Home Remedies for Oily Skin, Fast Natural Remedies for Greasy, Shiny Face

Excessive oil on skin is caused by overproduction of its controlling hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Other than clinical treatments, use these home remedies for oily skin to reduce and stop your face from being greasy and shiny and attain that more matte skin – with clear well refined pores.

Best Home Remedies for Oily Skin

Oily skin is a result of overactive sebaceous glands. The excess production of sebum (skin oil) that occur as a result may make the skin feel and look greasy and thick, and as if that is not enough, it may also make you prone to acne breakouts. So what causes oily skin ? Genetics, hormonal changes (e.g. when pregnant and during menstruation, teenage, and menopause), dietary choices, use of certain medications, stress, and inappropriate choice and use of skin care products are some of the underlying factors for oily skin.

It is not all bad news though; oily skin tends to show signs of ageing such as wrinkles and fine lines relatively slower. If the oiliness however bothers you, there are numerous oil-absorbing ingredients in your home that you, with a little – effort and commitment – can use to get rid of that oily face in no time at all. The following are some of the most popular and effective home remedies for oily skin:

Egg-White Face Mask for Oily Skin on Face

Egg white is a fabulous fast fix for excessive skin oiliness. It tightens the skin pores and soaks up the excess oils, effectively drying the skin. Below is a guideline on how to reduce oily skin with egg white:

• Get the white of an egg and whip it until it becomes stiff, then apply it to your face. Once dry, get it off your face with warm water. Repeat this treatment twice a week and your oily skin will improve tremendously.
• Mix one egg white with freshly squeezed lemon juice obtained from half a lemon. Whip until you attain fine consistency and then apply the mixture to your face. Wash it off with warm water after 15 minutes.
• To 1 egg white, pour in 1 teaspoon of honey. Add in enough flour to make a paste. Apply the paste as a face mask and allow it to sit in for 10 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water.

Clay Mask for Stopping an Oily Face

Fuller’s earth clay has great oil-absorbing properties that can help to reduce oiliness. In addition they help to tighten the skin pores and is indeed one of the best home remedies for oily skin and face.

1. Scoop 3 tablespoons of fuller’s earth into a cup and then pour in enough water to form a fine paste.
2. Spread the mixture onto your face as a mask and allow it 20 minutes.
3. Finish off by washing it off with water.
4. Repeat once every week to get rid of oily skin.

Lemon Juice for Controlling an Oily Skin

Lemon juice has got powerful astringent, skin lightening, antiseptic, and pH balancing action that makes it have a whole range of skin benefits that include controlling oily skin . Lemon juice can be used to alleviate skin oiliness alone or in a mixture with other ingredients as explained below:

1. Cut a lemon into two and squeeze the juice from one half into a cup
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of the juice with 1 teaspoon of distilled water.
3. Apply the mixture all over your face using a cotton ball.
4. Rinse off after 10 minutes with water and finish by applying a moisturizer. Lemon juice can be drying so you don’t want to skip the moisturizing part.
5. Repeat this oily skin remedy once every day

   

You may as well want to try the following at-home lemon remedy:

1. In a cup or small basin, pour in 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. honey and 1 tbsp. milk and then mix them thoroughly till well blended
2. Apply the paste to your face and allow it to stay on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing it off with water
3. Repeat this once every day for a week

Salt Treatment

Salt has also been shown to be very effective at reducing skin oils and give your skin that much desired matte feel. That is one more reason to hit the road to the beach if you live by the seaside, otherwise here is guide on how to stop oily skin at home that you may want to try:

• Fill an empty spritz bottle with warm water
• Add a teaspoon of salt and shake thoroughly till it is all dissolved
• Spray the salty solution onto your face (of course with the eyes closed) and leave it on
• Repeat this once daily and you will see how much of a difference it makes to your oily skin

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is rich in lactic acid that works on the skin to not only exfoliate it but also get rid of excess oil.

1. Apply 1 tablespoon of plain yoghurt on your face as a mask
2. Rinse it off with cool water after 15 minutes
3. Repeat once every day

Alternatively, use the following combination yoghurt remedy:

1. Mix 1 tbsp. yoghurt with 1 tsp. finely ground oatmeal and 1 tsp. warm honey.
2. Slather the mixture all over your face and allow 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water.

Cornstarch Scrub for Oily Skin

Cornstarch also does a great job at getting rid of oily skin. It has a drying action that will leave your face or skin with an appealing matte-look.

1. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into a cup
2. Pour in enough warm water to make a fine paste that can easily be worked through your face
3. Apply the paste on to your face and let it dry before washing it off with lukewarm water
4. Repeat this oily skin treatment once daily for optimum results.

Vinegar to Get Rid of Oily Skin with Blackheads, Pimples

Vinegar also helps to control the oils in your skin while at the same time promoting skin exfoliation. The antibacterial properties of vinegar also makes it very effective in combating acne, a condition commonly associated with oily skin types.

You will especially want to use vinegar if you have oily with whiteheads, pimples, or blackheads or are susceptible to flare-ups.

