I’ve always had combination skin that’s erred more towards the oily side; however since making the switch to greener beauty alternatives, I’ve noticed my T-zone seems to have become considerably more oily (I imagine due to the lack of SLS in more natural cleansers), which causes foundation to melt off my nose (I’m planning on investing in the Inika Primer next pay day!) and is generally just a bit of a nuisance.
It’s been (and still is) a bit of a trial-and-error process finding the best products to keep this under control, however I’ve found some great ones along the way that I would buy over and over again:
- Konjac Sponges: Oh my goodness, aren’t these just the best little thingys ever?! Since I first tried one of these out, I’ve fallen totally in love; they are just so soft on the skin! I love using mine to do a second cleanse to remove any residue after using a cream or balm cleanser, but often use it as an only cleanse in the morning, or in the evening if I haven’t worn any makeup that day. My tried-and-tested favourites for oily skin are the Konjac Facial Puff Sponge with Green French Clay (Β£8.99) and the Konjac Mini Pore Refiner with Bamboo Charcoal (which comes in the most adorable sloth packaging; Β£6.99), both from The Konjac Sponge Company. If you’ve not heard of Konjac before, it’s actually a type of potato plant (weird choice for a facial sponge, right?!) which has been used in Eastern Asian countries for over 1,500 years as medicine, food, a dieting aid and a beauty product! The Konjac Sponge Company’s products are certified vegan and certified cruelty-free. There are plenty of other Konjac sponges on the market, however I’ve only ever used ones from The Konjac Sponge Company so far.
- White Rabbit Skincare Comfort Cleansing Balm: I came across White Rabbit quite early on once I’d decided to switch to green beauty products, and immediately wanted to try their range as I loved their company values; they’re really passionate about the quality of the ingredients they use, as well as their environmental impact. I like to use this cleansing balm at night, as I find it takes a bit of time and care with a cloth (included) to get it all off (time I don’t often have in the morning!), however I love the way it makes my skin feel and that it’s a really nice, gentle exfoliator as well. It’s not specifically formulated for oily skin, but it does contain lots of natural anti-bacterial ingredients that help combat clogged pores. Unfortunately for us bargain-hunters, White Rabbit have significantly increased their prices since I first started buying from them (this balm used to be just Β£15!), however they do often have discount codes running if you check out their social media! The Comfort Cleansing Balm is now Β£25 on the White Rabbit website; you can also purchase a 15ml sample for Β£7, if you want to give it a try before you invest in the full-sized 100ml tin! White Rabbit’s products are certified vegan and cruelty-free.
- Skin & Tonic Steam Clean: This may seem a slightly pricey product if – like me – you don’t have a big budget, however it’s well worth the investment in my opinion! Skin & Tonic’s products always have a very short ingredients list (Steam Clean only contains 7!) and they are very transparent with exactly what those ingredients are, which I love! Steam Clean is a multipurpose balm, so as well as being a great cleanser, it can also be massaged in to lips, patches of dry skin etc. As a cleanser, I find it melts away makeup really easily and I absolutely love the refreshing spearmint smell. It comes with a cloth, which you are directed to soak in hot water and place over your face for a minute once you have applied the balm, to deep-cleanse those pores! I do like the effect of this, however I always find that the cloth (or any other flannel/cloth I use) goes cold after about 10 seconds, so I never get a full minute of steaming out of it unless I keep re-soaking and re-applying the cloth. That aside, I still love this balm and would recommend it any day! It’s available for Β£27 at LoveLula. Skin & Tonic’s products are certified organic and cruelty-free; this particular product is not vegan, as it contains beeswax.
- Skin & Tonic Detox Beauty Oil: This has been a much more recent purchase for me, however I’m already a little bit in love with this stuff. Sticking with the Skin & Tonic principle of “less is more”, this face serum contains only 6 ingredients, including watermelon, black cumin and bergamot oils which – amongst other things – help to balance the skin’s sebum levels. As some bergamot oil can be photosensitising (meaning it can heighten sensitivity to sunlight and cause exaggerated sunburn), I tend to err on the side of caution here and only use this at night, which has the added benefit of making it last longer! I’ve only been using this a little while, but have already noticed it’s helped to mattify my nose and reduce blackheads! I put this on directly after toning to allow it to really soak into the skin and do it’s thing, however you can also apply it by mixing a couple of drops with your moisturiser. It’s available for Β£27 from LoveLula; as well as being certified organic and cruelty-free, this particular product is also vegan.
Have you tried any of these products? What are your skin saviours? I’d love to hear from you!
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