How to Care for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin
Dealing with breakouts, excess shine, or clogged pores? You’re not alone. Oily and acne-prone skin are common skin conditions, with acne affecting nearly 50 million Americans each year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
When your skin feels out of balance it can be frustrating to know where to start. At LATHER, we believe that great skincare starts with understanding your skin and treating it with clean ingredients. If your skin is oily or acne-prone, you don’t need harsh solutions - you need a targeted routine that supports your skin’s natural balance.
In this guide, we’ll help you identify your skin type, explain what causes oiliness and breakouts, and share gentle, effective ways to care for your skin - so you can feel your best in your own skin, every day.
What Is Oily or Acne-Prone Skin?
The terms “oily skin” and “acne-prone skin” are often used interchangeably and can overlap, but they aren’t necessarily the same.
Oily skin is characterized by skin with excess sebum (oil) production. Sebum is a waxy substance produced by the glands in everyone’s skin that helps maintain and regulate moisture. When there’s an overproduction of sebum, skin can appear shiny, greasy, and with enlarged pores. If you often feel like you need to blot your face with a tissue, or makeup slides off easily, you might have oily skin.
Acne-prone skin, on the other hand, refers to the tendency to develop breakouts. While oily skin often leads to acne, people with dry or combination skin can experience it, too. Acne happens when pores become clogged with excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Genetics, hormones, stress, and even daily habits can all play a role.
While you can have oily skin without acne, and acne without oily skin, they often go hand in hand.
How to Know Your Skin Type
If you’re not sure what type of skin you have, there are a few simple ways to find out.
- The Fresh Face Test
- Cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser and pat dry.
- Pat dry, but DON’T apply any products. No toner, serum, or moisturizer.
- Wait 30 minutes.
- Examine your skin in the mirror and note how it feels and looks.
If you see shine, shine, visible pores, or breakouts, you may have oily or acneic skin. If have flakiness, tightness, or a dull appearance, those are signs of dry skin. If you see oil on the nose, chin, or forehead, but appear dry elsewhere, you could have combination skin.
2. The Touch & Feel Test
Try this over the course of a few evenings and compare the results.
- At the end of the day, without having washed your face, take a moment to gently touch your skin.
- Pay attention to how it feels across the forehead, nose, cheeks, chin.
- Refer to the descriptions above.
Can Skin Type Change Over Time?
The term “skin type” can make it sound like your skin is a fixed state. But skin can change over time, due to aging, hormones, stress, medications, and our environment. Here are some of the most common factors:
- Age: Oil production tends to decrease over time.
- Hormones: Puberty, pregnancy, birth control, and menopause can all influence sebum levels and skin texture.
- Climate: Humidity, heat, wind, cold, and even air quality can all impact your skin. Humid summers may increase oiliness, while dry winters can strip moisture.
- Stress & lifestyle: Diet, hydration, sleep, and stress levels all affect how your skin behaves.
- Product use: Harsh or overly-drying products can strip your skin and cause it to overproduce oil - or become reactive and dry. Heavy creams or oils can clog pores if your skin doesn’t need them.
Check in with your skin regularly. Your skin’s needs evolve - and your routine should too.
How to Care for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin
Supporting oily or acne-prone skin doesn’t mean over-stripping or over-drying. A gentle, targeted routine can help calm breakouts and rebalance oil.
- Cleanse: Start with a clarifying face wash to eliminate dirt and impurities. Blemish Control Cleansing Gel draws on wasabi & witch hazel to help control oil, ensuring a gentle cleanse that won’t disturb the skin’s delicate pH balance.
- Tone: You don’t need a harsh astringent to remove dirt and oil. Instead, look for a balanced toner to remove debris. Citrus Balancing Toner is formulated with citric acid and rosemary to tone and clarify, while maintaining skin’s pH balance.
- Treat: Targeted treatments with salicylic and lactic acid can gently exfoliate, helping to unclog pores. Advanced Blemish Control Serum includes these breakout-fighting heroes and can be used on the entire face or as a spot treatment to reduce redness and discomfort.
- Boost: A stable form of Vitamin C can brighten and even skin tone. Vitamin C Peptide Renewal uses advanced peptides and amino acids to fight skin damage and boost radiance.
- Moisturize: It may feel counter-intuitive to moisturize oily skin, but the right hydration helps maintain skin’s balance. Ultra Light Face Lotion hydrates without heaviness, drawing on borage oil, grape seed oil, and aloe vera – which soothes and hydrates without clogging pores.
- Weekly Reset: Once or twice a week, set aside time for extra self-care. White Clay Deep Pore Cleansing Mask draws out oil and impurities with a mix of white & bentonite clay, while aloe and algae extract soothe stressed skin.
Get Back in Balance
Caring for oily or acne-prone skin doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right products and a better understanding of what your skin needs, balance is possible.
Not sure where to start? Browse our gentle formulas for oily and acne-prone skin, or take our quiz within LATHER’s comprehensive skincare guide to get personalized recommendations.
We wish you a summer that shines in only the best ways.
