Oily skin causes many skin discomfort and skin-related issues. Acne, breakouts, and blocked pores are all result of excess oil on the skin. Controlling oil production on the skin is a significant task to achieve. People try many different products, tips, and tricks to keep oily skin under control [1]. Serums, toners, cleansers, sheet masks, and many such products are used by people to control the oil generation on their skin.
Essential oil is also one such product that acts as a holy grail for oily skin users. There are certain essential oils that can be used to control oily skin. Essential oils are full of antioxidants and necessary vitamins, because of which your skin does not becomes much oilier. Its antimicrobial properties helps in treating many different skin diseases [2].
Using products that are most appropriate for your skin type increases the effectiveness of the skincare routine and makes the skin much healthier. Essential oils manage sebum production, which is a primary reason for causing oily skin. Below are some of the best essential oils for oily skin.
What Are Some of The Best Essential Oils for Oily Skin?
Essential oils are made of plant extracts that help in offering one of the best solutions to different skin conditions. Following are the 24 best essential oils for skin that can do wonders to get rid of oily skin.
1. Sweet Orange Essential Oil
Orange oil has many cosmetic benefits and adds to glowing and healthy skin. This essential oil falls under the category of citrus oils, and it can be directly used on the skin or can also be used for topical purposes like treating acne. Orange essential oil clears the pores deeply and leaves the skin looking fresh, oil-free, and radiant [3].
2. Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense oil has restorative and rejuvenating properties, which help balance the oil production on the skin, thus leaving acne-free and oil-free skin. Frankincense oil deeply nourishes the skin, has calming properties that make the skin less irritant and offers soft and supple skin [4].
3. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus essential oil has antimicrobial properties, which restricts the chances of spread of infection which is a very common issue in oily skin and acne-prone skin [5]. It also has antifungal and antibacterial characteristics, which are very useful in dealing with oily skin and restricting the skin conditions caused by oily skin. It is useful for dealing with oil control issues.
4. Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary oil is one of the best essential oils for acne and oily skin as it unclogs pores and clears the face from within to give natural glowing skin that is oil and dust free. This oil can manage sebum production in the skin and keep your skin free from breakouts. It also evenly tones the skin.
5. Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint oil has many medicinal qualities, which is why it is widely used in skincare. It has many benefits and properties like antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory, which help in coping with acne-prone skin. Its natural ingredients help effectively manage sebum production and ensure that pores remain unclogged to avoid excess oil generation on the face.
6. Sandalwood Essential Oil
Sandalwood oil is rich in antioxidants and antibacterial properties, which makes it most suitable for acne-prone and oily skin. It protects against the spread of infection, which can be seen in oily skin conditions. Thus it reduces breakouts and keeps the face oil free. Sandalwood essential oil also has natural astringent properties, which help in tightening the skin and managing the oil production of the skin [6].
7. Geranium Essential Oil
Geranium oil possesses antiseptic and antibacterial properties that help reduce acne breakouts, a common oily skin-related issue. It also reduces the chances of infection usually seen in oily skin. Geranium oil is suitable for oily skin, dry skin, and combination skin types. This oil also has natural astringent properties and hydrating characteristics, which are helpful for oily skin people to manage the excess oil on the face [7].
8. Helichrysum Essential Oil
Helichrysum oil is also known for its hydrating properties and managing oil production on the skin. Its use can help reduce acne scars and new breakouts on the face, making a face look clearer, more toned, and healthier.
9. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is one of the most commonly used essential oils in skin care regimens. Lavender oil has a lovely scent to it. Lavender oil for skin has many benefits and is suitable for all skin types, including oily people. It has natural calming properties, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties that help balance the oil generation and restrict the spread of infection [8].
It targets acne marks, leaving the skin looking more clear and more radiant. It can be used directly on the face or for topical purposes.
10. Lemongrass Essential Oil For Oily Skin
Lemongrass essential oil is considered a natural degreaser that helps reduce the excess oil from the face. Lemongrass oil on the skin is very gentle and has topical uses. It has antibacterial properties and thus is a natural cleansing oil that purifies the skin deeply to give you a radiant look.
It also has anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties that help treat many skin diseases [9]. It has oil-absorbing properties, and this is the reason is believed to fight acne and acne scars.
11. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang Ylang oil has many health benefits and is also used for oily skin conditions. It helps reduce acne scars and boosts the skin to look more radiant and oil-free. This oil helps manage excess sebum production and restricts the clogging of pores. Ylang Ylang essential oil gives clear and healthy skin [10].
12. Clary Sage Essential Oil
Clary sage oil is one of the essential oils found to be useful for oily skin type people. This oil can reduce the size of the pores and thus reduces the oil generation over the skin. One of its unique features is that it deals with hormonal imbalances and the effects of hormonal imbalances like acne, blemishes, etc. It also manages sebum production [10].
This oil should be used with a carrier oil, where 1 drop of oil for 4 drops of carrier oil should be diluted together for its safe use.
13. Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help keep the skin hydrated, and free from infections, soothe the skin, and balance out the oil on the skin, thus proving to be a boon for oily skin type people. This oil can also be used directly on the skin for topical purposes.
14. Cedarwood Essential Oil
Cedarwood oil has antiseptic properties and natural astringent characteristics, which help reduce skin irritation and, at the same time, manage the oil generation on the skin. Cedarwood oil helps in fighting acne and its scars. This oil can be directly used on the skin
15. Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree oil is one of the most commonly used essential oil in skincare routines, as it has many medicinal and health benefits. Tea tree oil has proven to fight acne and its scars, reduce blemishes, manage sebum production, cleanse pores deeply and manage excess oil production on the skin.
Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which help in soothing acne [11]. It reduces redness and skin irritation usually faced by oily skin type people. Tea tree oil can be used directly on the skin or mixed with carrier oil.
16. Thyme Essential Oil
Thyme oil has antibacterial properties, and thus it prevents the spread of acne infection and reduces acne breakouts on the skin, especially on oily skin types. It also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the skin and make it clearer and oil-free.
17. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot oil has anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties that help deal with spreading infection, redness, and excess oil management on the skin. It has antibacterial properties and fights the bacteria causing acne and bacteria on oily skin, thus making skin free from acne and oiliness.
18. Grapefruit Essential Oil
Grapefruit oil is known for its properties to reduce excess oil generation. It absorbs oil from the skin and balances skin, making it look more refreshing, supple, hydrated, and nourished.
19. Oregano Essential Oil
Oregano oil on the skin can fight acne-causing bacteria as it has antibacterial properties and give clear, glowing skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce the redness caused on acne-prone skin. It also deals with other oily skin-related issues.
20. Basil Essential Oil
Basil oil is one of the best essential oils for the skin as it is known for removing dust and impurities from the skin, which is one of the major issues of oily skin. It unclogs the pores deeply and absorbs excess oil from the face. Basil oil also fights signs of aging, one of the negative impacts of oily skin. It leaves clear and refreshing skin and is a boon for oily skin type people.
21. Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli oil is one of the citrus oils and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Neroli essential oil may also manage sebum production from the skin, thus regulating oil generation and reducing excess oil on the skin. It balances oil, keeps the skin hydrated effectively, and absorbs excess oil [12].
22. Juniper Berry Essential Oil
Juniper berry oil can balance the skin's oil production. Its antiseptic and astringent properties help deal with many skin issues like inflamed skin, acne, and other skin-related problems.
23. Myrrh Essential Oil
Myrrh oil has healing properties and antibacterial properties, because of which it fights acne breakouts, heals blemishes, and even tones the skin.
24. Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli oil has antiseptic properties and acts as a natural astringent that soothes the skin and relieves the skin from inflammation, redness, and other skin irritations. Patchouli oil tightens the pores, thus reducing the production of excess oil on the face. It has antibacterial properties that help fight acne-causing bacteria.
*Notes: If you have sensitive skin or highly irritated skin, start using a minimal quantity of essential oils, say 1 drop, and if it suits you, you can use 3 to 5 drops of essential oil on your skin. Essential oils can also be used along with carrier oils
Carrier Oils for Oily Skin and Breakouts, Acne
There are certain carrier oils that can be used to dilute or mix essential oils and then use them on the face. This is mainly done to avoid skin irritation that some essential oils might cause.
Jojoba oil contains antioxidants and can be used for dry, oily, and combination skin types. It helps in reducing excess oil production and thus can be used for reducing oiliness.
Argan oil: This is one of the commonly used carrier oil and is best suitable for oily and acne-prone skin as it fights acne. This oil hydrates the skin without making the skin look greasy or oily.
Almond oil: Almond oil has many benefits and is used for facial use as well. It can reduce skin irritation, calm redness, and absorb the skin very quickly, making it look oil-free.
Coconut oil: This oil has antibacterial properties that help fight acne. It also has many cosmetic benefits and helps essential oils easily reach the skin's surface.
What Are the Benefits of Essential Oils for Oily Skin?
Essential oils have many health and skin related benefits. Essential oils can treat acne and other skin related issues if used effectively. It tightens the skin, fights signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, etc. and smoothens the skin to give a natural, rejuvenated and glowing look.
Essential oils have many benefits for different skin types like dry, oily and combination. Following are some of the benefits of essential oils for oily skin:
- Manages sebum production: Essential oils regulate sebum production, which helps reduce the excess oil generation on the skin.
- Tightens and unclogs pores: It tightens the pores, unclogs them, and cleanses, thus reducing the oil saturation on the skin, making the skin look clean, hydrated, and not greasy.
- Balances oil generation: Essential oils balance oil generation on the skin, making the skin look more healthy, and clearer.
- Have medicinal properties that treat oily skin: Essential oils have antioxidants and antimicrobial properties, reducing skin oils and calming skin. It also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, reducing skin irritation usually seen in oily skin conditions. Its antibacterial properties make it most appropriate for acne-prone skin.
What Are The Causes of Oily Skin?
