Do you wake up with a very oily nose almost every morning? Is your nose greasier than other parts of your face most of the time?
If you have been dreading it, let us tell you that your skin needs a little oil to remain healthy. However, excess oil can lead to skin concerns like acne.
In this article, we will tell you how to reduce the oil in your nose slightly for the perfect balance.
Highlights:
Why Is My Nose So Oily?
The skin on your face, especially the area that surrounds your nose is home to a high concentration of sebaceous glands. These glands are responsible for secreting sebum, your skin’s natural oil.
This, along with the nose being a prime area for the build-up of sweat, makes it a hot spot for oil, even on an otherwise non-oily face.
But, sebum is essential for preventing dehydration and dryness, limiting the growth of bacteria and lubricating the skin.
A host of external and internal factors, like your hormones to genetics to the weather and even the cleaner you use, determine how much sebum you produce.
Here are the main reasons behind your oily nose:
1. Gender
Most often, men have oilier skin than women. The science behind this suggests the increased number of androgens, particularly dihydrotestosterone (DHT), as the primary reason for men’s nose getting oily.
2. Enlarged Nose Pores
Large pores are a prevalent struggle, it’s predominantly visible on the nose. In general, the T-zone of the face (chin, nose, cheeks and forehead) generate excess oil due to the pores.
3. Combination Skin
It’s one of the most straightforward explanations behind your oily nose. When your skin type is ‘combination’, you have normal or dry skin on your cheeks while your forehead, chin and nose are oily.
4. Hormones
Fluctuations in your hormones can increase the activity of the oil gland, resulting in excess oil. This is one of the reasons behind a teenager’s battle with acne.
Note:
If you have combination skin, enlarged pores or fluctuating hormones, an increase in oil production may be most visible on your nose.
Other Oily Nose Causes Include:
- Genes
- Lack of exfoliation
- Sun exposure
- Increase in humidity
- Poor diet
- The consumption of alcohol or caffeine
- Dry skin
- Poor skincare habits
- Poor skincare habits
How To Get Rid Of Oily Nose?
1. Moisturizer
Don't ditch the moisturizer, no matter what your skin type is. People confuse oil with hydration. So they don't properly hydrate the skin.
Your skin needs hydrating products to maintain moisture levels. Otherwise, oil production will go into overdrive to compensate for the lack of hydration. A good moisturizer will help balance oil and water on your skin.
SkinKraft Tip
Use a moisturizer with hydrating ingredients like glycerine. This will leave a dewy finish, which gives your skin a healthy and ever so slight shine.
Choose a moisturizer based on your skin type. Sometimes, one that is very thick or very thin one may not serve the purpose. With the guidance of a dermatologist, you can pick the perfect product for the desired outcome.
2. Sunscreen
A healthy dose of sunscreen - a teaspoon for your face - is one of the simplest yet effective techniques to control shine and oil.
There is plenty of research that illustrates sun damage can make your nose pores appear larger [1]. Exposure to UV light pulls water from the skin, increases the size of the sebaceous glands and stimulates the production of oil.
A broad-spectrum sunscreen with 30 SPF or more is an oily nose remedy that will protect your skin.
SkinKraft Tip
For sunscreen to work effectively, you need to apply it 20 minutes before you step out into the sun and re-apply every two hours.
3. Wash Your Face Once In The Morning And Once Before Bed
When you have oily skin on the nose and face, the urge to wash your face at every available opportunity can be strong. It seems only logical that washing will remove and clear up the oil from the skin. In reality, this repeated washing habit makes it worse.
Over-cleansing actually activates further oil production. When you cleanse, you remove the sebum reserve, which your skin needs. The skin reacts by producing more oil. A good sebum control face wash will not disrupt your skin's pH.
4. Address Your Diet
The root of your oily skin issues could actually lie in your gut. Spicy foods and cocktails dilate blood vessels and make you perspire.
Similarly, steer clear from dairy and sugar. They feed and increase oil production.
A good balance for an oily nose would be to eat spicy foods once a week and limiting yourself to one drink a week. Load up on foods high in Vitamin A like spinach, cantaloupe or carts that slow down the production of oil. Zinc-rich foods like nuts, legumes and shellfish help regulate oil-producing glands.
5. Exercise
Yes, the post-workout glow is real! When you work out, your blood is pumping more, which improves the circulation of nutrients and oxygen through your body and skin, keeping oil production in check.
Other than that exercise results in:
- Smoother, more radiant skin
- Better immunity and detoxification
- More restful sleep
- Greater self-confidence
- Less stress and anxiety
- Less visceral fat
6. Stay Hydrated
It might sound counterintuitive - if you’re not drinking enough water, then wouldn’t your skin be dry instead of greasy? However, drinking sufficient water through the day results in less inflammation and less blockage of the skin glands. So, hydration makes oil glands less oily.
It’s recommended that you try to consume at least two liters of water every day and stay away from aerated beverages and sodas.
7. Masks
While you’ll spot some new age innovative formulas on the shelf, sometimes the older treatments remain the best.
