Why does my face get shiny so quickly?

Shine comes from sebum, the oil your skin produces itself. Men produce more of it on the forehead than women do, and that stays fairly constant over the years. Washing twice a day and then a thin layer of cream keeps your skin clean and cared for; the pump gives you exactly enough.

What your routine does

Cleanse and moisturise, that is all it is. Wash morning and evening with the Daily Face Wash: mild glucosides from sugar and coconut oil carry off sebum and sweat, without soap. Then a thin layer of Day Cream SPF 30, and the Night Cream in the evening. If your skin gets shiny quickly, keep the day cream thin; the pump measures precisely.

What you notice

Your forehead and nose look shiny, for example at the end of the day or after exercise. Run your hand over your face and it feels oily.

There is a second kind as well, and it sits literally in Google's search bar: "shiny skin from day cream". Then your face does not shine by itself, but shortly after you have applied something.

Where it can come from

These are possible explanations, not a diagnosis.

  • Sebum. Your skin produces oil itself. A measurement in 300 men and women found more sebum on the forehead in men. In women it decreased with age, in men it stayed roughly the same (Luebberding 2013; review in Rahrovan 2018).
  • The cream itself. In reviews of day creams for men, buyers keep mentioning "absorbs quickly" and "not greasy" as a plus. That says something about what bothered them before: a layer that sits on the skin.
  • Shine is not inflammation. Skin that shines is not the same as skin with inflamed bumps. For the latter, see the boundary at the bottom of this page.

How much less your skin shines differs from person to person and also depends on how much you apply. We have not measured that, so we put no figure on it.

The routine

Essentials Kit The whole routine in 30 ml: cleanser, day cream and night cream, to try.
View the Essentials KitAnswer 3 questions

Bronnen

  • Luebberding et al., Int J Cosmet Sci 2013: sebum in men and women (source)
  • Rahrovan et al., Int J Womens Dermatol 2018: review of male and female skin (source)
  • Thuisarts: I have pimples (acne) — Dutch-language source (source)

Other questions

Another question about your skin?

Weet je het niet? Beantwoord 3 vragen
My skin feels tight after washing I want to keep it simple I see the first fine lines Red skin after shaving I look tired My skin gets shiny quickly