Oily skin gives rise to many skin issues like early signs of aging, clogged pores, acne breakouts, etc. In order to treat these signs of oily skin, it is necessary to identify the causes behind oily skin, and why some people generate excess oil naturally causing many skin related issue. Following are some of the causes of oily skin:
Excess Sebum Production
When there is excess sebum production on the skin, it makes your skin look more oily. Sebum released from the sebaceous glands is an oily substance whose primary purpose is to keep the skin hydrated. Thus sebum production is necessary for healthier skin. But excess sebum production makes the skin look oily and causes oily skin-related issues like acne breakouts.
Over-Washing Of Face
Another major cause of oily skin is the over-washing of the face. Our skin naturally secretes oil; it takes away these natural oils if someone overwashes their skin. This gives a signal to the body to generate more natural oils, and this leads to oily skin. It has important to have natural oils for the skin to keep it looking healthy and youthful.
Genetic Reasons
Oily skin can also be caused due to genetic reasons.
Climatic Conditions
The weather or climate of any specific area can also be a major reason behind oily skin.
Skin Aging
Aging skin can also lead to increased greasiness, making it look more oily.
Dead Cells And Dirt
Accumulation of dead cells and dirt on the skin can also lead to oily skin.
Hormonal Fluctuations
Hormonal fluctuations are also found to be a major reason causing oily skin.
Stress
Stress is another cause of oily skin
Using Stripping Products Often
Regular use of harsh, stripping products can lead to removing natural oils from the skin, signalling the body to produce more natural oils for compensation, resulting in oily skin.
How to Use Essential Oils for Treating Oily Skin?
In order to ensure maximum benefit from the use of essential oils it is necessary to understand the right way to use it. Follow the steps below for using essential oils to help cope with oily and acne-prone skin.
- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser
- Choose the essential oil of your choice from the exhaustive list of the 24 best essential oils for oily skin provided above. You can also use 2 to 4 essential oils and mix them for use.
- You can use essential oils directly on the skin or affected area for treating acne breakouts.
- You can mix essential oils with carrier oils as well.
- Mix the desired essential oil with carrier oils like almond oil, argan oil, or jojoba oil and rub it on your palms.
- Then rub this mixture gently on your face or the affected area.
- Follow this once a day and continue doing it for a few days or a month to see the results.
DIY Recipes for Coping with Oily Skin
There is always scope for using different types of essential oils to make an essential oil blend that will help fight oily skin. Essential oils work in a way to trick the skin into stopping the overproduction of oil on the face. Following are some DIY essential oil blends or essential oil recipes that are gentle on the skin and can treat oily and acne-prone skin.
DIY Recipe #1
1. DIY Essential Oil Recipe For Oily And Acne-Prone Skin
Ingredients
- Glass bottle (10 ml)
- Frankincense essential oil
- Geranium essential oil
- Tea tree oil
- Juniper berry essential oil
- Chamomile essential oil
- Argan oil (Carrier oil)
How to Make
- It is advisable to start with a small quantity of all the essential oils, especially if your skin is very sensitive.
- So, you can add 1 drop of each of all 5 essential oils.
- Or if your skin is not highly sensitive, you can add 2 drops of essential oils each from all 5 essential oils.
- Now add the carrier oil and argan oil to fill the rest of the space in the bottle.
- Shake the bottle well to mix all the oils in it
How to Use
- Clean your face gently by using an exfoliator or face wash
- Use 3 to 4 drops of this blend to apply all over your face or for topical purposes
- Let it absorb naturally into the skin
- Use this blend only once a day, and follow this routine for a few days to see the desired results
DIY Recipe #2
2. DIY Essential Oil Blend For Oily And Acne Prone Skin
Ingredients
- Glass bottle (10 ml)
- Jojoba oil or argan oil (carrier oil)
- Lavender essential oil
- Tea tree essential oil
- Lemongrass essential oil
- Orange oil
How to Make
- Take 4 drops each of tea tree oil, lavender oil, and 2 drops each of lemongrass oil and orange essential oil in the glass bottle.
- Fill the rest of the bottle with carrier oil.
- Give a gentle mix of the ingredients in the bottle.
How to Use
- Wash your face with a cleanser
- Take 3 to 4 drops of this mix on your palm
- Rub your palm and apply it on the front or on specific spots like acne scars, blemishes, etc.
- Let it absorb naturally in the skin
- Use it once a day for a couple of days to see the results
Final Thoughts
Essential oils can help deal with many health issues and skin-related issues. Different essential oils together can be used to serve different needs and requirements. One of the important things about essential oil is that it has antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties, which makes it effective for different skin conditions. These properties make essential oils suitable for dry and oily skin and combination skin.
People usually question using essential oils for oily skin, but certain essential oils can help reduce excess oil from the face. Geranium, thyme, tea tree, chamomile, eucalyptus, peppermint, clary sage, cedarwood oil and lavender oils are good for acne and oily skin, along with other essential oils for the skin discussed in this article. The use of essential oils is good for healing skin irritations.
