Ask Dr. Schultz
Is there something out there to make my skin less oily?
I have really oily skin and it gets annoying having to constantly wipe my face. Is there anything out there that will actually work and won’t make my skin more oily or dry and irritated? Please get back to me when you can.
Since one can’t easily decrease oil production, it would make more sense to instead try to remove the existing oil. One can better accomplish that with oil removing cleansers and toners, used two to three times per day.
When choosing a cleanser, find one labelled for oily or acne prone skin, and if you don’t have sensitive skin, then a cleanser with 1-2% salicylic acid is useful. Just as important is following cleansing by wiping your face with a cotton pad with toner (a.k.a., astringent) on it. The toner should contain less than 10% alcohol (if you have sensitive skin, then choose alcohol-free toner). Lastly, apply oil-free moisturizer to cheeks only if needed. Also, one may consider carrying premoistened toner pads during the day to remove additional oil as it’s made (i.e., in-between washing).