Help, skin is dry and oily at the same time

LittleMissAspie

Does anyone else have this problem? My skin is naturally oily but over the past year or so it has been getting drier. I get really dry flaky bits around my chin and the skin by my temples and forehead is looking sort of stretched. Yet during the day I get oil on top of the dryness. My pores also seem to be getting bigger and bigger

I like to use natural products so I've been using raspberry seed oil as a moisturiser but it doesn't seem to be helping. I've also tried OCM using sunflower oil but after a week it didn't look any different. Does anyone have any ideas what I can put on it?

honeybear_2

Have you tried upping your water intake? I find this tends to help with my skin. I'd also recommend using a muslin cloth (v.cheap from baby sections of Boots) as a face cloth as they do gentle exfoliation every day really well. A splash of cold water should then help with the pores.

As for moisteriser, experiment til you find one that you like. It's one of my indulgences as I found a more expensive one that works like a dream for me, as opposed to many other cheap ones. But if I'd found a cheaper one I liked I'd use that so it's whatever works for you

jenniewb

Sounds like your cleanser is too harsh- or your water is too 'hard'. Maybe either change your cleanser to one for combo/sensitive skin or use a mild toner? The musclin cloth idea above also sounds like a good one, use in small circular motions all over your face using a different part of the cloth for each section of your face (split it into 8-12 imaginary sections).

For a moisturiser, it is worth checking out new stuff occasionally, the larger pores, this is just a sign of age I'm afraid, our pores get bigger as we age and our skin is constantly changing weather it be because of the seasons or our stress level or how old we are. Its a hassel as you can find your once beloved moisturiser somehow just doesn't cut it anymore. Keep trialling stuff- what works for one person may not work for another as each person is unique. I've never used oils to moisturise my face I tend to go for things in glass jars! But if you want a recommendation I love Nuxe, Lush's 'Vanishing Cream' (n/b I hated all the other Lush moisturisers I tried), Kiehl's Ultra wzas nice but stung my skin (may be alright for others) and Green People are supposed to have a good moisturiser (haven't tried it as yet...)

I have heard mixed reviews about coconut oil or olive oils as moisturisers or cleansers but they do sound very heavy to me, those who didn't get on with them really hated the results.

If you find your getting spots, witch hazel can help with blocked pores and help to "shrink" large pores but please note, any cream or gel or whatever which promises to "shrink" anything only works when you use it, once you stop the original problem comes back. I don't think its possible to shrink pores for good but it may help to know your not alone.

LittleMissAspie

Thanks. It might be the water partly, it is hard here and my skin is much worse after I wash my hair in the shower. I didn't think of that.

I've been using just lavender water in the morning with the oil and OCM at night. Then I changed to Lush's Fresh Farmacy soap as that is really good for making my face less red and my face is getting redder and redder. I found it a bit drying last time I used it, but it's not the cause because it was getting drier before I started using it again.

The only thing that stops the flakiness is scrubbing but everything I read says scrubbing makes your face redder so I'm a bit stuck really. I already use a flannel but it's not exfoliating enough to make a difference. Is muslin better than a flannel?

The only solution I can think of for the redness and pores is laser treatment but I will have to save up for that.

Keeping_Motivated

Hi, have you been to the doctors about your skin? If not then that is the first thing you should do as it may be a condition that can be treated medically such as Rosacea.

Have you tried Liz Earles products? The cleanser is excellent for the skin type you describe and also she has a moisturiser for dry/sensitive skin which is excellent.

flippin36

I would give aloe vera gel a go (fairly cheap too). It is soothing and healing, has moisturising properties but at the same time counteracts any greasiness. You can wear underneath a moisturiser or on its own. I'm another one that loves muslin cloths for gentle exfoliation.

Ladyhawk

Keeping_Motivated wrote: »

Hi, have you been to the doctors about your skin? If not then that is the first thing you should do as it may be a condition that can be treated medically such as Rosacea.

I agree - when I read your first post I was already thinking "Rosacea" and then when you mentioned the redness it makes me all the more certain (well as certain as an unqualified person can be!)

I have this exact problem - dry but oily skin, redness etc. Do you also the tiny little spots? It's a managable condition but sadly it can't be cured.

Pop along to your doctor and get some cream for it.

HH62

I thought rosacea too..definitely follow the advice to see your doctor.
And agree with the aloe vera gel. Get the 100% pure stuff. My skin is very, very reactive but I have no problems with AV gel, my skin loves it.

Tigersilly

I have very similar skin. Recently I have been using this and a facial cleanser and moisturiser. It smells of vanilla and when used sparingly is not overly 'oily'. It lasts a long time and costs £2.49 from Waitrose:



I place a hot microfibre cloth (3 in a pack from the 99p shop - more commonly used for dusting!) on my face and then massage this in product in. After doing this I gently 'scrub' my face to remove dry flakes. I wipe the excess oil and splash my face with cold water.

I then mix benzoin resin essential oil (£1.89 for 10ml from this ebay store - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10ml-BENZOIN-Pure-DPG-Pourable-Resin-Essential-Oil-/200368430759?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Natural_AlternativeTherapies&hash=item2ea6e39ea7 )and a little of the above product together and massage the mix into my face. The combination has become my daytime moisturiser. My skin is looking clearer, my dry patches are lessening and my pores are looking smaller.

If I get a zit I use Sudocrem on it and it soon dries up.

I'm drinking a lot more fluid too (mint tea) and I'm taking an Udos oil supplement. To conclude - Drink a lot of fluid and give the Waitrose coconut massage oil a try.

LittleMissAspie

I always thought rosacea was where people's skin goes all scaly and scabby, but then I was looking at before and after pictures for that laser surgery for redness and pores, and realised that my skin does look very like people who have rosacea. The worst thing is that my boyfriend agreed Yes I do get red bumps on my cheeks and I also get those horrible big swollen spots on my chin. I thought they were normal spots or maybe boils. I'm not sure the doctor would care about something cosmetic though and also the Fresh Farmacy soap is doing it's job now and reducing the redness, so I doubt they'll believe me. What sort of cream would the dr give and does it work?

I put some extra thick moisturiser (body cream, actually) on last night and it does seem to have helped. So I'm thinking of trying shea butter or coconut oil as a moisturiser. Having looked up the ingredients of the Waitrose baby stuff it is good and natural so going to try that before forking out for a big tub of it. Funny you mention the benzoin oil, I was going to get some just because it smells like vanilla, didn't know it was good for skin. I read also that palmarosa oil is good for encouraging new cells, which is how the laser treatment works so I'm going to try that too.

Ladyhawk

Definitely go to the doctor and get is checked out. Why wouldn't they believe you? If it is rosacea then it needs to be managed to stop it getting worse. And they they will care about it even though it is "cosmetic" because it is an illness. They usually just treat it with an antibiotic cream so nothing too bad. By the way they don't know the reason who rosacea occurs but it just does and it is actually fairly common.