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I'm sorry but my answer is going to be no use to you if you have sensitive skin or inflammatory acne, but if you don't, then you could try my routine:
1.Wash with a sulphate rich cleanser + every 2-3 day scrub with a zinc/salicylic scrub before this step
2. Use a good toner - this one is up to you, but I think toning is one of the most crucial things you can do to control oil topically. Make sure it's formulated for oily skin though!
3. Apply 10% benzoyl peroxide all over your face, not just on problem areas
4. Apply a 10% glycolic acid lotion
5. Apply a good sunscreen. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP, {unless it's nighttime] you are putting very harsh chemicals on your face that will expose fresh skin that is very vulnerable to sun damage.
In the evening apply a moisturizer rich in glycerin. I recommend you use an eye cream too and a chapstick, as glycolic acid is notorious for driyng out mucous membranes.
My oiliness has reduced by around 80% since using this combination of treatments and I hope it will reduce even further.
I'm sorry but my answer is going to be no use to you if you have sensitive skin or inflammatory acne, but if you don't, then you could try my routine:
1.Wash with a sulphate rich cleanser + every 2-3 day scrub with a zinc/salicylic scrub before this step
2. Use a good toner - this one is up to you, but I think toning is one of the most crucial things you can do to control oil topically. Make sure it's formulated for oily skin though!
3. Apply 10% benzoyl peroxide all over your face, not just on problem areas
4. Apply a 10% glycolic acid lotion
5. Apply a good sunscreen. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP, {unless it's nighttime] you are putting very harsh chemicals on your face that will expose fresh skin that is very vulnerable to sun damage.
In the evening apply a moisturizer rich in glycerin. I recommend you use an eye cream too and a chapstick, as glycolic acid is notorious for driyng out mucous membranes.
My oiliness has reduced by around 80% since using this combination of treatments and I hope it will reduce even further.
Thanks for your input... but I'm pretty sure that if I applied all that to my face, it would catch fire and burn right off.
On 10/11/2012 at 10:49 PM, vincevega said:On 10/10/2012 at 8:22 PM, armadillo said:I'm sorry but my answer is going to be no use to you if you have sensitive skin or inflammatory acne, but if you don't, then you could try my routine:
1.Wash with a sulphate rich cleanser + every 2-3 day scrub with a zinc/salicylic scrub before this step
2. Use a good toner - this one is up to you, but I think toning is one of the most crucial things you can do to control oil topically. Make sure it's formulated for oily skin though!
3. Apply 10% benzoyl peroxide all over your face, not just on problem areas
4. Apply a 10% glycolic acid lotion
5. Apply a good sunscreen. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP, {unless it's nighttime] you are putting very harsh chemicals on your face that will expose fresh skin that is very vulnerable to sun damage.
In the evening apply a moisturizer rich in glycerin. I recommend you use an eye cream too and a chapstick, as glycolic acid is notorious for driyng out mucous membranes.
My oiliness has reduced by around 80% since using this combination of treatments and I hope it will reduce even further.
Thanks for your input... but I'm pretty sure that if I applied all that to my face, it would catch fire and burn right off.
lol, yeah, I would say my routine would do that to 99% of people who tried it, but there is that 1%
Hate to burst your bubbles, but doses of Saw Palmetto and Vitamin B5 did not work for me. I tried both separetely over a month and all it did was to empty my pockets and of couse, still get the same nasty oily face.
I've never tried Spiro nor Flutamide, but reading those side-effects, I really don't want boobs in my body nor pockets of fat in my hips.
On the other hand I tried Accutane, and it worked like a Charm. But it's rather expensive and it's a medication that you need to take forever in low doses, because once you stop taking it, it justs stop working.
Seems like we are stuck in this together.
My extreme oily face has made me the biggest self-conciousness jerk ever. It saddens me deeply.
And cosmetics work only temporarily in a limited base, powders and magnesium milk will get you a couple of hours more of an apparently oily-free face, but at the end of the day you look pretty much the same, like an oily turd.
Hate to burst your bubbles, but doses of Saw Palmetto and Vitamin B5 did not work for me. I tried both separetely over a month and all it did was to empty my pockets and of couse, still get the same nasty oily face.
