Oil Wars | How I Tackle the T-Zone

Happy Thursday lovely people,

Having skin that seems to produce more oil in a day, than Mc Donalds does in a week; it’s fair to say ‘Housten we have a problem.’ Especially with summer just around the river bend. So heres how I tackle the T-Zone.

I’ve tried everything to tackle my T-Zone, from rubbing my skin with lemon juice before bed to mentholated talc – you name it I’ve done it. Nothing really worked, in fact things just got worse. Anyhoooz, I have finally settled into a skincare routine that seems to work for me so I thought I’d share it with you, and maybe it could help some of you with the same issue.

Face Wash

I wash my face first thing in the morning before makeup, then again before bed. I’m not really fussy about which wash I use – partly for the fact I get bored. One brand I always tend to go back to is Garnier, I just find their face washes give my skin a deep clean (especially the Pure Active range), not too harsh and are relatively cheap. During the week I just use a cream wash, but at weekend I like to use an exfoliater and mask.

What I’m using at the moment.

Clearasil Oil and Shine Balancing Wash – This is what I use during the week. I have to admit, this isn’t the best wash I have used. It doesn’t give me the same ahhhhhhhh fresh feeling that the Pure Active range does and it doesn’t seem to foam up at all – but it works; it’s not breaking me out, it’s helping combat the grease ball and it smells good. I got this on offer in Superdrug for £2.49, but if I’m not mistaken it usually retails around £4.

Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1 – This is what I use at weekend, and I looove it. It triples up as a wash, exfoliator and mask at the same time. If you wash it straight off its just a wash/ exfoliator, but if you leave it on, the clay hardens and leaves you with a clay mask. I apply it to dry skin, leave it for 10 mins, and then take it off. Afterwards my skin feels really tingly, fresh and soft. The only thing I will say however, is that it can be quite drying so you will need to follow up with a good moisturiser and I wouldn’t use this every day. It retails around £5 which is pretty reasonable considering it works 3 jobs.

Moisturiser

This is one I’ve struggled with in the past, all the face moisturisers I bought (including the oil free ones) would still make me oily/ break me out. However I’ve found 2 that actually work so I tend to switch between, depending how my skin feels or which make up I’ll be using.

Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser – Like all Simple products, it’s made with multi vitamins for sensitive skin and promises to ‘eliminate shine and maintain moisture levels.’ This really works for me, it doesn’t make my skin oily throughout the day, absorbs well and moisturises really well. It doesn’t break me out and makeup blends easily on top of it. This retails around £5.

Boots Tea Tree Witch Hazel Shine Control Day Moisturiser – This doesn’t look like a moisturiser, to me it looks like a face wash until you read it. Unlike the Simple Oil Balancing Moisturiser, this is a gel formula. It promises to ‘lightly moisturise, keep skin shine free, provide a matte makeup base and calm skin’ – It does exactly that. It absorbs really quickly into the skin, visibly mattifies and the tea tree, witch hazel keeps skin clear. This doesn’t provide as much moisture as the Simple one, but if keeping oil at bay is your main goal, its perfect. This is around £3 in Boots.

 

Makeup

Tinted Moisturiser/ BB Cream – The drugstore ones aimed at Oily skin, for example the Maybelline Matte BB Cream really do not work for me, they turn my skin some ridiculous shade of tangerine and look like someone has thrown a bag of flour over my face for a spot of baking. I stick to the NARS Tinted Moisturiser now though, as it’s the only one that stays on all day and doesn’t turn oily/ cakey. My advice on this front is to avoid any heavy products and allow your skin to breath under the makeup as much as possible.

Powder – I don’t use this every day, I only use it to touch up my T Zone if I get a bit of shine/ need my makeup to last. I use the Rimmel Stay Matte powder in 001 Translucent, it’s great for touching up and doesn’t look powdery.

That’s about all I do to my skin, its not a lot but I’ve found this routine/ these products work for me to keep my skin from looking like a fat fryer. I will do a post on my full skin care routine soon as I’ve changed it up in the last few days if anyone would be interested?

Does anybody have any tips or products that help oily skin? Let me know in the comments. Until Tag Tuesday is upon us, Happy Easter and eat your weight in chocolate. I bid you farewell, don’t forget to Like/ Comment/ Follow – you know the dance.

Au Revoir