Is My Skin Glowing or Oily? How to Know

Few things make you look more fresh-faced and youthful than a pretty glow. But it can be hard to achieve a subtly radiant look without crossing the line from dewey to greasy. It can also be difficult to decipher the difference between the two. 

If you’re unsure where you land on the spectrum from oily to glowy, we’re here to help. 

How to Know if Your Skin is Oily 

First things first: it’s important to know that your skin will fluctuate throughout your life, and even throughout the day! It may be oily at some points, dry at others, and glowy sometimes, too. 

It can be helpful to look for a pattern in your skin so you can use the appropriate skincare, but remember that you’re not a robot--it’s totally normal for the state of your body to fluctuate over time. (And remember you’re beautiful no matter what.) 

Moreover, having oily skin isn’t the end of the world. Especially as you age, it can even be an advantage, leading your skin to look youthful for longer. 

That said, here are some signs that your skin may be on the oily side: 

• Your skin looks shiny and slick, especially on your t-zone: your forehead, nose and chin
• You may feel oil on your fingers after touching your face
• The shine typically accumulates on your skin throughout the day 

Although a skincare professional can “diagnose” you with oily skin, you can also use store-bought blotting papers to see how much oil your skin has on it. If after blotting your face for a few seconds, the paper comes away with a significant amount of oil, that’s a sign! 

It’s also important to note that in some cases, your skin may not be oily, but it may be sweaty. This makes sense if you just got back from the gym or live in a hot or humid climate. 

But if these conditions don’t apply to you and you’re still sweaty, there may be something up with your hormones (or another medical condition). It’s worth bringing up with your doctor next time you’re in for a checkup. 

How to Curb Oily Skin

Not a fan of all the grease? That’s alright, there are things you can do! Before you reach for the mattifying makeup, we recommend getting your skincare routine in order. 

Grab a gentle cleanser that unclogs pores and removes excess oil, like the  B-Meltee Cooling Facial Cleanser.  We’ve formulated this one with tons of B-vitamins to build up your skin’s resistance to irritants that can cause more oil down the line.  

You’ll also want to have a good toner on hand to balance your skin’s pH, which is critical for keeping oil under control. We recommend  Gaea’s Gala , which we’ve created to do double duty by fighting signs of aging while taming grease. 

How to Know if Your Skin is Glowy 

Without makeup, luminescent skin can only be achieved if you’re taking good care of your health and your skin. So if you’ve got your glow on, kudos to you! 

Here are some signs that you’re in the glow zone: 

• Your skin is reflecting light like glass, rather than looking slick and shiny 
• Your whole face isn’t shining; instead the glow is concentrated on the high points of your face, like your nose and cheekbones
• Your skin looks healthy overall 

Glowy skin will naturally have some matte parts, too. So keep this in mind if you’re using makeup to achieve the glow effect. 

How to Get Glowier Skin 

If you’d like to improve your skin’s radiance without adding an oily shine, it all comes down to how you take care of your body and skin. 

Part of your glow comes from the inside, so it’s important to eat plenty of vitamin-rich foods. Try to eat a rainbow of fruit and veggies every day. Fish, nuts and other foods packed with healthy fats are another excellent way to up your glow. 

Similarly, it’s helpful to get a good sweat on, whether that’s with your favorite type of workout or a  session in the sauna  to detoxify your skin and unclog pores. (Just remember to wash your face immediately after you finish sweating.) 

When it comes to skincare, it’s all about making sure your skin is hydrated and nourished. Vitamin C is absolutely key here for brightening and hydrating your skin. However, it’s important to use a skincare product formulated with high-quality, lipid-soluble vitamin C, like our  Cryo-C Facial Glow Serum , rather than using a lower quality vitamin C that won’t nourish your skin as deeply. 

The final step is to make sure your skin is deeply moisturized, which helps it to reflect light and give you that radiant look. Choose a  moisturizer with pore-shrinking ingredients  like chamomile, which creates a smooth, glassy finish on your face.  

Final Thoughts

The good news is that if you take care of your physical health and implement a good skin routine, a glow comes right along with it. And if you are experiencing a little oil, that’s easy to remedy too. 

We suggest grabbing our  4 Step Facial Set  (featuring all of the products mentioned above) to tame oil and get your glow on today.