I've never tried Spiro nor Flutamide, but reading those side-effects, I really don't want boobs in my body nor pockets of fat in my hips.
On the other hand I tried Accutane, and it worked like a Charm. But it's rather expensive and it's a medication that you need to take forever in low doses, because once you stop taking it, it justs stop working.
Seems like we are stuck in this together.
My extreme oily face has made me the biggest self-conciousness jerk ever. It saddens me deeply.
And cosmetics work only temporarily in a limited base, powders and magnesium milk will get you a couple of hours more of an apparently oily-free face, but at the end of the day you look pretty much the same, like an oily turd.
I know what you feel like, it's an absolute pain in the ass. I know oily skin can really get you down, but remember there are far worse things out there and it is only oily skin after all.
What are the side effects like on accutane? Can you still drink beer while on it?
By the way, you're supposed to overdose on B5 for a lot longer than a month, mate. Same goes for Saw Palmetto I think. My latest attempt at curbing the oil is eating 2 tablespoons of turmeric. Hope it works... it tastes really, really, really bad.
Just hang in there, you'll find a cure one day.
Hate to burst your bubbles, but doses of Saw Palmetto and Vitamin B5 did not work for me. I tried both separetely over a month and all it did was to empty my pockets and of couse, still get the same nasty oily face.
I've never tried Spiro nor Flutamide, but reading those side-effects, I really don't want boobs in my body nor pockets of fat in my hips.
On the other hand I tried Accutane, and it worked like a Charm. But it's rather expensive and it's a medication that you need to take forever in low doses, because once you stop taking it, it justs stop working.
Seems like we are stuck in this together.
My extreme oily face has made me the biggest self-conciousness jerk ever. It saddens me deeply.
And cosmetics work only temporarily in a limited base, powders and magnesium milk will get you a couple of hours more of an apparently oily-free face, but at the end of the day you look pretty much the same, like an oily turd.
I know what you feel like, it's an absolute pain in the ass. I know oily skin can really get you down, but remember there are far worse things out there and it is only oily skin after all.
What are the side effects like on accutane? Can you still drink beer while on it?
By the way, you're supposed to overdose on B5 for a lot longer than a month, mate. Same goes for Saw Palmetto I think. My latest attempt at curbing the oil is eating 2 tablespoons of turmeric. Hope it works... it tastes really, really, really bad.
Just hang in there, you'll find a cure one day.
I do not recommend taking accutane to curb oil production. Yes it does greatly reduce it but the potentially severe side effects are not worth it - hair loss, joint problems, back pain, reduced concentration, dry eyes, liver damage, depression etc the list goes on. Accutane is a last-resort drug for people with severe cystic acne and as someone who has taken it before, it is not a pleasant ride. You also cannot drink any alcohol while on it as your liver will be in overdrive mode by the vitamin A buildup associated with accutane.
Sorry about the rant 
As you can tel,l I had a rather negative experience during and after accutane..
I've suffered from oily skin since I was in my early teens and I know how much it sucks. Milk of magnesia helps a bit but it can leave a white sheen across the face if over applied. I'm taking zinc tablets at the moment and will keep you posted if it shows good results.
I use baby powder (either talc or cornstarch). I pat a thin layer onto my face after I finish Dan's regimen and it controls the shine until evening! I sometimes reapply in the afternoon if I've been running around and my face is shinier than usual. I know some people say that talc is chemically similar to asbestos but use your common sense and don't put yourself in a position where you'll be breathing it in. That being said, you can always use cornstarch powder instead. I was originally worried applying any sort of powder would break me out but it hasn't at all.
OCM works for me. Check out the threads on here.
I would wake up slimy, wash, then be slimy again before I could even make coffee.
Make up didn't last the commute, and blotting just made me look old and patchy.
I started OCM and within 1 week I could wear make up all day, tiny bit of sheen after 12 hours.
Every pore is clear, small. My skin is soft, glowing and wonderful.
Still working on some cystic acne, but no more blackheads, no more clogged pores!
Took a bit to find the right combo for me, but once I did the oil control and pore de-clogging results were INSTANT>
Using a salicylic acid cleanser (I use daily ritual by serious skin care or Neutrogena oil free acne wash) followed by benzoyl peroxide at night.
