Answer: There are as many answers to this question as there are symptoms of acne. The short answer; it is an excess of oil on the face, whether it be through natural oil production or from adding oily products to the face which tend to be too heavy for the skin, whereby resulting in these benign breakouts. They don’t actually turn into a true pimple but the skin just feels bumpy all over as though you are about to have a major outbreak, but never do. They just kind of sit there and then finally recede.
This is not acne in the sense of the word as we know it, but a reaction within the skin rebelling against saturation of too much product, basically plugging pores. Skincare products should never smother skin or create an oily after feel past 5 – 15 minutes. If your skin still feels oily after this, then you’ll know you are using too much product.
Another reason for this symptom, is when we use straight oils on our skin to moisturize. This will tend to always be too much for the skin. Oils and butters are always best used in a skin cream where the proper balance has been created for maximum skin absorption without over saturation of the skin. Benefits are lost when one thinks that the individual ingredient is better since it is pure and without compromise to other ingredients.
Unfortunately, an imbalance can be created on the skin when utilizing moisturizing in this manner. Synergistic blends of skin creams and cleansers are created to perform perfectly in tune with the pH and oil balance of the skin by controlling sebum and soothing and moisturizing skin adequately and correctly. This is the concept behind our ONATI Skin Care Products.
NOTE: This can also happen when changing products which results in oil and pH changes on the face. When changing a regimen if you are prone to acne, make sure that you give the new regimen 4-6 months to allow skin to balance and correct itself. And as always, when concerned, be sure to see a dermatologist since it can be other benign conditions such as milia or keratosis pilaris
Skincare Note: Also, don’t forget facial masks can be quite soothing and beneficial to the skin while enduring a process change. Stick with gentle natural face masks that you can create yourself since many over the counter masks can be drying an overly harsh to skin, plus they use many other synthetic chemicals skin doesn’t need. Here are some nice gentle facial masque recipes for all different skin types which also aid with exfoliation from our Sterling Minerals Skin Care Guide.
Silicone Oils And Your Mineral Makeup Are Not Synergistic
We have had just a scant few women with an issue using their favorite moisturizer with our mineral makeup, and explain the problem, that the minerals are perfect when they leave the house in the morning, but by days end, seem to be sitting on top of the skin. They love our mineral makeup no matter the issue, but they would like to enjoy the benefits as other women have found with the minerals looking like natural flawless, healthy skin, lasting all day.
Upon investigation of the skincare regimen they are using, they sadly discover their products do not contain actual moisturizing ingredients at all. They contain those that double as a surfactant and an emollient with others that act as humectants, which become moot when the same product contains silicone oil and its’ derivatives; dimethicone and / or cyclomethicone. Once this ingredient coats the skin, no moisture will be attracted to the face because this ingredient is designed to trap moisture against the skin to prevent further moisture loss, basically leaving an impenetrable coating.
It is this same technology that will prevent proper melding of any mineral makeup to the skin, no matter the brand. Essentially giving that chalky appearance to the face. So if you love our mineral makeup, but may be having a similar problem, not quite getting the exceptional finish you desire, then this may be your answer.
Since silicone goes on slippery and can have an oily feeling it does give the illusion of being a nice moisturizer, once it dissipates however, the skin is left with a silken, dry texture. The skin feels soft and smooth, but it is far from moisturized. A synthetic emollient ingredient is not the same as a moisturizing one. And since minerals are applied on top of the moisturizer, it too will react to this dry texture, having nowhere to go but to separate from the moisturizer and sit atop the face. The melding process is now severed.
We of course would love for every woman using our minerals to also enjoy our exclusive ONATI Skin Care line, but we also understand that women have their favorites in this regard and they do include organic, natural branding. Any great moisturizer will work beautifully with our products, just make sure it does not contain the ingredients that prevent the benefits our mineral makeup offers to our customers.
To better understand what an excellent moisturizer is, these two articles will give in detail, the best ingredients to look for and what to avoid.