1. Apply some vinegar (either white or apple cider vinegar will do just fine) onto a small cotton ball
2. Dab the vinegar onto your facial skin and leave it on for 5-10 minutes before washing it off with cool water.
3. Repeat once every day over a time span of 3 weeks and you will see significant improvement in the oiliness.
4. Some people also use vinegar that has been mixed with ice cubes for even better results, particularly during summer when the mixture may also help to keep you cool.

For apple cider vinegar, you may want to take it internally. It is touted to help balance hormones when taken orally, which in turn helps the body to slow down sebum production in the sebaceous glands.

1. Take 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and pour it into a glass of water
2. Take the mixture once daily before going to bed until your skin oiliness reduces

Milk

Milk is rich in alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) which are touted to help not only reduce the appearance of oily skin but also promote skin exfoliation while maintaining the natural pH balance of the skin. Here is how to use this natural remedy:

1. To a couple tablespoons of milk, add 2-3 drops of lavender oil (or sandalwood)
2. Mix the two ingredients thoroughly to make a fine textured mixture and then work it through your face
3. Sleep with it on and wash it off your face with cold water in the morning.
4. Repeat daily for best results.

How to Get Rid of Oily Skin Fast

As for those looking to know how to get rid of oily skin fast, maybe you have an important event or date schedules up in a few hours, your best bet is to use a home remedy that provide a quick oil-absorbing ability.

Your first bet for oily skin alleviation remedy is clay masks , otherwise referred to as cosmetic clay or mud masks. It works by absorbing the excess oils responsible for the greasy feel and look while drawing out impurities from the skin.

They are now widely available in drugstores (chemists) but you can as well make your own by mixing facial clay with witch hazel as explained below:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of witch hazel with ½ tablespoon of facial clay.
2. Apply the mask on to your face and allow it 10 minutes to dry
3. Finally rinse the mask off with water

Just make sure that what you use is actually facial clay and not pottery clay as the latter will not have as much significant effect. Some people add a couple drops of cypress oil or lemon oil to thrown is some nice fragrance.

Other home remedies for oily skin that some people will vouch to for their fast absorbing action are egg-white (used as a facial mask), lemon juice , and mango pulp , all of which have been outlined elsewhere in this article.

For lemon juice, it is especially powerful when used in combination with apple and sage (other astringent herbs such as lavender and peppermint will also work fine).

1. Chop and apple into small pieces and then pour the pieces into a small pot
2. Simmer them for 3-5 minutes to make them soft and then mash them to form a smooth pulp
3. Pour in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice followed by 1 teaspoon of sage
4. Massage the mixture gently onto your face and allow it 5 minutes to dry before rinsing it off with warm water

Natural Remedies for Oily Skin

An oily, shiny look like the one that gives your lips and hair that beautiful, glossy look is typically not welcome news for most people when it affects the face but what if you are a natural remedies “junkie” who would “rather stay away from harsh ingredients at whatever cost?

If that is you, then you will delight trying the following natural remedies for oily skin:

Strawberry

Strawberry has been shown to have some salicylic acid, the same ingredient used in numerous over-the-counter acne treatment products. It is one of the best natural home remedies for oily skin with blackheads and other forms of acne pimples.

1. Crush about 3 strawberries in a small basin or cup
2. Add 2 tablespoons of plain yoghurt
3. Apply the mixture onto your face, let it sit on for 10 minutes and finally wash it off with warm water
4. Repeat two times daily.

Mango

Mango pulp has also been used effectively in reducing skin oiliness and clear skin pores. It is especially common among women in Indonesia.

1. Cut a mango into small pieces and mash it up to make a fine pulp.
2. Apply the pulp to your face and allow it time to dry before washing it off with water.

Witch hazel

Witch hazel is known to be rich in tannins which have natural stringent properties. As such they make the skin pores to tighten up and consequently makes the skin acceptably dry. To use witch hazel to get rid of oily skin,

1. Start by cleansing your face with hot water and soap
2. Next, soak a cotton ball with witch hazel and dab it all over your face
3. Repeat 2-3 times every day for a period of 3 weeks and reduce the frequency thereafter to once per day.

Sage

Sage also contains strong astringent properties which helps to slow down the production of sebum in the pores. To use sage to fight off skin oiliness,

1. Add 1 tablespoon of sage into a cup
2. Add boiling water until full and then let it steep for 30 minutes.
3. Strain the sage solution and allow it to cool down
4. Once cool, apply it to your face
5. Repeat 2 times every day. You can store the excess sage preparation in a squeeze bottle for as long as 3 days at room temperature but that you could prolong that even more by keeping it refrigerated (in which case it could stay fresh for up to 5 days)

Peppermint and yarrow also amazing natural remedies for oily skin. To use these two herbal remedies, simply make a skin toner as described for sage.

Hyssop

Belonging to the same family as mint, this herb also makes a very effective natural oily skin remedy. In addition to toning your skin, it is also known to help improve your complexion.

