A month or so ago I decided I was going to give my skin a little break from makeup for a few days and let all of my serums, lotions and cleansers work their magic and restore my skin to a better state. A coworker of mine mentioned how “angry” and red my skin looked and asked what products I was using. When I started to roll out the full list of everything, after product 8 I realized I was WAY overdoing it. I was using a bunch of random products, some meant for my skin type, some not at all. Some natural/organic, some not, some gentle, some harsh, you get the idea… a lot of randomness was going on in my routine. I was trying too many products at once and my skin was definitely paying for it. I decided to narrow it down to what I felt worked best with my oily/combination skin and stick to using just those.
My Routine:
- Morning Cleanse • Ole Henriksen
- Toner/Essential Oil Complex • G.M. Collin
- Morning Moisturizer • Tatcha
- Sunscreen • CoverFX
- Primer/Custom Blot Drops • CoverFX
- Evening Cleasnser • Ole Henriksen
- Evening Mask (2x/week) • Boscia
- Evening Mask (2x/week) • Volition Beauty
- Evening Moisturizer • Ole Henriksen
- Evening Serum • Ole Henriksen
G.M. Collin .:. Essential Oil Complex » Rich in essential oils, this highly concentrated fluid soothes and refreshes blemish-prone skin. It has the consistency of water and instantly absorbs into skin. Improvements resulted from using this are noticeable within days and I highly recommend this to anyone looking to fight acne. This is definitely a staple in my skincare routine and I’ve been using it for the past 6 months now in place of a toner each morning. http://www.gmcollin.com
Tatcha .:. Pore Perfecting Water Gel » I’m pretty much obsessed with this. I use it every morning before applying makeup. It leaves my skin incredibly smooth & moisturized with zero trace of shine. It’s a lightweight illuminating water-gel moisturizer that offers oil-balancing hydration. It’s non-irritating, non-sensitizing and dermatologist tested. It’s formulated with the perfect balance of oil and water to keep those with oily/combination skin balanced and hydrated. It’s a powerful combination of Japanese Wild Rose, Leopard Lily and Dokudami extracts to balance and clarify skin, and an added bonus of 23k gold dust to create a warm luminous glow. http://www.tatcha.com
CoverFX .:. Clear Cover Invisible Sunscreen » Sunscreen needs to be a staple in everyones skincare routine whether you have oily skin or not! This one is super lightweight and transparent, no need to worry about a white residue that many sunscreens leave behind. It contains sesame extract to nourish, soften and moisturize and tomato extract to help skin defend itself against sun damage and pollution. UVA/UVB protection + antioxidants.. yes please! And of course, one of my absolute favorite finds lately, the Custom Blot Drops. I’ve been using these all summer long and have yet to find a product that really controls oil like this one. I’ve used this as a primer before foundation, mixed in with foundation and even over top of foundation/concealer. The combination of cucumber extract and papaya help hydrate while chamomile extract soothes and tones. The consistency is really silky & smooth and glides right over skin and helps blur pores. I prefer to use this in place of a primer but find it works well no matter what order its used in. Obsessed! http://www.coverfx.com
Ole Henriksen .:. Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser » I use this both morning and night for a deep cleanse that doesn’t irritate my skin or completely strip it of its natural oils. It contains aloe vera, chamomile & vitamins to sooth, clear & restore. After trying so many different cleansers from high end to drug store products, this is one of the best matches for my skin. It does an awesome job at fighting blemishes and containing oil, and the scent is so soothing! Vitamin Plus is enriched with antioxidants, aloe vera & hazelnut oil and is really lightweight but deeply hydrating. It leaves my skin soft without feeling greasy at all, I love to use it at night. After moisturizing I use their Invigorating Night Treatment serum, I love the gel consistency and how it makes my skin feel. It helps seal in vitamins and minerals for smooth, nourished skin, that looks overall healthier and youthful. I noticed a huge difference in my skin since using Ole Henriksen! http://www.olehenriksen.com
Boscia .:. Sake Bright White Mask » This isn’t specifically targeted towards oily skin, but its ideal for sensitive skin and is awesome to use once or twice a week to brighten & restore skin. It’s infused with sake for added hydration. The peel-off removal rids your skin of any impurities and refines texture. I noticed a more even skin tone and lightened acne scars after just a few uses. It dries within 20 minutes or so and tightens firmly to skin but peels off easily and painlessly. I love using this for my at home “spa nights” – my skin feels so fresh afterwards! http://www.boscia.com
Volition Beauty .:. Detoxifying Silt Gelee Mask » This mask fully detoxifies skin but in a gentle non abrasive way. The powerful ingredient black silt draws out any & all impurities and toxins allowing your skin to absorb all of the beneficial mineral & nutrient compounds in the gel base. The consistency reminds me of a mud mask and is really thick but doesn’t completely dry on skin and need to be scrubbed off. It comes with a little sponge that makes wiping if off a breeze and a lot less messy. This is one of those masks that yes, your skin feels incredibly clean and smooth after, but its the days following that really show how well it works. I can always tell a difference in how smooth my makeup applies on the days after using this. I only use this once or twice a week, thats really all you need with this to notice a difference. http://www.volitionbeauty.com
If you have oily skin too, hopefully this gives you some insight on products you may not have known about, or ideas if you’re looking for a better solution. Any other suggestions on how to control oily/blemish prone skin, send them my way! Xo.
*
FYI ** As always, my reviews are not paid and are based on my own opinion, personal use and results.
simplybeyoutified.com 
Love this post! I have always had to battle oily skin, so skincare has always been a big investment for me–now so more than ever. I will have to give some of these products a try.
Thank you! Same here, I’ve tried SOOO many products meant for oily skin that were total fails. These ones seem to work the best for me!