Does Oily Skin Need Moisturizing Too?
Stop The Insanity Of Acne Cycles
To learn the differences between silicone oils and all the many derivatives that can be found in skincare, and the Methicone we use in our mineral makeup, you can find this info at the link below.
Does Methicone Clog Pores Or Cause Acne?
Answer: All of our products work well for all skin types, but to define a specific skincare regimen, we highly recommend the very best facial care products for controlling 
oily skin and for improving the appearance of any sun damage, melasma, acne scarring, age spots, psoriasis or rosacea which accompany oily skin types.
- Cleansing ~ ONATI Honey Foaming Cleanser: This gentle foaming cleanser is perfect for oily skin and will not irritate sensitive skin. Rich in amino acids for promoting skin health while alleviating skin irritations. It will remove all traces of dirt, grime and makeup without stripping skin of its’ natural oils. This cleanser is also perfect for removing eye makeup. Your skin will be left looking and feeling clean and soft.
- Toning ~ ONATI Perfect Balance Facial Toner: This is perfect for moisturizing while balancing the delicate acid mantle of the skin. We also incorporated the gentle use of natural fruit acids for gently keeping skin exfoliated without further irritation unlike other AHA products using Glycolic Acid or BHA products using Salicylic Acid. This is very important in order to keep skin cell turnover to a maximum to prevent further occlusion of pores.
- Moisturizing ~ ONATI Calm And Refresh: This organic moisturizer is light and creamy, yet rich in natural oils, organic herbs and distillates for infusing the skin with hydrating moisture without leaving a heavy feel to the skin. This incredible lightweight cream works to help reduce the visible signs of aging and fight free radical damage caused by the environment.
- Facial Treatment ~ ONATI Vitamin Rich Facial Serum: Our intensive serum helps fight the signs of aging and protects the skin from free radical damage through infusion of natural fruit acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and natural humectants. Our key ingredients DMAE, Hyaluronic Acid and Coenzyme Q10 combined with Alpha Lipoic Acid assist with allowing the essential nutrients to penetrate deep within the surface of the skin, minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles. This provides age defying benefits which help support the skin against further loss of moisture and aids in fighting against damage caused by free radicals. There will be a noticeable improvement in skin quality through cumulative effects creating a look and feel of firmness and vitality to the skin.
When utilizing a facial treatment, for best results, apply the facial serum to the skin after you cleanse and tone, then apply your moisturizer.
This regimen will bring about excellent results for leaving your skin looking and feeling renewed by combining nature with science for the ultimate in result driven formulas. We also recommend one of our Face Cloths for gentle exfoliation to further compliment this skincare regimen rather than using harsh AHA’s or BHA’s.
Side Note: Grecian Secrety Body Souffle can also be used as a great substitute for increasing moisture to oily skin since Olive Oil is excellent for helping to reduce the over production of our natural sebum and is not occlusive to skin.
Question Asked By:
Lucinda G.
Sebastapol, California
Questions and Answers edited for content
Mineral Makeup Removal Is Easy 
Our mineral makeup has wonderful adherence to the skin, and will last all day until you take it off. Just about any cleanser will remove your mineral powders with little effort. Of course for cleansing the face we also offer two excellent facial cleansers. Revitalizing Cleansing Lotion or Honey Foaming Cleansing Gel, either of which will do a fantastic job at removal of your mineral makeup depending on your skincare needs. One operates with lipophilic and hydrophilic cleansing properties while the other is a gentle foaming wash.
Getting The Best Results
When cleansing the face with just cleanser and water, it may require washing the face a second time in order to remove most traces of your mineral makeup if you are simply rinsing the face through flushing the skin. However, for cleansing the face thoroughly, we recommend using one of our facial washcloths with a massaging motion for rinsing in order to gently remove the cleanser and the makeup after massaging the face with your fingers. They also do wonders for gently exfoliating and removing all traces of your mineral makeup.
