Get Rid Of That Midday Oil Slick With These Skincare Must-Haves

Now that we’re all working from home, it’s safe to say that most of us have abandoned our typical beauty routines. Reason being: we’re not going out, hence no one has to see our bare faces — so why waste time on glamming up, right?

Though it may be the perfect time to give your skin the rest that it deserves, ensuring that you maintain a healthy skincare routine is essential in achieving a healthy and glowy complexion all year round.

But at times, our laziness gets the best of us and we tend to forget about our daily skincare routines because getting out of bed and going through the whole motion is just oh-so-troublesome. Then by midday, you’ve succumbed to the oil slick and you start whining about how hot and humid the weather is — and eventually, your skin condition gets worse.

Before it culminates to that situation, taking a few steps to prepare your skin for your stay-home sitch this month can be your best bet at getting rid of that greasy look. In this article, we’ve rounded up some the skincare must-haves that you can consider adding to your rotation, stat.

GENTLE CLEANSER

There are plenty of cleansers out there now that you can wash your face with — but choosing one that doesn’t strip your skin from essential oils? It’s time to consider gentle cleansers. Now some of you might think that gentle cleansers may not do as good of a job because of its light formula and that it might not give your skin a proper cleanse.

Yes, removing all that grime off your face is important but it’s also key to ensure that your skin’s pH stays balanced too. In fact, with gentle cleansers, this will encourage a healthy barrier function, while they also promote the right amount of hydration for a radiant complexion.

1. The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser Supersize Exclusive, $26. Available at Lookfantastic.
2. Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Water Facial Cleanser, $50. Available at Sephora.
3. Dior Capture Totale C.E.L.L. ENERGY High-Performance Gentle Cleanser, $82. Available at Sephora.
4. Farmacy Clean Bee Ultra-Gentle Facial Cleanser, $41. Available at Sephora.
5. Medik8 Gentle Cleanser, $31.50. Available at Lookfantastic.
6. Saturday Skin Rise + Shine Gentle Cleanser, $38. Available at Sephora.

TONER

“Should I really use a toner? I’ve already washed my face, isn’t that enough?” Before you start second-guessing on continuing your skincare routine, listen close. Do not, I repeat, do not skip on your toner. A prime step in fighting that midday oil slick, a toner also helps to balance out the pH of your skin which reduces the oiliness in the day.

But before you reach out for the latest toner that’s hit the market, keep in mind, that finding one with a formula that’s alcohol-free works best to combat an oily complexion. That’s because, alcohol strips away essential oils from your face, drying it out, which eventually leads to the production of more oil.

1. Natio Rosewater & Chamomile Gentle Skin Toner, $12. Available at Lookfantastic.
2. Aesop B & Tea Balancing Toner, $45. Available at Lookfantastic.
3. Alpha-H Clear Skin Tonic, $63. Available at Sephora.
4. DRGL Toner Oil Control, $68. Available at Sephora.
5. Antipodes Ananda Antioxidant-Rich Gentle Toner, $38.50. Available at Lookfantastic.
6. Lancome Tonique Confort, $76. Available at Sephora. 

OIL-FREE MOISTURISER

Moisturisers are a must — and for obvious reasons. But if your current beauty routine includes one that has oil in it, you might want to shop for another option that’s oil-free instead.

1. philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Oil Free Gel Cream, $62.50. Available at Lookfantastic
2. Kate Somerville, $99. Available at Sephora.
3. Shiseido Waso Quick Matte Moisturizer Oil-free, $55. Available at Sephora.
4. First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Oil-Free Mattifying Gel Moisturizer, $50. Available at Sephora.
5. Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer, $66. Available at Sephora.
6. Origins Ginzing Oil-Free Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturizer, $34. Available at Sephora.

BLOTTING POWDER

Purportedly, blotting powders don’t exactly fall under ‘skincare essentials’, but if you’re in dire need of a quick fix to get rid of that pesky oil slick, then blotting powders are the way to go. All you need is a light layer to buff on to your T-zone area or any other areas of concern.

1. Daniel Sandler Invisible Veil Blotting Powder, $39.50. Available at Lookfantastic.
2. Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers, $18. Available at Sephora.
3. Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Blotting Powder, $44. Available at Sephora.
4. Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder — Mentos Edition (Grape), $10. Available at Lazada.
5. Shiseido Oil-Control Blotting Paper, $38,.50. Available at Lookfantastic.
6. KVD Vegan Beauty Lock-It Blotting Powder Compact, $45. Available at Sephora.