1. In a small pot, pour in 1 cup of water followed by 1 tablespoon of hyssop.
2. Allow it to boil for minutes and then strain the liquid
3. Allow it time to cool and then apply it all over your face with a clean cotton ball

Lavender + neroli essential oil

Some skin care experts have all the good words to say about this essential oils mixture. Yes, I know that sounds weird; adding oil to an already oily skin. But some people will swear to the effectiveness of this natural home remedy for oily skin.

1. Add a little amount of lavender oil into a spray bottle.
2. Pour in a drop of neroli oil and shake thoroughly
3. Spray it on your skin 2 to 3 times each day

Aloe vera

The oil-absorbing properties of aloe vera, coupled with its rich antibacterial and soothing properties, makes it one of the best natural remedies for oily skin and is a particularly great option if you have acne prone skin.

1. Get a freshly cut aloe vera leaf and squeeze out its gel
2. Work the gel into your face and allow it time to dry
3. Finish by washing it off with cool water
4. Repeat 2-3 times each day until you have gotten rid of oily skin.

Aloe vera + honey face mask for oily skin

You can also make a Honey-Aloe Vera mask for an even more effective home treatment for oily skin.

• Simply bring an aloe vera leaf to a boil in a small pot (3 minutes is enough), grind it, and then add in some honey before stirring the mixture briskly to make a fine paste. Apply the mixture all over your face and allow it to stay on for 20 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water. Repeat this home remedy for oily skin once per week.

Honey for Large Pores on Oily Skin

As you might have already picked by now, honey also ranks among the best natural remedies for oily skin. In addition to helping relieve the appearance of oily skin, it also helps to combat bacterial activity while keeping your skin moisturized.

It is also touted to help clear pores and prevent the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of ageing and is a good option for people with oily skin that is accompanied by large pores.

1. Pour in a little amount of honey into your palm
2. Slather it onto your face while massaging gently
3. Wash it off with warm water some 15-20 minutes down the line and you will be good to go.
4. Repeat once per week

Alternatively, you ca as well use honey and finely ground almonds to make an oily skin facial mask as follows:

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 tablespoon of almonds (grounded).
2. Apply the mixture on your skin.
3. Finish off by rinsing your skin with warm water or by wiping your face with a clean washcloth that has been dipped in warm water.

Tomatoes to Reduce Oily Skin

Tomatoes also ranks among the best oily skin remedies, thanks to its astringent properties. It is also rich in vitamin C which makes it a superb choice for people with acne prone skin. Below is a guideline on how to reduce oily skin with tomatoes:

1. Cut a tomato into two halves
2. Rub one half all over your face
3. Rinse it off with cool water after 15-20 minutes
4. Pat the skin dry and finish off by moisturizing it with a good oil-free facial moisturizer.

Some skin care experts suggest mixing tomato juice with honey in the ratio of 3:1 e.g. 3 tbsp. tomato juice: 1 tbsp. honey.

Apples Stop Greasy Skin

The malic acid in apples is touted to help absorb the excess oils in the skin and would be a worthy consideration.

1. Cut an apple into two halves and grate one-half. Apple the shredded apple onto your face. Allow it to stay on for 15 minutes and then rinse your face with warm water
2. Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon of the grated apple shreds with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon yoghurt to form a consistent paste and then slather it on for 15 minutes before washing it off with cool water.

Cucumbers

Cucumber is one of those natural remedies for oily skin that leaves you wondering if they really work but some people will swear with their life that it truly works. Here are some of the ways in which you may want to use cucumber for oily skin treatment:

1. Chop a fresh cucumber into thin slices and then rub them onto your face at bedtime. Wash the juice left off your face the next morning with warm water. Repeat every day till your skin oiliness improves.
2. Add ½ teaspoon of cucumber juice into a cup followed by ½ teaspoon of lime juice. Mix the two thoroughly and then apply the mixture onto your skin. Once dry, rinse it off the skin with warm water. Repeat once every day for the best results.

More Tips to Help You Get Rid Oily Skin

In addition to the natural and home remedies for oily skin discussed throughout this article, you will also want to consider the following tips:

• Cleanse your face regularly with hot water and gentle cleanser that I specifically formulated for your skin type. If your skin is however acne prone, you will want to limit your facial cleansing to only two times a day to avid irritation. It is also a good idea to use an antibacterial soap that contains benzoyl peroxide for acne-prone skin.
• Choose your cosmetic products properly. The Medline Plus recommends using water-based and oil-free cosmetic products if you have oily skin .
• Apply some face powder to absorb excess oils throughout the day. Just make sure that what you use is loose face powder as opposed to pressed powder which may contain oils in it, a precursor for even more oiliness and acne susceptibility.
• Ingest a tablespoon of flaxseed oil once a day. It is rich in fatty acids that help to cure many skin conditions, oily skin being one of them. Flaxseed oil is widely available nowadays in health-food stores.

Use milk of magnesia to soak in excess oils. Simply dab a little milk of magnesia e.g. People’s Pharmacy Milk of Magnesia with a cotton ball several times in the course of the day to keep your skin dry.

Note : While some websites suggest adding it to the regular facials for oily skinned people, the use of milk of magnesia for oily skin alleviation should however only be preserved for those occasional moments when oily face would ruin the day.