A good clay mask is an excellent ally for someone targeting an oily nose. The clay acts like a sponge and absorbs all the excess oil.
8. Home Remedies For Oily Nose
There are plenty of homemade remedies for an oily nose that will help you:
A. Lemon And Sugar
Lemon is loaded with antibacterial and antioxidants, which help kill bacteria and get rid of the excess oil from an oily nose. Plus, it also makes your skin smooth and gives it a flawless look.
Apply a mixture of sugar with two or three tablespoons of lemon juice on your nose and gently rub it in a circular motion. Leave it on for about fifteen minutes before you rinse it off. This method will remove the dirt and oil from your skin.
B. Almond And Honey
Look in your pantry and you’ll definitely find a jar of honey. It’s such an easily accessible, natural product. It gets rid of the dirt, and acts as an antimicrobial and antibacterial agent. Pair it with almond and you’ve got a winning combination for your oily skin.
Another oily nose treatment is to grind four to five almonds to make it into a powder. Add two to three tablespoons of honey into the powder and mix them together to form a paste. Gently scrub this onto your nose and leave it on for up to twenty minutes before you rinse it off.
C. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is full of acidic pH. It’s an excellent ingredient to absorb the surplus oil from your nose.
Combine three to four tablespoons of vinegar with half a cup of water. With the help of a cotton ball, apply this mixture onto your nose and leave it on for fifteen minutes. Later, rinse off with warm water. Not only does this remove the oil, but blackheads too.
D. Milk And Sandalwood Paste
Sandalwood, a popular beauty remedy for centuries, helps reduce blemishes and treat acne. It also turns dull skin into alive and glowing, and easily removes a tan. Last but not the least, it gets rid of the extra oil from the nose and skin.
There are many ways you can use sandalwood to treat an oily nose and blackheads. One of them is combining one tablespoon of multani mitti with one tablespoon of sandalwood powder and rose water. Add enough rose water to make a semi-thick paste that you can easily apply on your nose and face. Let this paste sit for about 20-30 minutes before you rinse it off.
To see the best results, apply this at least two to three times a week.
E. Yogurt
Of the umpteen benefits yogurt possesses, one of them is to control oily skin around the nose. It contains natural exfoliants like alpha hydroxy acid and lactic acid that unclog pores and cleanse away the impurities. It also contains zinc, a mild astringent that shrinks the open pores and reduces the oiliness.
You can even apply this mixture to the rest of your face as it prevents the sebaceous glands from becoming overactive and moisturizes the skin too.
Yogurt mixed with a few drops of tomato juice is the perfect concoction for an oily nose. Apply this paste on your face for about fifteen minutes before you rinse it off.
How To Prevent An Oily Nose?
1. Avoid Over-Washing Your Face
As it’s been expressed earlier, washing your face too often can quickly add to your issue. Repeated washing can dry your face and your sebaceous glands respond by kicking into overdrive and producing more oil. It’s best to wash once a day, and once at night.
2. Wash Properly And Thoroughly
If you’re looking to cure oily nose naturally, you can wash your face once or twice a day with a cleanser and lukewarm water.
For those who do not face acne problems, stay away from products that contain salicylic acid or harsh gels that can leave your skin feeling dry. For extra help, after you wash, apply a non-alcoholic toner on your oily nose.
3. Remove Makeup Before Bed
It seems obvious that one of the steps, before you go to bed, is to remove your makeup. Leaving it on can cause extensive damage to your skin. But many people neglect this crucial step. You need to help the skin renew at night and the makeup prevents that.
4. Cut Down On Extra Sheets And Heat At Night
Don’t be surprised if you wake up with an extra oily nose after a night of sweating. Overloading sheets and heat will make your skin produce sweat. In fact, the outcome of a lower nighttime temperature and fewer sheets is comfortable sleep.
5. Drink Sufficient Water
Of the many benefits of water, add skin to that list. Dehydration leads to your oil glands overproducing sebum. You don’t want that! Try to drink at least eight glasses of water throughout the day.
6. Contact A Dermatologist
If home remedies don’t work and you continue to witness oily skin on the nose, maybe it’s time to swing by the dermatologist’s office. They can prescribe an apt treatment to correct your problem.
Why Do I Have An Oily Nose In The Morning?
Before you slather on an expensive cleanser or DIY products on your face every so often, it’s important you understand the reason you have an oily nose in the morning.
At night, while you’re asleep for several hours, sebum builds up on your face. You can see an increase in oil production because of other factors like menstrual cycles, weather and stress. You may also be genetically predisposed to oily skin.
Whatever the reason behind your oily nose, there’s a remedy for your problem as mentioned above.
SkinKraft Tip
An often overlooked but one of the simplest ways to help your skin is to wash and change your pillowcases regularly. Changing once a week works best.
Wrapping Up
Even if you’re predisposed to an oily nose, the key to treating it and getting rid of it is to understand and recognize your individual triggers.
At the end of the day, oily skin is not a bad thing - it comes with its pros and cons. It’s your job to help your skin as best as you can.
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