From your answers, it appears that your skin is oily, although it is also sensitive. What does this mean for you?
12 Rules for your Oily Skin, which is also Sensitive
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Look for products with as few ingredients as possible. Less ingredients means less potential triggers.
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Choose skincare designed for sensitive skin. I think that one is kinda obvious.
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Don’t be scared of oils in your skincare. The right oils are your friends. You want oils which will slip off the excess oil, without penetrating (or it would make it oilier)
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Use a low-foaming cleanser (definitely Sulphate free) Big lathery cleansers which make your skin feel tight are actually stripping your skin. This can sometimes cause your skin to produce more oil.
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Thou Shalt Not Over-exfoliate. It is so tempting to exfoliate often when your skin is oily. Not only may it cause your skin to produce more oil. It may also make your skin more sensitive. Twice a week is the max.
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Avoid Hot Water when washing your face. It can trigger sensitivities AND open your pores to release more oil.
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Avoid Cold Water when washing your face. Trust Goldilocks, you want to wash your face in tepid water, as the cold water can also trigger sensitivities.
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Avoid aggressively towelling you face dry. Pat dry instead with a clean towel. Don’t even think about drying your clean face with the handtowel everyone in your family uses…. Probably best not to think about it…
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Choose products that are designed to re-balance oily skin, you don't want anything too stripping/aggressive as that may push your skin to produce more oil &/or flare up.
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Oily areas don't require moisturiser. Only apply moisturiser to the dry areas of your face. The oily areas of your face are already producing enough moisture all by themselves.
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It is always recommended that people with sensitive skin patch-test products before they use them. This means try one new product at a time. First dab a little in a hidden area, like behind your ear. If no reaction occurs, next day dab a little on your cheek. If all good then you can consider using it all over your face. Never try something new on an aggravated area. Raw skin is guaranteed to react.
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Sometimes Oily skin with a lot of pimples requires further intervention. Some skin issues are caused by internal factors, primarily hormones. The right skincare can help in these situations but sometimes they are not enough.
I hope these rules help you manage your skin better. I think they also open up many other questions, like: What are Sulphates anyway? What oils are good oils for Oily Skin? Which ingredients in Skincare should I avoid? To find out more about your skin & skincare, look out for the occasional newsletter from us.
