Calming the glare of a shiny T-zone.

Bikini Bump Blaster

The T-zone is legendary for excess oil, blackheads and pimples. To avoid shocking your friends with the shine you are sporting, test out some of these innovative anti-shine products and tips. Christine Chin, New York esthetician and owner of Christine Chin spa says the rule of thumb for combating any oily area is investing in a good humidifier, using moisturizers containing humectants and avoid washing with hot water. “For an oily T-zone, always use oil-free products, don’t smoke, reduce your alcohol intake and stay away from foods with excessive oil.” Late night runs to In-n-Out Burger are out!

 

It is all cyclical.

If you pay attention to your menstrual cycle, you will see a pattern on how different days of the month affect your body and your skin. For some of us, as we get closer to our period, we see an increase in oil production and breakouts. Always will launch Always Me, a personalized, on-the-go mobile application tool that helps women to manage their cycles and offers timely support and advice. Available soon in the Apple iTunes Store, Always Me features a comprehensive, interactive tracker and calendar to help manage a woman’s period/cycle, personalized, expert Q&A function for users to submit private, personal questions, a “Shop Always” button for discreet, immediate and direct online purchase of Always feminine products from one’s mobile device as well as a store locator, reminder notifications for anticipated arrival of period or ovulation, with a fertility tracking option and expert tips ranging from how to better manage one’s cycle, health matters and exercise.

 

Start the day spotless.

The first step to re-balancing your skin is with a gentle cleanser that won’t dry out the T-zone area and cause your sebaceous glands to go into overtime on oil production. CellCeuticals® Biomedical Skin Treatments Extremely Gentle Skin Cleanser is a gentle, one-step skin cleanser that effectively removes daily impurities without stripping skin of essential moisture. Swell Skin is a minimalist skincare line focused on two products that meet 90% of skin’s needs. Called “the most healing berry of all time,” Sea Buckthorn is the cornerstone ingredient in Swell Face Treatment and the Swell Oil of Sea Buckthorn. These two products, a chunky bar of soap and face oil, are everything needed to transform skin of all ages. Swell Skin’s Swell Face Treatment is specifically designed to cleanse skin while reducing acne, rosacea and dermatitis and promoting full, youthful, even-toned skin. The Swell Oil of Sea Buckthorn, made from 100% pure oil from the seed of the Sea Buckthorn berry, offers protection against bacteria and nourishes skin with 190 bioactive ingredients, 42 lipids and 22 fatty acids, including the elusive Omega 7.

 

Out with the bad and in with the good

Remember when Bioré^® Deep Cleansing Pore Strips hit the beauty shelves? Drawing out bacteria and blackheads is a dream come true, but you need to replenish the skin’s nutrients and moisture. “T-Zone issues are caused by combination skin, dry on the cheeks, oily on the forehead, nose and chin,” says Todra Payne, Healthy Beauty Expert and the founder of The Healthy Beauty Project.  “It is important to treat the oily areas without stripping the normal or dry areas of the face. This can be done through homemade remedies or through naturally-derived products.” Payne’s Homemade Oily Skin Mask includes 1 egg white, 1 tbls fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp fresh mint. Simply puree ingredients and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Apply the mixture to the T-zone only and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm, then cool water. OBAGI® CLENZIderm M.D.™ System is a three-step therapeutic acne system including a liquid form of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) that is clinically proven to penetrate deeply into the skin and clear acne fast. As a result, this Rx-strength treatment instantly penetrates the pores and begins reducing acne below the skin’s surface.

Quench skin’s thirst.

Skin is a living and breathing organ that needs a well of hydration. As we get older, our bodies lose moisture and this can cause a serious freak out on your face, including shiny noses and blemishes. Glopurifying Oil Control Emulsion is a lightweight formula combining antioxidants, antibacterial agents and humectants that not only mattify those unsightly shine-zones, but also slightly hydrates the area. Containing hyaluronic acid for moisturization, the Glopurifying Oil Control Emulsion is ideal for normal, oily, combination, acne/conjested and unbalanced skin. Glorenew Serum features glycolic and salicylic acids and retinol which aid in controlling skin’s moisture balance while at the same time helps mop up the oils on your T-zone.

Renowned esthetician, April Meese, says the myth of drying out skin is temporary and only makes matters worse. “The best solution is Tea tree oil,” says Meese. “The word “oil” may scare some people, but remember basic chemistry principles of oil reducing oil - opposites attract and like repels like. Tea tree oil is a natural, anti-bacterial ingredient that can be purchased at a health food store for very little money.” The tea tree oil can be applied at night. During the day, use a powder, silica-based makeup line.

Instant gratification.

First Aid Beauty’s Blemish Eraser Emergency Repair contains 3.5% benzoyl peroxide to fight acne break-outs without causing undue irritation and dryness The Blemish Eraser is the only benzoyl peroxide product on the market that has the parallel cooling and soothing action of witch hazel and aloe. Proactiv has three key products that keep oily skin at bay. Daily Oil Control, helps balance your skin's natural oil levels, so your complexion looks smooth and even, not shiny; Sheer Finish Mattifying Gel, which can be applied after the Daily Oil Control, is an oil-free, skin mattifyer that feels like a gel, but acts like a powder to control shine throughout the day; and Oil Blotter Sheets, which instantly absorb excess oil on your face, leaving a fresh, matte finish without powdery residue that can clog pores.

 

Ah-ha Moment

Believe it or not, what is good for your bikini area can also dry up a shiny mess on your nose. Bikini Bump Blaster Pads, known for preventing and eliminating ingrown hairs, contains glycolic acid, which clears away the dead skin cells that clog pores and salicylic acid, which aids in blocking bacteria buildup by reducing sebum production in pores. That, my friend, translates into saying goodbye to blackheads and shine.