Any person choosing soap for oily skin should first remember that skin care is highly subjective, and it may take a few tries before the best product for an individual's skin care needs is identified. There are, however, some guidelines to keep in mind that will help narrow down the huge selection of facial soaps available. The best soap for oily skin will most likely be an oil-absorbing gel or foaming cleanser, and might contain acne-fighting or exfoliating ingredients to keep pores clear.
Oily skin results when the sebaceous glands in the skin overproduce sebum. All skin types need some of this naturally occurring oil for lubrication and moisturizing. People with oily skin, however, simply produce more sebum than other skin types.
Generally, the most obvious indicator of a good soap for oily skin is the texture of the product. Bar soaps can be overly drying and not well suited for delicate facial skin, so stick to products specially formulated to be used on this sensitive area of the body. Of course there may be some exceptions. Even if all bar soaps are eliminated from the selection process, a huge variety of options will still remain, and some are much better suited to oily skin than others.
Cream formulas that are especially moisturizing and advertised as a treatment for dry skin are usually not the ideal products for people with oily skin. Since there is already a large presence of natural lubricant, soaps that contain too many moisturizing ingredients can add even more excess oil. These formulas can typically be identified by their thick texture and opaque appearance. Despite needing less moisture than those with dry skin, people with oily skin still need to be careful not to use overly drying formulas because stripping the skin of too much oil will cause oil glands to overproduce.
Instead of choosing thick, creamy formulas, the best soap for oily skin is usually a clear gel or foaming cleanser. Gentle gels and foams absorb excess oil from the surface of the skin without leaving it dry and irritated. Soaps of this variety should leave the skin feeling clean, fresh, and free from excess oil.
Some other elements of soap for oily skin might include acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid. Oily skin tends to be prone to blackheads and blemishes because the excess oil traps dirt and irritants in the pores. Therefore, ingredients that help reduce the presence of blemishes are often useful in these kinds of products. Similarly, scrubs that contain gentle exfoliating beads or particles help remove dead skin cells that can clog pores and cause breakouts.
