Does stress cause oily skin? You may have tried a million oily skin remedies, but the underlying cause of your oily skin could be something you didn't expect: stress. Stress can worsen any skin problem, especially oily skin. Excess oil production is one of the most common skin issues, and stress usually plays a huge role.

Stress and skin concerns go hand in hand because stress causes the hormone cortisol to be released, which causes a chain reaction in the skin. Perspiration increases, and capillary function decreases as the blood flow leaves your skin and goes to your internal organs and your brain. Eventually this leads to your body producing more oil to protect itself.

Your skin needs some oil to provide a protective barrier, but too much oil can fill up and congest pores, so they look bigger and are more likely to breakout. Too much oil can actually "trick" the skin into thinking it's dehydrated because water can't reach the surface of the skin. This can trigger the production of even more oil! This is why even those with oily skin need to use a daily moisturizer, even though it may seem counterintuitive.

It's a fact that stress aggravates your skin in multiple ways, but how do you stop oily skin in its tracks?

While it's hard to get rid of 100% of your stress, you can reduce the levels you feel day-to-day. Reducing stress essentially acts as an oily skin treatment, so it's worth the effort. Try to cut back by following these tips.

1. Sleep: sleep is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Ideally you should be aiming for 7-8 hours every night.
2. Take a break: once a day take 10-30 minutes to step away from whatever task you're doing and just breathe.
3. Plan ahead: keeping an organized calendar reduces stress by making sure you're prepared for everything.
4. Diet:eating right is crucial for your body and it's been proven to reduce stress.
5. Let something go: if you're constantly accepting projects and activities when you're already overwhelmed, it's ok to say no occasionally. Focus on the important tasks and activities.
6. Get help: if none of the tips you try reduce your stress levels, consider getting professional help.

Still wondering how to stop oily skin? Stress isn't the only contributing factor to oily skin! Find out what else causes oily skin here.

Regardless of the cause, another step you can take to combat oil production is by using the right products for oily skin. Start by using the basic oily skin products, like the best cleanser for oily skin, toner and moisturizer.

Then use Oil Control Mattifier to prevent and reduce breakthrough shine. Oil Control Mattifier absorbs any excess oil throughout the day, reduces the appearance of pores and keeps t-zone shine at bay.

Learn how to use shine-busting Oil Control Mattifier in this quick video:

Yes, stress can cause oil and breakouts, but it can do so much more to your body when it impacts your sleep. Stress in combination with lack of sleep will often wreak havoc on your complexion by aggravating more skin concerns, like irritation, sensitivity, rosacea, puffy under eyes, dark under eye circles, and any preexisting conditions. Experts recommend that the average adult gets 7-9 hours of sleep per night*. When you regularly sleep less than this, you set yourself up for more stress and more skin concerns.

*National Sleep Foundation

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