No Worries With Our Minerals
Unlike traditional makeup, however, having some of the minerals left behind or missed on the skin, will not cause any problems for the face. Especially since the ingredients we use in our mineral makeup will be so gentle on the skin if left behind, because we don’t use bismuth oxychloride or mica based formulas.
So rest assured, your skin will be soothed and protected when using our mineral makeup products.
Many women write to us about the fact they have hypersensitive skin and just about anything they use brings about a reaction. So needless to say they are worried when 
switching to any new mineral makeup or skincare products.
Unfortunately, we can’t be all things to all people as much as we would love to be, but we have gone above and beyond to develop our mineral cosmetics and ONATI Skin Care to be very low in any irritation factor.
Some tips for using products and avoiding skin reactions:
- Always select Delicate Rose Petal formula in our mineral makeup foundation, which is designed to be the best for delicate / sensitive skin issues.
- Always apply mineral makeup using one of our synthetic makeup brushes. Do not use animal hair since it breaks and can cause irritation and poking on the skin.
- Do not over buff our minerals. All they require is press and sweep. This reduces contact irritation like one gets with the old buffing method, grinding ingredients into the pores.
- Applying your mineral makeup with the moist method provides the best adherence and reduces friction, giving the mineral powders a creamy feel and texture on the skin.
- The use of our Evening Rose Veil has proven to be exceptional in soothing skin irritations, so use of this product at bedtime can help skin look and feel better by morning.
- Even our use of gentle fruit acids in some of our skincare products can cause some stinging on hypersensitive skin. Either completely avoid them or only apply to the face a couple of times per week, or before applying the minerals since they will counteract this with a soothing effect.
- Never apply toner with a cotton ball, since this is like rubbing fiberglass on hypersensitive skin, whereby leaving tiny fibers behind to further irritate it. Apply with fingertips with a patting motion or spray on with a fine mister. Toner is not an astringent so patting is all that is necessary for normalizing skins’ pH balance. In fact, avoid astringents altogether.
- Never use a washcloth for cleansing the skin, since this is highly irritating to hypersensitive skin types. Our microfiber face towels can be an excellent alternative, depending on your level of sensitivity. Sea sponges are also excellent for flushing the skin with gentle pressure.
- Always cleanse face after a shower and shampoo to remove potential irritants left over from haircare products.
- Avoid products with perfume or artificial fragrance on the label. Only use essential oils if they are identified rather than a “blend of essential oils” description. This way you’ll know the potential for an irritant when using the products containing them.
- Don’t use drying cosmetic masks, but those made with honey, avocado, rose water, rice flour, yogurt, ground oatmeal and jojoba oil. Stay clear of mud masks or peels.
Of course with any products on the market you use, there is always a potential for a reaction as every individual is unique, and unfortunately it boils down to the time consuming trial and error. This is why so many companies are offering so many choices. Like with all things, if you should have a reaction, discontinue its’ use. And if irritation persists consult your physician.
As we head toward Winter, in some climates the air loses its’ humidity and becomes drier as the days and nights get colder. Forced air furnaces are the worst for drying out our skins’ surface. We need to be mindful of the fact our skin now needs more attention than during the warmer months.
With dryness comes itchiness and scaling, and then we scratch ourselves until we create a whole new set of problems for our skin. Don’t scratch, but apply soothing moisturizers which help with the symptoms that can accompany dry skin irritation.
Here are some things to do to increase and retain moisture on the skin during the dry Winter months.
