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Advice and handy info on men’s skin and skincare to help with daily grooming

What causes that horrible oily shine and stickiness?

Youｒ skin looks oily and shiny largely because there is a lot of sebum on your skin. But that’s not all. Mandom’s research found out that it is not only the amount of sebum but also the color and grain of your skin (the contour and pattern created by the fine grooves on the surface of your skin)! Look at the photos on the right. Even with the same amount of sebum, oily shine is more obvious in Mr. B, who has a darker skin color. If your skin doesn't have an even-grained surface, the oily shine stands out because of reflected light. In other words, oily shine is less noticeable in Mr. A, who has a lighter complexion and evenly grained skin.
Then, what about stickiness? This is proportionate to the amount of sebum on the skin's surface. If there is more sebum, your skin gets stickier. On the other hand, if there is little sebum, your skin gets dry. Now, how much sebum do you think your skin secretes each day? Although there are individual differences, the average is said to be about 1 to 2 grams a day. The sebaceous glands that are found at the bottom of pores occur more in the T zone (forehead to nose area), so your cheek and mouth areas tends to get dry but the T zone tends to get sticky.

Sebum secretion increases hugely when you reach your teens

Research on the amount of sebum on the forehead of teenagers shows that there’s a big increase. Sebum is very important for your skin but excessive sebum isn’t just the cause of the cosmetic oily-shine problem but it may lead to skin problems such as acne. Teenage men, when sebum secretion starts in large quantities, must remove excess sebum properly. However, if the amount of sebum is drastically cut, the barrier function of the skin deteriorates, so your skin loses its internal moisture and this dryness may lead to skin irritation. You should always keep your skin clean and maintain the right amount of sebum. This is the key to keeping your skin moist, young and full of vitality.


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