Then in the morning after cleansing with daily ritual or oil free acne wash, I use seban liquid. Seban can be purchased at he cooperlabs website.
No one cares about cleansers, what's the point anyway, you can wash your skin over and over, the sebum will still return. Sebum must be controlled from the inside.
Very true. I truly don't understand why there's even dermatologists out there who think oily skin can be solved by a topical solution.
One thing I tried which helped decrease oil production was to use a mud/clay mask every other day or weekly depending on the weather since doing this too often can dry out your skin. I use either St. Ive's or Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask (any brand that has kaolin clay in it would work) and leave it on for 15 - 30 mins (sometimes more if I forget) then use a sponge or soft face towel soaked in warm water to take it off. I follow this with a mild face wash, then witch hazel applied with a cotton ball, and whichever moisturizer I'm using at the time (sometimes I just use the Aloe Vera Gel from Jason). I do this before going to bed, and in the morning, I just use witch hazel then an oil-free moisturizer before going to work.
If you don't want to use a clay/mud mask, I find that applying Witch Hazel toner/astringent after cleansing works really well on its own. I use T.N. Dickinson's (you can get witch hazel at the chemist / drug store). I also carry facial tissues to blot excess oil throughout the day -- you know the table napkins they have at Starbuck's? Tissues similar to that work the best. They're even more effective at blotting oil than the more expensive blotting papers sold for that purpose (I used to use the tea tree blotting papers from The Body Shop, which worked great but were expensive).
Also, since hormones are the root cause of excessive sebum production, I try not to get too stressed out during the day (which is really hard to do!) and stick to a healthier diet (lots of vegetables, no soda of any kind, tea w/o sugar is my drink of choice). I actually did an experiment and started eating fried chicken again after avoiding it for about a year.... sure enough, my skin became a lot oilier and I started breaking out a week after , When I stopped eating fried food, skin went back to normal.
Well I never really believed sebum controlling moisturizers work but I bought something recently mainly because it has a relatively high salicylic acid content for the price [i got it on sale but even at full price it's not expensive]
It's called 'Garnier Pure Sebum Controlling Moisturizer'. It works by creating a very thin film that keeps the oil at bay, similarly to Milk of Magnesia, but it doesn't have a white sheen and that 'heavy' feeling. It doesn't feel like you have anything on your face at all, whereas with Milk of Magnesia I'm constantly aware that there's something on my skin.
The main ingredient is kaolin clay and it's meant to absorb the oil as soon as it comes out of your pores. Though, eventually, the oil breaks through, but it lasts a good 3 hours without make up, 4 hours with make up [though that's probably because I use a lot of primer+powder]
It's not a miracle product but it does the job. Personally I found that it controls oil better than Milk of Magnesia. I guess you could use the two together even if you wanted two, applying the Milk of Magnesia first as this moisturizer is a gel consistency.
I stopped taking every medication, and just use the OCM. It truly, truly works! Also, an oil controlling foundation Primer. Works well for men as well, since there is no color, it just makes the skin look smooth and helps control oil but you don't have color/caking issues.
For girls, the OCM is fantastic, and I've switched to a clay based, natural cream make up line that has been amazing. I stopped the Differin and the Spiro and have had NO breakouts for 2 weeks. (I used to have 4 new zits per day and 2-3 cysts per week). Truly Fantastic and totally gentle.
Hello!
I am new here and just ordered the kit and anxious to try it. I am forty something and have suffered with acne ever since I got off birth control over 20 years ago. I have extremly oily skin, after washing within 5 minutes I have very oily skin. I use to suffer from cystic acne thank god that is gone however I suffer from blackheads and whiteheads now with the oil. I have spent thousands of dollars to control the oil, acne and scarring. I have tried lasers, facial's, prescriptions, over the counter crap. You name it I have tried it. I can honestly say the only thing that worked for me was Accutane. The first time I used Accutane it almost broke up my marriage. I was moody, cring over every little thing, snapping at my ex-husband. My ex begged me to get off of it. I got off of it and dealt with the misery & humiliation which lead to depression. After a couple of years I went back on and went to a dermatologist who did not give me a pregnancy test and turned out I was pregnant. I had to have an abortion. No choice of the matter!!! I would not recommend taking Accutane for you girls. My personal experience with Accutane has been a love hate relationship. I loved what it did while I was on it but it has done some damage in my personal life.
