One of the biggest skincare mistakes is treating oily skin and acne as the same thing. While they can occur together, they're distinct conditions requiring different approaches. The aggressive "oil-control" products often make both worse by damaging the skin barrier.
Let's clear up the confusion and explore how to treat oily skin, acne, and sensitivity using gentle botanical skincare.
Understanding Oily Skin vs Acne-Prone Skin
Oily skin occurs when sebaceous glands produce excess sebum, resulting in shine, enlarged-looking pores, and makeup that slides off. It's caused by genetics, hormones, climate, or ironically, harsh products that trigger overproduction. You can have oily skin with a perfectly clear complexion.
Acne happens when pores become clogged with dead skin cells, oil, and bacteria, leading to inflammation and blemishes. You can have acne without oily skin—dry and combination skin types break out too.
The key difference: Oily skin is about sebum production. Acne is about clogged pores and inflammation. What works for controlling oil might not address acne, and aggressive acne treatments often worsen oil production.
The Over-Stripping Trap: Why Harsh Products Backfire
Products that promise to "control oil" or "dry out acne" typically contain harsh ingredients like high concentrations of alcohol, sulfates, benzoyl peroxide, or astringent toners that strip the skin.
The problem: when you over-strip natural oils, your skin responds by producing even more oil to compensate. This creates a cycle where your skin becomes both stripped and oily—leading to dehydrated oily skin, where your complexion is shiny but actually lacking moisture.
A compromised skin barrier from over-stripping also increases sensitivity, redness, and inflammation—all of which can trigger or worsen breakouts.
How to Treat Oily Skin Without Over-Stripping
The goal isn't to eliminate all oil—your skin needs natural oils to stay healthy. Focus on balancing sebum production with gentle botanical ingredients like zinc (regulates oil), witch hazel (tightens pores and removes excess oil), pomegranate (regulates oil), and jojoba oil (mimics natural oils to regulate production).
Use a mild, pH-balanced cleanser twice daily. Avoid harsh foaming cleansers that leave skin feeling "squeaky clean"—that tight feeling damages your skin barrier. And yes, even oily skin needs moisturizer! Choose lightweight, non-comedogenic botanical formulas that hydrate without heaviness.
How to Treat Acne Without Damaging Your Skin Barrier
Effective acne treatment reduces inflammation, fights bacteria, and prevents clogged pores—without destroying your skin barrier. Natural acne-fighting ingredients include tea tree oil (antibacterial and anti-inflammatory), willow bark extract (natural salicylic acid), combava (antibacterial and astringent), zinc (reduces redness), and lavender (calms and antibacterial). Our Healing Enzyme Serum is a perfect spot treatment or all over preventative treatment.
Gentle exfoliation 2-3 times weekly prevents clogged pores through cellular turnover. Choose natural fruit enzymes or botanical acids over harsh physical scrubs. And remember: acne-prone skin still needs hydration. Dehydrated skin increases breakouts as your compromised barrier becomes vulnerable to bacteria. Our Exfoliating Cleanser is a perfect for cellular turnover.
A Balanced Approach
Whether you're managing oily skin, breakouts, or both, a gentle routine is essential: use a pH-balanced cleanser, mild toner, lightweight serum targeting your specific concerns, non-comedogenic moisturizer, and natural exfoliant 2-3x weekly.
Our clean botanical skincare treats oily skin and acne without harsh chemicals that damage your skin barrier. We use plant-based ingredients that balance oil production, fight breakouts, calm inflammation, and strengthen your skin—all without hormone disruptors.
Your skin deserves a nuanced approach that addresses your concerns without creating new problems. With gentle, effective botanical ingredients, you can achieve clear, calm, healthy skin.
