2024 - Is it a good idea ?

After the craze around sebum treatment to take care of their hair, many people have decided to reproduce this technique on the face, hoping to benefit from the same benefits. But come to think of it, is this really the right way to go to regain healthy skin?

The two confinements that France has experienced have allowed the emergence of a beauty trend that is as novel as it is effective: the sebum cure. The principle is simple, just don't wash your hair for a good month. The sebum being composed of lipids, it will gradually nourish your hair fiber. In addition, by not attacking your scalp with unsuitable shampoos, the latter will learn to regulate its sebum production on its own. After the month of treatment, your hair has regained volume, shine, beautiful waves and a healthy scalp. In short, you leave with a healthy base if you want to completely change your hair care routine or if you want to help your scalp eliminate the irritants that you have applied to yourself until now.

The sebum cure for the hair has been very popular on social networks, be it YouTube, Instagram or TikTok, and with good reason, because it brings real benefits to your hair. Based on this principle, some Internet users have decided to apply it to their face. Thus, for several days, or even weeks, they no longer wash it so that the sebum is distributed over the entire epidermis. But, if it starts with a good intention, it is counterproductive to do a sebum cure on the face and above all it is not very hygienic.

Clogged pores and the appearance of pimples

Excess sebum on the scalp and on the face does not have the same consequences. If the skin is made up the same way in both cases, with pores, epidermis, dermis and hypodermis, the sebum produced by the scalp will attach to the hair that grows on the skull while the sebum that will be in excess on the face will remain on the skin. However, it is important to point out here that sebum, if produced in sufficient quantities, is good for the skin. Indeed, it is secreted by the sebaceous glands – present both on the face and on the scalp – and helps to form the hydrolipidic film which therefore protects the epidermis from external aggressions, mainly against oxidation due to the sun. It also helps maintain good skin hydration. But hypersebhorea, which is excess sebum on the skin, will have harmful effects on your skin.

First, the excess oil on your skin goes into your pores, which clogs them and creates blackheads. The excess sebum also promotes the development of bad bacteria that causes irritation, redness, inflammation and pimples. Aesthetically your face becomes shiny and dull and you can feel like some kind of annoyance as the day goes on. So you are a far cry from the glowy and luminous complexion that signifies healthy skin. It is better to adopt a minimalist routine to regulate your sebum and have enough of it than to never clean your face. In addition, cleaning is a very important step that will remove all the impurities and traces of pollution that you have accumulated during the day, which is all the more important with the wearing of the mask.

A 3-step routine

So you understand, if you have a skin problem, trying to cure the sebum on your face is not the right way to go. Instead, opt for a minimalist routine with more natural treatments that will no longer attack your skin and prevent it from producing too much sebum.

Step 1: the gentle cleanser

It is without a doubt the ideal cleanser for overly sensitized skin since it will not attack the skin. Your best bet is to opt for a cleansing balm that will not contain Lauryl Sulfate, a foaming agent that can irritate the skin. Unlike gels and foams, this one will not form a foam, but is just as effective, because it is lipophilic and therefore has a particular affinity with fatty substances. In the form of a balm, apply it on dry skin and in contact with the heat of your skin and the massage you are going to perform, it liquefies into a texture a little thicker than an oil. Cleansing balms are not reserved for dry skin, they can be used by combination to oily skin as long as you choose a suitable one that will not be too nourishing. In addition, there will be no oily film that will remain on the skin since the balm must be rinsed off with clear water.