Oily skin and skincare that works

I need to wear sunscreen on my face on a daily basis, but my skin is so oily that even sunscreens I’ve tried that are formulated for oily skin leave me looking like an oil slick and my makeup doesn’t last on top of it. I had been using Rodan & Fields Oil Control Lotion from their Unblemish line which worked well, but they changed the formulation and it’s awful now. Are there any products you recommend?

No one likes feeling like an oil slick. Myth #1: If you washed your oily skin with a drying cleanser, it would produce more oil. Not true. Oil is mostly hormone controlled and genetic. The good news is because you have oil, you tend to not wrinkle. On the other hand, your pores tend to be wide and texture a problem.

Skincare tips:

Non product strategies to consider:

  • Regular microdermabrasion facials every 4-6 weeks keeps pores cleaned out and help dry the skin.
  • Most IPL treatments will make the skin dryer temporarily.
  • Fraxels or Clear & Brilliants (a baby Fraxel) is still the best for oily skin texture problems.
  • Consider talking to your doctor about hormone adjustments with spironolactone or oral contraceptives, if appropriate.
  • Interestingly, many patients with oily skin and acne report improvement after Thermage and other RF devices, even if not much data.
Hope this helps,
Dr. Brandith Irwin
Founder, SkinTour
Director, Madison Skin & Laser Center
Follow my skin tips and travels on Instagram!

 

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
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One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!