How to reduce oily skin?

A salicylic wash is a good choice of skincare for oily skin. Differin definitely helps too with reducing oily skin. While it may cause some dryness and irritation initially, most people develop a tolerance to it after a period of regular use.

Some tips that may help to reduce the dryness:

1. Applying Differin only on the oilier areas of the face (usually the T-zone and occasionally jawline/chin for ladies),
2. Spacing out the use if it is too dry (using once every 2-3 nights instead),
3. Mixing it with a moisturiser before applying (usually, a pea size of Differin is enough for a typical sized Asian face)

Acne outbreaks when your period is near is relatively common in ladies. This can be due to many lifestyle factors, but may also be a medical condition that will benefit from early intervention. If the symptoms are really bothering you, I would advise you to seek advice from a medical doctor. Hope this helps!

In addition to Dr Chua's tips, I would suggest starting topical tretinoin GEL (for oily skin) vs cream (for dry skin) at initial lower concentrations of 0.025% or 0.05% to be used once every 2-3 nights and then stepped up subsequently over a course of 2-3 weeks, especially since you are already using a face wash with Salicylic acid in it. Used in combination, both salicylic acid and tretinoin may cause more skin sensitivity and dryness.

A degree of dryness and irritation can be expected when initiated on tretinoin. If the side effects are intolerable, I would suggest stopping tretinoin and seeking a friendly medical consult for advice on effective acne control whilst minimizing potential side effects.