Five of the best products for oily skin
, €65 at charlottetilbury.com from February 18
The ideal oily skin product would clear spots and absorb excess sebum, all while leaving skin calm and hydrated. Oh, and this skin type tends to need gentle, frequent exfoliation to keep dead cells from collecting in pores and forming blackheads, so this magic product should manage that too. Realistically, you need a whole regimen, plus an emergency treatment for sudden breakouts and makeup that will keep your skin matte and minimise pores. So far this year, beauty launches for oily types have been very innovative, from feel-good pimple patches to ’s facial-in-a-tube. Here are five of the best.
Singer Rihanna reportedly spent three years developing a powder that both looks like skin and acts like a real-life photo filter. Healthy skin is not naturally matte but Pro Filt’r gives you that attractive combination of invisible pores and subtle radiance that made her liquid makeup a bestseller. As usual, Fenty Beauty deserves praise for its inclusive range of fifty natural-looking shades. You cannot test for yours anywhere right now but there is a shade finder at fentybeauty.com
The formula does not contain any skincare extracts but that’s fine for this kind of foundation. Powders are typically very bad at imparting skincare ingredients so even if a foundation contains powdered forms of moisturisers like hyaluronic acid it is unlikely to make oily skin shiny or do much to soothe dry types.
Succinic acid is relatively rare in skincare at the moment but even if you are already happy with using salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide products (to shrink spots and kill the bacteria that causes them, respectively), it is worth giving this a try.
This Inkey List treatment is green with chlorophyll. Succinic acid is a natural, sustainable ingredient derived for cosmetic use from renewable vegetable feedstock. It is both an effective alternative to salicylic acid and a booster for other anti-spot ingredients. It is an antibacterial antioxidant. Research conducted within the last decade suggests it also has anti-ageing benefits, including the prevention of collagen degradation and the enhancement of mitochondrial activity. It may even inhibit the hyper-proliferation of skin cells, a key cause of conditions like psoriasis.
Interestingly, the brand has put both succinic acid and salicylic acid in the formula as well as widely-used spot-shrinker colloidal sulphur, making it hard to tell whether succinic acid is the cause of any improvements you see.
Still, the other brands that use it in spot treatments charge 5-6 times as much for their products so if you are curious about its effects then this treatment is a great test-buy, especially as it is fast-acting. Please note that if your skin’s been sensitised by colloidal sulphur in the past this product may not be for you as it is a major ingredient.
Former elle.com beauty director Julie Schott launched spot-preventing skincare brand Starface in the US in 2019 and it had just landed at Superdrug. Hydro-stars are a cute, star-shaped take on unsightly acne patches. Aimed at teenagers who feel or get ‘skin-shamed’ about their spots, these stars are made to be seen. The online application instructions even encourage taking selfies in your stars. The patches are made with hydrocolloid, an ingredient proven to help draw out infection from a pimple while protecting it from outside bacteria. The refillable case is about the size of dental floss and contains 32 stars. They are vegan, cruelty-free, oil-free, and suitable for all skin types, as well as safe for pregnant women. The sheets the stars come on are recyclable. I don’t know how many people will be keen to highlight their spots in bright yellow on social media but there is something to be said for owning your flaws, especially while your skincare is correcting them.
This is an AHA/BHA/PHA leave-on exfoliant with a shot of Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir serum. It also contains something the brand calls ‘exfolactive,’ which is not an exfoliant but from the flowers of the prickly pear cactus. This contains purified oligosaccharides that work to reduce wrinkles and enhance brightness. Then there are the moisturising ingredients, which include aloe vera, allantoin, and hyaluronic and polyglutamic acids. The facial is 10% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acid, so you will see a smoother, more refined complexion after the first use. Salicylic acid cleans inside pores and regulates oil production while glycolic acid fades red marks. The facial is a tacky gel, which is not ideal for overnight wear but it is surely acceptable to use treatments any time these days.
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