Very oily t-zone - please help!

[CakeNinja]

I don’t wear makeup but I do cleanse/tone/moisturise. My nose is always really shiny and greasy - what can I do to prevent this?

Do you use any oil control products at all? Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner is a decent primer, you can wear it on its own without any makeup. Or have you tried oil blotting sheets?

I've find using oil on my oily skin a revelation. I use an oil-based cleanser (Simple), and rosehip oil at night instead of a moisturiser. I also use serums containing hyaluronic acid so that my skin is very well hydrated. And don't drink - my skin is a greaseball after alcohol, because it gets dehydrated and tries to over-compensate.

In terms of make up, Nars do a brilliant powder - the Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder.

I haven’t tried any oil control products or blotting sheets, I’ll look into some of those, thank you.

Oils on my oily tzone seem to make things worse! I use nip and fab glycolic toner pad things which are brilliant, also alphah liquid gold with hylauronic acid (which to me seems like a total rip off toner!) and alternate them both, only use a couple of times a week though.
At the moment, I use the LE hot cloth cleanser morning and night. In the morning, I then use a Clinique day moisturiser and eye cream, in the evening I will either use a night mask, or a White Tea night moisturiser, I have the Estée Lauder advanced night repair serum which I use around 3 times a week, and every other morning I use either a skin chemist or dr botanics serum.
I’m just a bloody greaseball!

Could I use something like the NARS setting powder over a totally bare face?

if it were me i'd flood my face with moisture, layers and layers. your skin is likely over compensating for dryness and/or dehydration. check out caroline hirons and skincare addiction on reddit. i too don't get on with oils, they clog me up and I'm also greasy but that's not what you need to hydrate.

I drink at least 4 litres of water a day - I can’t possibly be dehydrated?! This is not competitive drinking, I’ve seen this on here before 😂 I’m taking medication at the moment and it’s making me really thirsty.
I haven’t really been drinking alcohol this year at all, perhaps 3 glasses of booze since Christmas due to the medication.
Come to think of it, I wonder if the meds are working all together to make my skin look greasy too, it’s never been like this since the last couple of months.
I’m wary about moisturising more than twice a day, I fear it could make the situation worse

My t zone is really oily too. I don't moisturise in the morning (I use Drops of Youth and moisturiser at night) but use a SPF then on with primer and foundation. The only foundation that really helps my t zone matte all day is Doublewear!

I really don’t want to have to start wearing foundation!
I think I’m going to get some blotting paper and see if that helps.

OP I have just started using Eucerin Mattifying moisturiser and it is very good so far.

Oh Thankyou, something else to add to my list! I’ve actually also got a load of Elemis face stuff to use but none of it is mattifying.
Sounds like mattifying is what I need.

Also a random one to try, try taking B complex vitamins. When I stopped taking them for a month or so my skin was flooded with oil (it’s quite oily as it is), and when I restarted it returned to its original (oily but less) state. Not sure if that’s helpful at all

I’m sure you’ll get lots of recommendations here but from reading your current routine I would suggest you’re using the wrong acid toner. Both the nip and fab pads and the Alpha H you are using contain glycolic acid which is best for dry skin and will not penetrate the oil on your skin. You need to switch to a salicylic acid based toner twice daily which is oil soluble and will work really well to reduce pore size and oil production. I use Paula’s Choice 2% BHA as this seems to be the gold standard salicylic acid toner. The Ordinary also do a salicylic acid toner but I’ve never tried that so can’t comment. Nadine Baggott recently did a really informative You Tube video of the differences in acids for your skin.
I also use the Ordinary’s Niacinamide and Zinc on my T zone each morning under my make up and I now never need to blot during the day.
I would also switch to another cleanser. Liz Earle is so heavy and bring lots of us out in breakouts. I would maybe try a light oil for your first cleanse on dry skin, remove with a damp flannel then follow with a bland cream cleanser for your second cleanse each night.

Brilliant advice, thank you! Typical, spend a small fortune on skin care and it turns out to be all wrong
The hot cloth cleanser doesn’t break me out at all, I never get spots thankfully and it’s a lovely cleanser on my skin but I’m happy to switch everything for other stuff.
Really appreciate the help,
I’m utterly clueless (as you can tell!) and have never taken care of my skin in any way before. It was always nice and people often commented on my good skin.
Then I had an accident and a combination of things really took their toll on my skin. I began looking grey and really sallow so I decided to take control.
In fairness, my skin now looks amazing apart from the recent oily nose

And I will also look into vitamins as I could honestly probably do with some.

I have the same - La Roche Posay is the best moisturiser and toner for me by far. Best powder I’ve found is Urban Decay Mattifier - it looks white but goes on invisibly on any skin tone. You can wear it on a bare face with no other make up no problem.

www.urbandecay.co.uk/en_GB/face/face-powder/de-slick/604214398900.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhNH2w-nI2gIV8xXTCh3r1geSEAQYASABEgImRvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIXoo8fpyNoCFQYT0wodsu8Kuw

Thanks for that, I’ve ordered that powder and the moisturiser and powder! This injury is costing me a fortune

Freedom oil control primer from Superdrug. It's the only thing that's worked for me xxx

Highly recommend taking Evening Primrose Oil, it’s amazing for skin. I buy mine from Holland & Barrett the 1000mg ones. 😀

I take oil of evening primrose already, have done for about 5 years now!

Is the oil control primer quite sticky? I’ve got one from figs and rouge that’s a mattifying primer and it’s so sticky.

It sounds like it is the medication then, especially if you're finding you're more thirsty. That suggests your skin is dehydrated and is over-compensating.

It's not moisturiser you need, it's water (and therefore hyaluronic acid) in your skincare. Check out Caroline Hirons: www.carolinehirons.com/2011/11/dry-or-dehydrated-cheat-sheet.html and Sali Hughes:

I love the Vichy Aqualia Therman serum. The Ordinary also do a hyaluronic acid serum which is popular, if you want something cheaper (I prefer the Vichy but it is a bit pricey).

If you want to try a primer under make up the Smashbox range are always popular. I find I break out if it use it more than two or three days in a row though, so save it for special occasions.

And yes, you could use the Nars (or any) powder without foundation.

And now I’ve bought the Vichy serum. It does definitely look good though.
I do agree that it’s probably down to the medication, I’ve never really had greasy skin before and it’s really just around my nose, I can literally wipe it with my finger and it’s covered in a thick layer of shiny grease
Gross!!
I have loads of things with hylauronic acid which just done seem to be having much of an effect but I do chop and change what I use most nights. Maybe I need to have one fixed routine?
I don’t wear any makeup day to day, if I go on a night out I tend to use some black eyeliner and some Vaseline on my lips for a very gentle shine. I hate the feeling of makeup on my face generally so I wonder if a primer may be a waste of time but happy to be corrected if it doesn’t feel heavy/sticky on my skin and may soak up the grease!
Hopefully the UD powder will arrive soon and I can put it to the test.

Ps, the serum was on a special offer! Hooray