Hey skin fighters. I’m stuck in this shoebox apartment again, mirror all steamed from me scrubbing my face raw, counter buried under crumpled oil papers and lotion tubes that promise the world but deliver squat. Muffin the cat squats on the sink, tail flicking, staring at my forehead like it’s a disco light he wants to swat. For months my face has been a grease trap—shine hits by ten a.m., pores big as moon craters, pimples popping up like they pay rent. Confidence? Gone. I dodge selfies, angle away from windows, blot every hour. It got worse after I moved here—humid air, late-night biryani runs, stress eating fries at 2 a.m. while freelancing. One night I drop a loaded pizza slice, cheese sliding down my shirt, oil mixing with my T-zone slick. Muffin bolts like the room’s on fire. That did it. I decided to fight oily skin by cutting foods that feed the shine. No fancy creams, no guru nonsense—just me, my avoids, and a cat who judges harder than my mirror. Pin Glow Control if you’re oily too. Let’s get into the mess.
Before the Change: Pure Grease Hell
Stand with me in the bathroom, light buzzing overhead, mirror fogged. My cheeks gleam, nose a lighthouse, chin dotted with blackheads. Touch my face—fingers come away slick. Makeup? Slides off by lunch, turns cakey. Pores huge, hair sticks to forehead, breakouts angry red. I snap a before pic—no filter, no mercy. Score: 2/10. Functional but miserable.
Skin always oily, but now it’s a factory. Wake with residue, peak shine by night. Blame fried parathas, cheesy Maggi, late sodas, bacon from the deli, white bread toast. Humidity teams up, sleep wrecked from gigs. Tried salicylic washes, clay packs, mattifiers—temporary fix, shine returns. Goal: avoid trigger foods four weeks, calm glands, cut shine, stay cheap. Muffin watches from the toilet tank like I’m about to fail big. I list avoids, breathe deep, start.
My Avoid Plan: Dodging the Grease Triggers
Oily skin fix means skipping foods that crank sebum, spike hormones, inflame. Four-week plan, five main avoids, swap in easy stuff from market. Cost: ten bucks maybe, mostly not buying junk. Phase out slow, drink water like crazy, green tea too. Here’s the chaos—spills, cat paws, cravings.
The Five Foods I Cut
- Fried Anything – No samosas, fries, pakoras daily. Trans fats clog inside out.
- Dairy – Milk, cheese, curd, ice cream gone most days. Hormones boost oil.
- Sugary Junk – Candies, colas, mithai, juices. Sugar spikes insulin, more sebum.
- Processed Meats – Sausages, salami, kebabs out. Fats inflame.
- White Carbs – Bread, maida roti, white rice. Swap whole wheat, brown rice.
How I Managed (Barely)
Pantry raid: toss chip bags, Muffin bats wrappers. Swap milk—almond spills everywhere. Tea instead cola, mug tips, cat leaps. Notebook tracks shine, pores, pimples. Pizza spill day one stains shirt, reminder. Water eight glasses—hard with chai love. One fry slip day eight. Muffin steals apple slice—thief.
Weekend prep: chop salads, boil eggs, nuts ready. Sticky notes on fridge: NO CHEESE. Muffin paws them off.
Week by Week: The Shine Fade
Selfies weekly, natural light. Magnifier checks. Notes scribbled. Muffin photobombs.
Week One: Rough Start
No fries—morning okay, evening less mirror shine. Pores calmer. Score 3/10. Muffin mourns empty crisp spot.
Black coffee weird, almond milk day three—chin bumps down. Water flushes. Spill cleanup, cat laps. Score 3.5/10.
Apple snacks—no sugar crash, afternoon oil dip. Water bottle knockover flood. Score 4/10.
Week Two: Finding Rhythm
No salami sandwich—face lighter. Cheek pimples fade. Score 4.5/10.
Whole wheat toast—blackheads less, shine subtle. Makeup holds. Score 5/10.
Friends notice fresher look on call. Makeup-free errands brave.
Week Three: Matte Creeping In
Nose less oily, makeup lasts night. Pores shrink. Score 6/10.
Clear skin days, no new zits. Blot sheets stay home. Score 6.5/10.
Energy steady, no sugar dips.
Week Four: Big Win
Matte most day, no dab need. Skin smooth. Score 7.5/10.
Final pic natural glow, not grease. Score 8/10.
Day Thirty: Holding Steady
Shine minimal even humid, stress. Texture soft. Dairy rare treat now.
Wins, Woes, Tips
Not easy but worth it. Cravings hit, spills happen, cat chaos.
Wins
- Cheap – Saved fifteen bucks skipping junk, bought veggies.
- Real Change – Oil down, clear skin, tight pores four weeks.
- Tasty Swaps – Roast veggies beat fry, fruit beats candy.
Woes
- Cheese Dreams – Day three grumpy, pizza fantasies.
- Fry Slip – Day eight one bite, shine back next day.
- Cat Trash Raids – Wrappers everywhere, laugh but annoying.
Tips
- Skip fry daily—bake, grill.
- Dairy minimal—plant milk.
- Sugar out—fruit in.
- No processed meat—lean protein.
- Whole grains only.
Fried and dairy biggest culprits. Skin steady month later.
Science Quick (No BS)
Sebum from glands diet-driven. Fried trans fats inflame, dairy IGF-1 spikes androgens, sugar insulin surge, processed fats bad, white carbs blood sugar mess. Low-glycemic cuts sebum 20 percent month. Dairy cut helps acne trials. My face proof.
Twists and Cat Drama
Pizza drop day one—Muffin greasy paws, cleanup laugh. Fry slip taught delay. Work rush sandwich flops, pack ahead now. Smoothie share roommate, compliments boost. Sugar crave bake low-sugar. Muffin bats candy—wellness cat? Rain week three minimal shine. BBQ meat slip, water double. Chaos human.
After: Was It Worth?
Month on 8/10—matte natural, pores small, rare zits. Habits stick, dairy weekend okay. Humidity stress minor blot. Less product money. Cheap effort beats grease life. Try if oily—food matters.
Your oily enemy? Comment avoids, flops. Pin Glow Control, matte on!