How To Mattify Your Shiny Skin

Finding a perfect balance with your skin can sometimes feel like a bit of a conundrum. Lots of us want dewy, not dry skin, radiant but not oily. So where does shiny skin come into the mix? Read on this guide to find out the tips for mattifying your skin for healthy glowing.

Why is my skin shiny?

The oil in your skin isn’t something to fear. Everybody produces it, making it an essential part of your skin’s barrier. Your sebaceous glands create and secrete sebum (an oily substance) that helps moisturise your skin. According to Harvard Medical School, “sebum is a complex mixture of fatty acids, sugars, waxes, and other natural chemicals that form a protective barrier against water evaporation.” As well as locking in moisture, it helps defend your skin from environmental stresses like pollution or the sun.

Shiny skin on your face results from this sebum, often appearing as a film sitting on the surface of your skin. You’re most likely to notice shiny skin on your T-zone as this is where most of your sebaceous glands sit, which is why a shiny forehead is very common.

So is shiny skin healthy? A shiny face doesn’t mean your skin isn’t healthy; it’s perfectly normal. However, if you lack any shine, it can be a sign of poor health and you may need to drink more water, get more sleep, and take a good look at your diet.

If your shiny skin is a concern, or gets very shiny quite quickly, your sebaceous glands might be producing too much sebum. This can result in a greasy-looking complexion and clogged pores, which is less desirable for many people. Your genetics may determine whether you have more sebaceous glands than others. You may also have shiny skin due to hormones, stress, sweat, or exposure to aggressive environmental factors.

How can I reduce the shine on my face?

Use a non-comedogenic cleanser

An important thing to do to reduce shiny skin is to ensure that you are gently cleansing your face every evening. Even if you haven’t been wearing make-up, sweat, sunscreen, dirt and oil can all accumulate and linger on your skin. Strong cleansers can be overly harsh and will strip your skin resulting in a trigger of oil production to compensate for any moisture lost. A non-comedogenic cleanser like foaming cleanser will remove any excess sebum, and prep your skin for the products that will follow without clogging pores.

Try My Clarins RE-MOVE Purifying Cleansing Gel to banish all traces of dirt and reduce the shine on your face. This cleanser is formulated with meadowsweet extract with purifying properties, moringa extracts to cleanse the skin's surface and eliminate traces of pollution, and organic orange blossom flower water to soften the skin. After use, the skin is more radiant and feels smoother.

Use a lightweight moisturiser

Even oily skin still needs a moisturiser. We recommend you select a moisturiser that is lightweight. Clarins has a special moisturiser that is made for oily skin, which is RE-BOOST Matte Hydra-Mattifying Cream. Formulated with organic coconut water and organic Alpine rose extract, this mattifying cream reduces the shine on your face but still maintains healthy glowing skin.

Use skincare products with Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid, as a chemical exfoliant, helps clean away excess sebum and oil from the skin surface to reduce the appearance of shiny skin and clear pores. People looking to move from oily skin to radiant skin can look for skin care products with salicylic acid.

My Clarins PURE-RESET Resurfacing Blemish Serum is a perfect serum that helps to reduce excess sebum, as well as rebalances the skin and reduces the appearance of shine.

Pay attention to your lifestyle and avoid stress

There are also lifestyle changes that you can make to stop your face from becoming shiny, and many people find that limiting the amount of alcohol they drink can help. This is because drinking lots of alcohol can cause both blood vessels and oil glands to enlarge. Research also suggests that high glycaemic foods and drinks raise blood sugars quickly and as a result, stimulate sebum production. So, people with very shiny skin may benefit from bolstering their daily diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses, legumes, and some whole-grain oats.

Stress is another factor that plays a part in shiny skin; when stressed, we release the hormone cortisol, which helps produce sebum. Think about taking up a stress-reducing hobby such as yoga or meditation and follow that wise old piece of advice: get a good night’s sleep whenever you can.

How to mattify skin with makeup?

People with oily skin often face a challenge when wearing makeup, which is to have a long-lasting and avoid an over-oily look. In this section, we recommend three things to help mattify your skin when doing makeup.

Use a mattifying primer

When it comes to make-up, a mattifying primer will keep shine at bay and prevent your make-up from slipping. But do remember that it’s difficult to stop shiny skin in its tracks completely. A little oil is perfectly normal and beneficial, especially for mature skin to add glow.

Try SOS Primer in blue, which helps reduce the shine and blur pores.

Use a mattifying pressed powder

Powder is a vital step in makeup if you want to avoid your makeup slipping away because of oil. After your basic makeup steps like primer, foundation, concealer, and blush, use a pressed powder to tap on the areas of the face that tend to get shiniest, like the forehead or T area.

Ever Matte Compact Powder has a unique and velvety texture, which is perfect to use on the go and for touching up make-up throughout the day. If you want a natural matte finish, this is your top option.

FAQs

What does shiny skin indicate?

Shiny skin is caused by sebum sitting on the surface of your skin and is a perfectly natural and expected component of anyone’s complexion.

Is my skin oily or shiny?

All skin is shiny to a degree, but if your skin is gleaming and produces oil very quickly, you may have oily skin which can be caused by genetics and exacerbated by diet and lifestyle choices.

Why is my forehead dry but shiny?

Dry but shiny skin can be caused by over-exfoliation or by skipping the vital moisturiser step in your skincare routine, causing the skin to ramp up its oil production as it tries to rehydrate.

Why is my skin so shiny but not oily?

Many think shiny skin is just an issue for those with oilier complexions. Still, people with dry skin often notice that they appear to have shiny patches. If your face feels shiny but not oily, this could be caused by over-exfoliating, which can disturb your skin’s natural barrier. When skin feels dehydrated and tight, it can start to produce more oil to compensate.