If you're frustrated by pimples, pustules, or red, irritated skin that isn’t ready to quit, your sebaceous glands are probably pumping out an overabundance of sebum!
Yes, sebum – the waxy substance that protects your skin. But as they say, an excess of everything is harmful. Excess sebum makes your skin look oily and greasy. All you are left with is grabbing sheets of blotting paper and wiping it away!
Heredity plays a part in this problem, and people with dark hair tend to make more sebum than fair-haired folks. Other factors like stress, changes in hormone levels, your daily activities, and a humid environment can exacerbate the oil on your skin.
And the problem does not end here! Excess sebum gives rise to acne, pimples, whiteheads, blackheads and other facial troubles.
While oily skin bears an advantage of better aging with fewer wrinkles, oily skin can be a real pain to deal with.
So, how do you deal with it?
Here are 6 home remedies to get rid of oily skin fast and take it from greasy to luminous.
Contents
Method 1: Using Lemons
Lemons are an excellent source of citric acid that works as a powerful astringent for the skin.
It also contains antiseptic properties that help lighten skin discolorations and restore the pH balance of your skin.
Things you’ll need:
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Cotton ball
Dilute lemon juice and apply
- Dilute 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in 2 tablespoons of water.
- Clean your face with lukewarm water and apply the mixture on your face using a cotton ball.
- Allow it to dry for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse it off using lukewarm water.
Lemon is highly acidic in nature, so use this remedy only twice a week.
Method 2: Using Egg White and Honey
Egg whites are packed with a host of proteins that help in firming the skin and soaking up excess oil.
An excellent moisturizer, honey helps nourish your skin without making it more oily. With its antiseptic properties, it is also amazingly good for acne-prone oily skin.
Things you’ll need:
- Egg – 1
- Honey – 1 tablespoon
Step 1. Break an egg into a bowl
- Break 1 egg into a bowl.
- Separate the yolk from the egg white.
Step 2. Blend in honey and apply
- Mix 1 tablespoon of honey into the egg white.
- Whisk the mixture so that the honey is thoroughly blended with the egg white.
- Clean your face with lukewarm water.
- Avoiding the eye area, apply the mask on your face. Let it dry for about 10 minutes, then wash it off with warm water.
Use the treatment 3 times a week for about 1 month for best results.
Method 3: Using Tomatoes
The cooling, clarifying, and astringent properties of tomatoes make them one of the most amazing treatments for oily skin.
Plus, they contain vitamin C and natural oil-absorbing acids that are exceptionally good for acne-prone oily skin.
Tomatoes contain lycopene a great antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory that helps to protect DNA.
Things you’ll need:
- Tomato – 1
Puree tomato and apply
- Slice and puree a tomato.
- Clean your face with lukewarm water and apply the paste on your face.
- Let it stay for 15 to 20 minutes or until it dries completely.
- Wash it off using water.
Alternatively, you can just slice a tomato and rub it on your face in circular motions. Let the residue sit for 15 minutes, then rinse it off using cold water.
Tomato juice helps tighten the skin, thus reducing the open pores.
Use the remedy 3 times a week for effective results.
Method 4: Using a Honey and Sea Salt Exfoliate
While sea salt is a natural exfoliator, honey is a natural moisturizer for the skin. Sea salt draws out impurities and excess oil from the pores, thus detoxifying your skin.
Honey has antiseptic properties that help prevent pimples, acne, wrinkles, and other conditions prone to oily skin.
Exfoliating your skin on a regular basis helps prevent a buildup of dead cells.
Things you’ll need:
- Sea salt – 1 tablespoon
- Honey – 1 tablespoon
Blend the ingredients together and apply
- Pour 1 tablespoon of sea salt into a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey and mix the ingredients well.
- Clean your face with lukewarm water.
- Put a small amount of the mixture on your palm and use it to gently massage and scrub your face and neck. Do this gently for 5 to 7 minutes, in circular motions.
- Let it stay for another 2 to 3 minutes, then rinse it off using cold water. This will constrict the pores thus making the skin cleaner, smoother and less oily.
Repeat 2 or 3 times a week to get rid of oily skin.
Method 5: Using Yogurt, Oatmeal, and Honey
Yogurt contains lactic acid that helps with skin exfoliation. Packed with vitamins, yogurt acts as a natural astringent for the skin, thus nourishing the skin internally and externally.
Honey helps reduce excess oil on the surface of the skin, thus clearing up pores and preventing wrinkles, acne, and pimples. The moisturizing property of honey helps nourish the skin without making it more oily.
Moreover, honey contains natural antiseptic properties that are amazingly good for acne-prone oily skin.
Oatmeal has natural absorbent qualities that help control the production of sebum, thus restoring the smoothness and brightness of your complexion. Also, oatmeal is very moisturizing.
Things you’ll need:
- Yogurt – 2 tablespoons
- Oatmeal (ground) – 2 tablespoons
- Honey – 1 tablespoon
Mix the ingredients together and apply
- Add 2 tablespoons of ground-up oatmeal in a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt.
- Pour in 1 tablespoon of honey and mix well to form a smooth paste.
- Clean your face with lukewarm water and apply it on your face.
- Scrub gently for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Allow it to dry for another 10 minutes.
- Rinse it off using lukewarm water.
Use this treatment every other day for 1 month, and you will see effective results.
Method 6: Using Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera is an incredible moisturizer for skin and thus rejuvenates the skin, hydrating it and keeping it fresh all the time.
A natural antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, aloe vera, helps treat acne, pimples, and blemishes (issues associated with oily skin).
Moreover, aloe vera controls the production of sebum and has cooling properties that help treat oily skin during the summer months.
Things you’ll need:
- Aloe vera gel
- Cotton ball
Dip and dab
- Clean your face with lukewarm water.
- Dip a cotton ball in aloe vera gel and apply it directly on your clean face.
- Allow the gel to stay on your skin until it dries completely.
- Wash it off using lukewarm water.
If you do not have aloe vera gel at home, you can just tear apart an aloe vera leaf and squeeze out the fresh gel.
For an added cooling effect, you can freeze the aloe vera leaves or gel for 30 minutes and then use it.
Do this once daily for 15 days, and you will observe a drastic effect on your skin.
Additional Tips
- Always carry facial tissues in your bag. You can use them in a pinch to wipe away all the excess oil from your face.
- Cold water is an incredible instant oil remover. Splash your face with cold water a couple of times a day to control excess oil.
- Avoid using moisturizers on oily skin, as they contain oils and chemicals that tend to make the skin even more oily. Instead, use sunscreen before going out in the sun. If the use of moisturizers is needed, always use water-based moisturizers for oily skin.
- Papaya is a natural exfoliant for keeping the pores clear.
- Avoid creamy foundations and use water-based cosmetics for your skin. Too much makeup must be avoided.
- Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet and drink at least 10 glasses of water a day.