With all that said, I have found nothing that works for me and I am hoping to try the idea's on this forum and thank you for letting me share my experience with you.
QUESTION FOR JWALTERSRN: "For girls, the OCM is fantastic, and I've switched to a clay based, natural cream make up line that has been amazing"
Can you share what you are using? I now suffer from scarring, redness & large pores. I am willing to try anything to hide the damage!!!
Thank you-
I too suffer with extremely oily skin, currently in my 5th month of Roaccutane and am wrried about what will happen when I get off it.
The one thing I know is that I cannot change my DNA, therefore I will have oily skin for the rest of my life, popping pills will only give a short term solution. My oil production is like jellyfish, when they feel threatened they produce more jellyfish. I have tried a ridiculous amount of products, natural and home remedies all to no avail.
I have found paper to be the best blotter, sucks up all the oil and keeps it at bay for a good while. Tissue and blotting paper is a waste of time for me.
The thing to remember is that we are all different and will not have exactly the same reaction to things as everyone else. So we have to keep trying different things and hopefully will stumble across something that will help.
Garnier Pure Sebum Controlling Moisturizer which was mentioned before in this thread does help me. I still have oily skin post accutane. I do get oily nose and checks during the day but after using Pure I can see that no oil is visible during the day, at least not as before for sure. Before I bought it I read reviews online and some, quite a few actually, were negative but i ordered it anyway. It does help me but I do not know if it will be helping for long, as usually, everything just stops working eventually. Accutane was the only drug that kept me wonderfully oil free but it is only temporary thing with no guaranteed result anyway.
The only thing that worked for me was Accutane. After, my skin returned to a full blown oil well again. It's been 20 years of disgusting oily skin since. (no acne, though!) I never use moisturiser. Never needed it. I wouldn't be able to stand the addition layer of gunk and quite frankly dont understand why anyone with super oily skin would feel the need to slather more grease on their skin..it's completely illogical. Let's see..my skin is sooo oily and gross! let's see..I'll apply more oil, silcones and glycerin! yes! ..that'll do the trick! Then, wonder why they have more blackheads, cysts and OIL! Ummm NO.
okay, lecture over..lol I regress...
The only thing that curbs my rediculously oily skin is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. I use it at least 3 times a week. Before bed, I wash my face. I then mix 1 tbsp with water & throw in a couple of uncoated aspirins. Slather it on (thickly) over my entire face (not eyes!) I Leave it on over night. Yes, over night. It will turn concrete hard. It feels unpleasant and scares my husband.. poor guy. I can actually feel it pull the oil out. In the morning, I rinse off in the shower AND wash with a mild non-oily cleanser. Done. This clay curbs my oil well from hell, by at least 80%, for the entire day. Until some other miracle comes along, this clay is the only thing that makes my oily skin bearable.
he only thing that curbs my rediculously oily skin is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. I use it at least 3 times a week. Before bed, I wash my face. I then mix 1 tbsp with water & throw in a couple of uncoated aspirins. Slather it on (thickly) over my entire face (not eyes!) I Leave it on over night. Yes, over night. It will turn concrete hard. It feels unpleasant and scares my husband.. poor guy.
I can actually feel it pull the oil out. In the morning, I rinse off in the shower AND wash with a mild non-oily cleanser. Done. This clay curbs my oil well from hell, by at least 80%, for the entire day. Until some other miracle comes along, this clay is the only thing that makes my oily skin bearable.
And that doesn't make your skin irritated or red? I actually have the same Aztec Clay and I feel like leaving it on for prolonged periods of time would be pretty rough on the skin.
The one thing that I know for sure that controls oil on my nose is Clean & Clear's 10% BP, I don't know what's in it that creates this effect, but it dries to a really smooth to touch, with a barely visible coat of whitish finish.
And another thing that I found useful is washing with hot water, then rinse with cold water.
When I was a teen, the oil on my face could fry eggs by the end of day. Nowadays I stopped putting too much stuff on my face and it's all good, just might need to blot with tissue in the middle of the day if I have to look presentable.