large pores. The obvious question is, what
can I do about it? I’ve tried many different products, but it seems
that in many cases, as the product tries to dry out my skin, an hour
later it is oilier than before. Somebody recently told me to take
lechithin and flax oil, but so far that does not seem to be doing the
trick. I have also read that by cutting down on carbohydrates, this
may help. Anyway, are there any suggestions for a basic cleansing
ritual that can help me with these problems? I’m getting sick of
buying product after product and being disappointed that my face
never seems to get any less slick.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this message is confidential and may be
legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this
message by anyone else is unauthorized. If you are not the intended
recipient, any disclosure, copying, or distribution of the message, or any
action or omission taken by you in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be
December 20th, 2004 at 2:47 am
Thanks for the advice. One quick question though (at least for now),
do I use the oat mixture as the sole cleanser for my face? In other
words, do you feel that with this regimine, I should hopefully no
longer need any of the OTC products?
Thanks
December 22nd, 2004 at 5:59 am
I’ve seen it do well as the sole cleanser for many, including my sister, who
probably needs to "lose the oil" part in her toner … if this is not enough
cleansing for you after a few weeks, write back and we’ll try something a
little more aggressive. The OTC products that dry up a pimple often overdry
the surface and turn it into a thick, dry patch. However, there are a few
things I’ve found that work well on those that you’d want to do in the
evening
Whenever there’s a horrid pimple or blister, or anything that needs to be
drawn out without drying, try this poultice - I mix up equal parts each of
sage, thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder. You can add a part of ground
oats if you wish (I’ve done it both ways). Work just a bit of this mix into
enough liquid honey to make the paste needed (you won’t want to store
leftovers, so keep the part you’re using separate from the dry). The honey
is quite thick and hard to work with (but a very important ingredient), so
you may want to incorporate a few drops of water. Apply to clean "open"
(steamed or warmed with washcloth) pores. When dry, a gentle but repeated
very-wet washcloth may be required, as it can be hard to rinse off … it
really works well for me and doesn’t leave my skin all scarred, scabby, or
dried out.
I’ve used this same mix with baking soda added for a rash that did need to be
dried out, and found it still didn’t dry as badly as some of the OTC
products.
Each of us is different, but these suggestions are what works for me. Let us
know what you decide and how it works for you.
- Katie
December 23rd, 2004 at 2:58 am
Hi, me again. I hate to be a pain in the neck, and this will
probably sound stupid, but where can I find jojoba. I figure the
dry milk and the ground oats I can pick up at my local market, but
I’m having a bit of a hard time locating jojoba. And I suppose
while I’m asking dumb questions…are ground oats simply Quaker
Oats? Thanks once again.
December 23rd, 2004 at 12:55 pm
Hi … dumb questions are the ones I usually ask
> I’m having a bit of a hard time locating jojoba
Health food stores or online … if you search jojoba, you may find an
affordable small quantity. This is a very stable "oil" with super-long shelf
life. It’s wonderful on feet, coarse hair, for removing makeup (or engine
grease), on cuticles and hands … so if smallest you find is 8 - 16 oz., it
can still be within reason.
> are ground oats simply Quaker Oats?
Yes … actually, some unbranded products taste as good as the brands, but
Quaker is better eating than cheaper unbranded. However, they both work
equally well on skin, so if you can buy oats cheaper, that’s better for the
budget.
- Katie
December 27th, 2004 at 8:28 am
Hi, I have a question too, silly as it may sound as well…..
Can I use jojoba oil you can buy from the Body Shop for my face? The sales lady
said their oil is purely from jojoba with no other additives.
Many many thanks!
Aleli V.
> I’m having a bit of a hard time locating jojoba
Health food stores or online … if you search jojoba, you may find an
affordable small quantity. This is a very stable "oil" with super-long shelf
life. It’s wonderful on feet, coarse hair, for removing makeup (or engine
grease), on cuticles and hands … so if smallest you find is 8 - 16 oz., it
can still be within reason.
> are ground oats simply Quaker Oats?
Yes … actually, some unbranded products taste as good as the brands, but
Quaker is better eating than cheaper unbranded. However, they both work
equally well on skin, so if you can buy oats cheaper, that’s better for the
budget.
- Katie
December 28th, 2004 at 4:39 pm
> Can I use jojoba oil you can buy from the Body Shop for my face? The sales
> lady said their oil is purely from jojoba with no other additives.
- Katie
January 22nd, 2005 at 3:04 pm
I’ve not had much luck with the clindets. My skin still stays oily
as ever with them.