TED Talks & T-Zone - Skincare to the T

Let’s admit it - all of us at some point have dreamed of delivering a TED talk. Getting on that round red carpet in a hall with the audience in front of us in rapt attention. With the story & slides ready, you come onstage and feel the spotlight on yourself. And somehow instead of your slick slides or riveting narrative; your super oily, & thus, shiny forehead, nose, and chin end up stealing the limelight? And the dream turns into a nightmare - as conventional advertising would get you to believe.

But not quite in real life. We are pretty sure you’ll end up delivering a great talk regardless (even if it’s in the dream), but that oily irritant is something that we encounter in reality on a pretty regular basis. Welcome to the T-zone on your face and the Pandora’s box it brings along. And, if you’re unfamiliar with the word T-zone and yet know exactly what we’re talking about, here’s what is your T-zone and how to combat it, simplified.

What is the T-zone?

Your forehead, nose, & chin create the shape of a T on your face, which is called the T-zone area. The T-zone can often be oilier & more acne-prone than the rest of your face because of the presence of more sebaceous (oil) glands. When bacteria and dead skin cells start to accumulate on the skin, they tend to block these oil glands, thereby causing T-zone acne, pimples, and blackheads.

How to tame an oily T-zone?

Let’s face it – no one likes oily, perpetually greasy skin, let alone your skin gleaming in the shape of a very specific alphabet! So how do you tame the oil and fix your T-zone? Here are a few easy tips to get started.

The right cleanser is important

Use a sulphate-free facewash to get rid of the excess oil and cleanse your pores. Also, make sure you stick to washing your face twice a day, and not more – you may think that washing your face as much as you will get rid of the oily feeling, what happens is, your skin dries out unnaturally and your oil glands start secreting more oil; unless you want a T-zone breakout.  

Exfoliation saves the day

The power of exfoliation is often undermined, especially for those with an oily patch on their skin. Exfoliate with a gentle scrub at least twice a week; while this is important for your face and body, it can work wonders in getting rid of T-zone pimples by removing the dead skin cells clogging the pores.

Masks on

It is super important to get masking, given that there’s a pandemic outside, of course – but here we mean a different one - the clay face masks. A clay-based mask (kaolin and bentonite) can deep cleanse and remove excess oil from within. Use it regularly, once, or twice a week and you may even see your acne scars lightening.

Become best friends with your moisturizer

Yes, you heard that right. Oily skin and an oilier T-zone need a moisturizer too. Because oily or dry, your skin needs hydration, a lack of which can lead your skin to secrete more oil. Trash the heavy, greasy creams and go for a light, water-based moisturizer, and your skin will thank you.

The Final Word

An oily T-zone on your face is one of the most common skin concerns ever, which is extremely easy to resolve with the slightest bit of added care. We hope you’ve made notes of what to do and won’t be scrambling around for a blotting paper before an important zoom call or that TED Talk. Remember, while blotting is temporary, taking care of your skin the right way is here to stay.