Oily skin is hard to control because it’s the result of genetically determined hormonal changes in your body, and you simply cannot control hormones topically. The hormones responsible for oily skin are called androgens—the male hormones—and they are present in both men and women.

Androgens stimulate healthy oil production, and while that truly has benefit for your skin, it is a problem when androgens stimulate too much oil to be produced! When too much oil is produced, the pores become larger to accommodate the excess oil production. Excess androgens can also cause the pore lining to thicken, which blocks oil from getting out of the pore, and that can result in blackheads and white bumps.

Not sure if you have oily skin? It’s recognizable by a few classic characteristics:

• Your face is shiny only an hour or two after cleansing, and usually appears greasy by midday.
• Your makeup seems to “slide,” or disappear right off your face.
• The more oily areas of your face have blackheads, white bumps, or acne.
• The pores are visibly enlarged, especially on your nose, chin, and forehead.