Plenty of my patients complain of oily skin. It’s very common among guys and there’s a simple reason for it: testosterone, the chief culprit in the over-production of natural oil (sebum) — and the lack of which is why we don’t look like a Hemsworth.

If you’ve ever tried a woman’s products and wondered why it’s still on your hands 20 minutes later, it’s because their skin needs that oil. But most men simply don’t need more than they make naturally. So we take this into account with all of our products and regimens, packing them with the right ingredients at effective concentrations, and without that oily backlash.

With consistent use of the right regimen, within about 3-6 weeks you can expect your oil embargo to take hold. So let’s look at some of the major causes of oiliness and how we combat that in every regimen.

Why so Oily?

There are other reasons behind this over-production of oil.

1. Blood-sugar spikes: Unlike OPEC, your oil production starts when you first wake up in the morning (or the afternoon, you do you). That’s when a blood sugar spike jump-starts your glands into action. It’s nature’s way, the natural rhythms of the body, and there’s not much you can do about that — it’s why many guys grow more oily as the day progresses and reach peak oiliness in the afternoons.
2. Overwashing: Don’t make the same mistake that many guys do and overwash your face, you’ll be removing the sebum your skin actually needs to protect itself — or cause your glands to create more oil to compensate for the loss. Stick to twice a day and feel free to experiment with washing just once per day, while using warm water alone at the other times. Some guys find success this way too.
3. Your increased physical activity creates sweat while increasing oil production. If you’re going to work out in the first half of the day, consider delaying your morning regimen until after your workout. And if you work out late in the day, after work or in the evening, feel free to hit your night regimen then.
4. Stress can also make a major - and variable - contribution. I tell my patients all the time: get a handle on your stress, ideally by exercising, and you can get a handle on your breakouts too. Even just basic cardio like walking can improve your skin. Stress comes and goes but it can drive oil production and breakouts and that can be frustrating. Just stick to your regimen; periodic oiliness or breakouts will pass, just like the stress.
5. Climate can be a factor too. In colder and drier climates oil isn’t such a bad thing: it protects your skin from harsh elements (and indoor winter heat and arid climates as well). But in warmer climates -- well, oil’s not so welcome. It’s annoying, like bees at a picnic, and it can cause acne.

Why the Night Time is the Right Time

But at night it’s different. Your glandular activity chills out. The temperature is cooler, you’re less physically active, your hormonal cycle, your circadian rhythm, your parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems are tuned down. Everything's chilling.

This is why the night time is prime time for skin care, when many guys start a regimen to get acclimated and get their oil under control. All of our regimens and formulations take this into account.

Our night creams include retinol, which promotes the production of balanced sebum and the growth of healthy cells. After about six weeks, you’ll start to see results of the retinol doing its thing: it’ll actually improve the makeup of your skin, as new skin cells grow and push towards the surface of the skin, dead skin cells are shed from the top layer, reducing the incidence of clogged pores and outbreaks.

Our face washes are all made to gently remove dirt and oil buildup and leave your skin feeling renewed. And the primary active ingredient in most of them – 2% salicylic acid – is an ace exfoliator that combats acne and oil, reduces inflammation, and promotes healing.

The morning face cream includes SPF — at first, some guys might find this feeling a bit oily, but this usually passes after the first three to six weeks as we adjust your regimen so you can use the cream every night. Check out more information about the adjustment period here.

Ready to start?

Take our easy skincare quiz — it will provide us with enough insights to set you up with formulations that work at the greasy root of the problem.

With Geologie’s personalized skincare regimens, you no longer need risk self-misdiagnosis -- and you can leave oil production volatility to OPEC.

Email us, send us a DM, we’d love to hear from you and talk about how to get your skin looking healthier.

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