Oily skin can be difficult to deal with; getting rid of the sebum is your main priority, but often your skin is producing that oil as an almost hysterical reaction to dryness – overcompensation of the worst kind. This means that the products you use need to not only mop up the excess sebum but also rebalance the skin to stop is producing the oil in the first place. Masks are a great way to deal with excess sebum and here are a few of our favourites:
Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque
Charcoal is a fabulous ingredient for a lot of skin complaints and it’s especially great for skin which is oily or dull. This mask helps to purify the skin, calming irritation and reducing the amount of oil your face will produce, giving a re-balancing effect with long term use. It also helps to brighten any dullness and leaves your face looking revitalised.
Decleor 2 in 1 Purifying and Oxygenating Mask
This mask is designed specifically for skin which produces too much sebum and exfoliates the skin for a deeply mattifying finish. It contains bamboo tears and egyptian loofah fibres which slough away dead skin cells, which helps your body to control oil production, while using jojoba oil to restore moisture to the skin. The mask leaves your face feeling clean and refreshed from the very first use.
Dermalogica Skin Refining Masque
This mask is designed for oily skin but as well as helping to deeply cleanse the skin to remove excess sebum, it contains several ingredients which reduce inflammation to try to address the root cause of oiliness. Mallow, arnica and cucumber help reduce inflammation while purifying watercress, lemon and ivy revive dull skin.
Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque
This mask (or masque, depending on which they prefer!) from Dermalogica does exactly what it says on the tube – it’s developed especially for clearing sebum and uses bentonite clay and kaolin to deeply cleanse and purify the skin. It absorbs excess oil, washing it away, and is perfect for acne-prone skin as it will help to control and reduce further breakouts.
This masque from Dermalogica is part of the Clear Start range, aimed at teenage skin or those who are prone to acne and it contains cooling ingredients such as camphor and African white wood bark extract which calm irritation and areas where the skin is particularly stressed to reduce sebum production and rebalance the skin. Camphor also acts as an antibacterial, killing spot-causing bacteria in your skin, while extracts from turmeric, neem, henna, basil and aloe provide soothing and purifying properties to the skin.