Disclosure: This post is Sponsored by Trophy Skin. Oily skin is my own with a lifetime of experience to provide the advice.

I've had oily skin my whole life. When I was in my teens and 20's I thought the best I could do was to always have blotting papers handy or to keep reapplying mattifying power. Sometimes keeping your skin routine simple is the best way to start improving your skin. Follow these tips, and you're on your way to diminishing the oil, keeping your pores clear and cutting down on the break-outs.

1. Take Your Makeup Off Each Night

This is a no-brainer, but also the lazy girl in me doesn't always abide by this very obvious skin care rule. Sometimes we're out late with friends and just want to crash in bed once home regardless of the full face of makeup and other times the wing on your cat eye is so on point that you want to try to keep it intact for a refresh the next day. (Trust me, I've been there.) Layers of makeup being rubbed into your skin while tossing and turning is just putting yourself in the fast lane to a breakout. Take the time to remove the makeup, it'll pay off.

2. Wash Your Face Daily

Washing your face, even if you weren't wearing makeup, is important for clearing away all of the environmental elements that can wreak havoc on our skin. Use a cell phone? You're rubbing dirt on the side of your face. Touch your face during the day? You're putting bacteria on your skin. Only washed your sheets last week? You're rolling around in dead skin. (Gross.) You get the point. A foaming face wash is best for oily skin as it'll cleanse away the excess sebum without stripping your face of the oils it needs to stay hydrated.

3. Exfoliate Twice Per Week

Oily skin is more than just a greasy face. It means clogged pores, being prone to breakouts and blackheads in what seems like an endless cycle. While cleansing your face is key to preventing breakouts, exfoliation is the best friend you never knew you needed. Unclogging your pores helps prevent larger pores in the future (and no, you cannot turn back time on your pores - once they're large, there is no magic method to shrink them.) If you're looking for a simple but effective way to do this, check out my review of Trophy Skin's LaBelle Ultrasonic Skin Spatula (and the promo code for 15% off.)

4. Wear a Gel-Based Moisturizer

Creams tend to be too heavy for oily skin and gels seem to provide the perfect amount of moisture. I love the light texture of a gel moisturizer and how quickly it absorbs into skin. Gels also give skin a bit of a mattifying effect instead of contributing to that highly coveted oil slick look. (Complete, and utter sarcasm.)

5. Wash Your Pillowcase Twice Per Week

Sure, we all know we should be washing our sheets at least once per week, but that pillowcase becomes a petri dish pretty quickly if not washed more frequently. Oils, not only from your face but your hair, blend in with shedding skin, bacteria and makeup (if you forgo tip #1) to create an environment ripe for pore clogging. While most skin experts say it's best to sleep on your back and avoid your face touching the pillow altogether, let's be real - those of us who sleep on our sides and bellies cannot change our ways (nor do we really want to.) Prevention is key and unfortunately having oily skin means we have to put in a little more effort to keep our skin clear and blemish free - something our future selves will be grateful for. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Trophy Skin. Review and opinions are my own.

Blackheads on my nose and chin have long been an issue for me since my teen years. Having oily skin for most of my life, and not a good skin care routine in my younger years, created a perfect storm for my pores.

Now in my mid-40's and losing skin elasticity by the day (it seems), means those large pores can appear even larger when clogged. Add in now having "mature skin" (yes, I am literally doing air quotes), means my skin has a tendency to get dry in some spots leaving my skin looking dull.

In between monthly spa facials, I began using Trophy Skin's LaBelle Ultrasonic Skin Spatula to unclog my pores, and exfoliate my skin without ever applying a scrub or mask to do so. If you've been wondering about this beauty tool, read on for my review!

What's Included:

The LaBelle device, charging adapter, storage case, and user manual. Mine also came with a promo for a free travel size skin care item (I plan to get their Argan Stem Cell Serum.)

How it Works:

The LaBelle Ultrasonic Skin Spatula is a professional grade extraction, exfoliation and infusion beauty device. It has two modes - scrubber mode and infusion mode.

Scrubber Mode is the mode in which you are exfoliating, deep cleaning and extracting dirt and debris; you do this with your face wet. But don't be fooled by the name - you aren't physically applying pressure to scrub your skin. The LaBelle does all of the work for you with ultrasonic waves moving at 30,000 Hz.
Infusion Mode is used after Scrubber Mode and aids in deeper infusion of your serum. You'll be able to accomplish both modes in under 5 minutes. Recommended use is 1-2 times per week the first few weeks and then 2-3 times per week once your skin is used to it.

My Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect of this skin spatula and I made sure not to read other reviews prior to using it so that I could form my own opinion on its use.

It easily fits in your hand and comes in a handy case for storage. My device was fully charged, so that made for a great out-of-the-box use. The manual is very easy to understand, so you don't have to be a professional to use this beauty device.

I was a little awkward the first time I used it when trying to make sure I was using the correct side of the device for scrubbing and then for infusion; I kept referring back to the manual as I used it. I even put way too much water on my face the first time causing the ultrasonic waves to gently bounce a spray of water into the air, scaring the life out of me and making me laugh out loud. My kids wondered what in the world I was up to.

After the first use, it was smooth sailing and I really liked that this was a super quick skin treatment and didn't require much from me.

Scrubber Mode

As you glide the spatula across your skin in Scrubber Mode, you'll watch the dirt and debris on your skin seem to effortlessly lift and find its way onto the spatula. It was oddly satisfying to watch, especially since I really wasn't doing any physical labor to make it happen. You do have to make sure to keep your skin wet when using it or you do feel the pulsing slightly. It doesn't hurt, but it makes you aware that the water has evaporated off your skin.

Scrubber Mode only took about 90 seconds to use - it's very quick! I paid special attention to my nose and chin since those are my main problem areas when it comes to blackheads and being prone to blemishes. You can use the device anywhere on your face, but you do have to keep it away from your eyes.

If you have an active breakout, you need to avoid that area as well. When you are done, make sure to wipe the spatula clean (it will have lots of gunk on it) and wash your face with warm water, patting dry when done.

Infusion Mode

This is the second button on the LaBelle Ultrasonic Skin Spatula. First pat on your favorite skin serum (do not rub it in as you want it lying wet atop your skin.) Next, press the Infusion button and lie the flat end of the spatula on your skin moving in circular motions.

Do not apply pressure as you do this, as the ultrasonic waves will do the work for you just like it does for Scrubber Mode. You'll begin to feel when the serum has absorbed as you move across your face. This mode took maybe 45-60 seconds at most.

Does the Skin Spatula Work?

I was pleasantly surprised at the difference in the appearance of my skin after the first use. I watched with my own eyes as it removed the dirt and oil, and then delivering my serum deeper really seemed to help soften some of my wrinkles due to being well-hydrated.

For the two months that I have had the chance to use this product, my face has not been dry at all and I haven't had a break out at all. I'm really impressed, but I almost feel guilty in a way because it was very little work to see such great results.

So does it work to improve your skin? It did for me! Try it for yourself at TrophySkin.com. 

Disclosure: This post is Sponsored by Trophy Skin. All opinions on their RejuvaliteMD are my own.

As a mom, I sometimes feel guilty to take a moment (or 2 or 3) for myself. However, in order to really have my act together, it's a necessity. Mind, body - and skin! About a month ago I wrote about taking 5 minutes a day to myself to focus on my skin and minimize the appearance of wrinkles with Trophy Skin's, RejuvaliteMD. This is a follow up post to show you how, even just a few minutes a few times per week, can make a big difference. I even surprised myself when I put my before and after pictures side by side! It's funny the things you learn when you decide it's OK to take time for yourself - some things I learned were:

• You can achieve a lot with consistency
• Focusing on just one thing at a time can make a big difference
• Even small things add up over time
• Doing something for yourself can improve you physically

I'll be honest, I was skeptical that I would see a difference in my skin for what would add up to be about 20 minutes per week using RejuvaliteMD. Relaxing on my bed as the red light therapy went to work felt way too easy. The time went by in a snap and all that was required of me was to make sure my face was cleansed before using it. Since I look at my face daily, it's hard to notice changes that slowly evolve. Which is why when I placed the two unedited photos of before and after side by side, I was pleasantly surprised at the difference, mainly how the fine lines that seemed to be stacked vertically down the side of my cheek, had disappeared. Seeing the difference has encouraged me to keep going - not that I really needed a reason to take that little bit of me time daily. Right now Trophy Skin is offering A Girl’s Gotta Spa! readers a 15% off discount on any item from their store. This is in addition to also receving free shipping to any U.S. address. Use GOTTASPA at check out. The promo code expires on June 30, 2018. There is a 60 Day Guarantee on all items purchased on TrophySkin.com. If you've used RejuvaliteMD, what differences did you notice in your skin? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!