These simple tips will help to diminish fine lines and wrinkles and avoid the aging process all the more:
- Run a humidifier in the bedroom while you sleep to elevate humidity levels
- Only take warm showers and baths since hot water deteriorates the delicate mantle of the skin removing our natural barrier oils
- Turn off exhaust fans during your shower to retain humidity in the bathroom and to increase humidity within the home
- Switch to a cream cleanser or cleansing lotion. Even with gentle surfactants in a foaming type, dry skin will perform better with a creamy cleanser
- Apply your moisturizer to your body and face while skin is still damp to help retain more moisture against the skin
- Switch up from your light moisturizer to a more intense one, for either day time wear or for increasing moisture for a night time treatment
- Give yourself a winter facial treatment with a moisturizing homemade masque using ingredients like yogurt, honey, rice powder, jojoba oil and rose water
- Pay special attention to hands, feet, knees and elbows as these areas tend to crack most often compared to other areas of the body
Ingredients which act as natural humectants for protection of our skin and for retaining moisture:
- Olive Oil
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Honey
- Lecithin
- Organic Sugar Cane
You’ll find these ingredients along with many rich emollients and other age defying ingredients in many of our ONATI Skin Care products. One of which is our premier product for improving skin health, our Vitamin Rich Facial Serum. For excessively dry skin on the face or body, you can increase the moisture barrier and replenish the skin with Sterols and Polyphenols using our Grecian Secret Body Souffle.
Both of these products can be used by those with oily skin, and are recommended for their humectant properties, and for reducing the production of pore clogging sebum, which creates an acne prone environment for bacteria to grow. Plus the Vitamin Rich Facial Serum offers gentle exfoliation through the use of natural fruit acids, helping to prevent buildup of naturally sloughing skin debris. No harsh AHA’s (glycolic acid) or BHA’s (salicylic acid)!
Give your dry skin the special attention it deserves during the upcoming winter months. Your skin will thank you.
Answer: All of our products work well for all skin types, but to define a specific skincare regimen, we highly recommend the very best facial care products for alleviating 
dryness and for improving the appearance of sun damage, melasma, acne scarring, age spots, psoriasis or rosacea. No matter the issues mature skin faces, especially after menopause, this regimen will be perfection:
- Cleansing ~ ONATI Revitalizing Cleansing Lotion: This cleanser is detergent free and utilizes the science of hydrophilic and lipophilic action for removal of dirt, debris, excess oil and all traces of makeup, including the delicate eye area. Your skin will be left looking and feeling clean and soft.
- Toning ~ ONATI Perfect Balance Facial Toner: This is perfect for moisturizing while balancing the delicate acid mantle of the skin. We also incorporated the gentle use of natural fruit acids for gently keeping skin exfoliated without further irritation unlike other AHA products using Glycolic Acid or BHA products using Salicylic Acid which are extremely harsh on sensitive skin types.
- Moisturizing ~ ONATI Rejuvenate Face Cream: This luxurious facial treatment is superior for providing a nourishing synergetic blend of ingredients known for combating the aging process, by delivering essential nutrients to moisture starved and injured skin which has been exposed to years of harmful environmental conditions, including sun damage.
- Facial Treatment ~ ONATI Vitamin Rich Facial Serum: Our intensive serum helps fight the signs of aging and protects the skin from free radical damage through infusion of natural fruit acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and natural humectants. Our key ingredients DMAE, Hyaluronic Acid and Coenzyme Q10 combined with Alpha Lipoic Acid assist with allowing the essential nutrients to penetrate deep within the surface of the skin, minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles. This provides age defying benefits which help support the skin against further loss of moisture and aids in fighting against damage caused by free radicals. There will be a noticeable improvement in skin quality through cumulative effects creating a look and feel of firmness and vitality to the skin.
When utilizing a facial treatment, for best results, apply the facial serum to the skin after you cleanse and tone, then apply your moisturizer.
This regimen will bring about excellent results for leaving your skin looking and feeling renewed by combining nature with science for the ultimate in result driven formulas. We also recommend one of our Face Cloths for gentle exfoliation to further compliment this skincare regimen rather than using harsh AHA’s or BHA’s.
Side Note: Rejuvenate Face Cream is not best used by those still afflicted with active acne or cystic acne. If your skin still suffers from this then switch to Grecian Secret Body Souffle for your moisturizing needs.
Question Asked By:
Cece B.
Aquitaine, Bordeaux, France
Questions and Answers edited for content
