Moisturising oily skin can be tricky and quite scary. In my teenage years I was told to use products that will dry my skin and that this will minimise the pores and prevent acne. How many of you still believe that? Because it’s time to brush this old myth under the carpet and start moisturising your skin. 

Using only astringents and water based creams made my skin feeling tight and irritated and I had plenty of spots all over my face, not to mention acne scars from squeezing every white head i saw. I’m guilty of being a spot popper and constantly drying my skin didn’t help at all with healing and probably made the scars worse.  

Things changed since then. It took me many years to discover the benefits of a proper moisturised skin. I’m in my 30’s and I started to properly look after my skin almost 4 years ago, and it was thanks to Anne Gray, director at Spa Technologies UK, but this is a story I will tell you about another time. Now my skin is feeling soft and hydrated, looks healthy and luminous and I am acne free. I do get a tiny spot or two, from time to time which is normal due to a slight hormonal imbalance or maybe a wild night out filled with cocktails. Sometimes we just can’t avoid it. 

Most of our clients are really hard to convince to use a proper moisturiser on their skin. I always have to hear the same thing: ”it doesn’t work on my skin”, ”I know my skin, I can’t apply an oily serum”, ”I don’t want to clog my pores and get more spots” or ”using a moisturiser will make my skin even more oily”. Which can be true when using the wrong products, but when using the right product for your skin type will do wonders. Chemical and synthetic products can dry and irritate the skin, disrupting its natural balance. That is why we recommend the use of natural products that will work in harmony with the skin. The main benefit of using natural ingredients on your skin is that they will not clog your pores as they have a much better absorption rate and will let the skin breathe. 

Have you notice that though you have oily skin it still feels tight? Have you wonder why? It’s because your skin is dehydrated. Using products that are only designed to combat acne can also create dryness and sensitivity to the skin and we should avoid anything that will strip our skin of its natural oils. 

There are a few important steps to keep oily and acne prone skin in check. This will prevent the formation of new spots and will keep the moisture levels normalised. 

1. Cleanse

Cleanse your skin twice a day (morning and night) with a natural, gentle cleanser that will not strip the skin of its natural oils like Revitalising Sea Cleanser and Gentle Cleanser. Both are made with only natural ingredients with a high concentration of marine extracts and organic essential oils supported by antioxidants and essential fatty acids. They work to remove impurities and dead cells build up and will help normalise the skin’s pH balance. Always shower and cleanse your face after an intense gym session or workout as sweat is a great environment for bacteria to grow and clog pores.

2. Tone and prep

Apply Flower Peel Serum. This is the most important step after cleansing and I can’t stress enough about the importance and benefits of this serum. I recommend and I insist that my clients will use Flower Peel each day, twice a day, because this not only helps with gradual exfoliation but is ideal for all skin types to treat conditions like eczema, rosacea, sensitive, oily, acne and dry. It’s made from hibiscus extract which is coated in a soothing sea weed gel and also contains salicylic acid. It does not irritate the skin and in time will provide an even tone and texture. Will help diminish dark spots, age spots, discoloration, acne scars, stop the formation of bacteria that can clog pores and create spots, it helps prevent the formation of black and white spots and keep sebum secretion in check by keeping the pores clean and clear. It also helps thicken the skin and firms it by strengthening the connective tissue matrix and allowing basal cells to fully mature. Our tip is to use the Flower Peel around the eye area. 

3. Moisturise

Now that the skin is prepped it’s time to apply a moisturiser which will also treat your skin. Intensive Night Recovery might not be the first product to recommend to my most stubborn clients, but it’s probably the best. It has a buttery consistency and it scared some of my loyal clients, but I managed to convince them to give it a try. The first and only complaint I had is that it’s oily. This is actually deceiving. It is not an oil. It’s a serum formulated in a buttery consistency to help restore, heal and protect the skin. It also provides moisturisation. Once you learn the proper way of applying it and the right amount for your skin it will become an essential. You only need to apply a small amount on the tips of your fingers and then gently massage it into the skin in upward motions, against the formation of wrinkles until is absorbed. Play with the amount of product you apply until you find the right amount that works for you.

It’s packed with essential oils that have skin healing proprieties and antioxidant protection and will help normalise sebaceous production, liquid oxygen to boost skin metabolism and neutralise carbon dioxide found in cells and palmitoleic acid rich in essential fatty acids and has anti-inflammatory proprieties. This serum is ideal for sensitive, dry, oily skin. it soothes, nourishes, protects and hydrates without clogging the pores. Your skin will look and feel smooth and hydrated.

Though Intensive Night Recovery is a night serum, I use it in the morning too as my skin is quite dry and I recommend it for ageing skin also. Because of the high concentration of active ingredients and its restoring proprieties it will protect the skin during the day from environmental damaging factors. In the morning I always apply a thin layer of Anti-Ageing Serum over it to lock in moisture and prime the skin for my makeup. This serum is a little gem also and you can find more information about it on one of my previous posts. 

4. Exfoliate

Once a week is important to remove pesky dead skin cells and reveal healthy, new skin with a natural, gentle exfoliator. The Micro Pearl Dermabration contains fine particles of natural pearls and volcanic rock, essential oils and algae extracts to refine surface skin and speed cellular renewal. This will greatly improve the efficacy of any skin care routine but be advised, over-exfoliating can create more problems than benefits, so don’t over do it. 

You could also use a gentle facial brush daily with your cleanser or just once a week to stimulate micro circulation and remove dead cells build up. 

5. Masks

The use of a good mask will boost the intake of nutrients, hydration and will improve skin texture. 

The Hydrating Enzyme Mask is our favourite as it’s a 2in1 mask. High concentration of pyruvic acid extracted from hibiscus flowers will provide a deep gentle exfoliation while algae extracts and organic honey hydrate and help heal the skin. Regular use will keep pores clear and will help diminish the signs of ageing giving you an even skin tone and smooth feel. 

Purifying Sea Clay Mask was created for oily and blemished skins with a degree of sensitivity to remove trapped impurities from the skin while improving its texture. 

6.Hydrate

Don’t forget the golden rule for beautiful skin: drink plenty of water and have a healthy, balanced diet. Water is probably the most important element for our well being and skin hydration. It flushes away toxins and impurities, keeps you and your skin hydrated, plumps the skin cells and helps in preventing premature ageing and keeps your skin clean, reducing the formation of breakouts and acne. Having a diet high in processed foods and fizzy drinks will accumulate toxins in your body, which in combination with not drinking enough water will create the perfect environment for spots and also dull, dry skin. 

Fruit infused water is great to hydrate and provide vitamins and antioxidants. Will even help increasing your metabolism. 

7.Keep your makeup brushes clean

Clean your makeup brushes and sponges/beauty blenders regularly. Dust, makeup residues and dead skin cells accumulate over time creating an environment for bacteria and will not only block your skin’s pores but also not provide a flawless application. Use warm water and a gentle soap to soak the brushes in and gently swirl them in the soapy water. Rub your brushes one by one on a hard surface like the sink or a brush cleaning mat then rinse under clean lukewarm water