If your skin gets shiny by midday and you break out easily, ubtan for oily skin can still fit into your routine — but it has to be used the right way. For oily and acne-prone skin, the job of ubtan is simple: a gentle cleanse and a light exfoliation, two or three times a week, mixed with rose water and never scrubbed over active breakouts. Used that way, it leaves skin feeling cleaner and looking fresher without drying it out.
One thing first, said plainly: ubtan is a cosmetic, not a treatment for acne. It does not cure pimples, unblock pores medically, or replace a dermatologist’s advice. This guide is about how to use it safely if your skin is oily or break-out prone — and about the mistakes that make things worse.
Golden Glow Ubtan Powder is made from seven whole ingredients and nothing else: Bengal Gram, Red Lentils, Green Mung Beans, Aromatic Fennel Seeds, Nourishing Pearl Oats, Pure Sandalwood and Wild Turmeric. No artificial fragrance, no colour, no preservatives, no fillers. Everything in this guide uses that one pouch — Rs. 600 for 100g.
Before your first use: the patch test
Mix a small amount and apply it to your inner forearm. Wait 24 hours. If there is no redness, itching or irritation, you can use it on your face. If there is any reaction, do not use it. Oily and acne-prone skin is often reactive skin as well, so do not skip this step — and if you have a diagnosed skin condition or are using prescription acne treatment, ask your dermatologist before adding any new product to your routine.
The Ubtan for Oily Skin Routine
This is the routine for skin that gets oily through the day, with or without breakouts:
- Wash your face with plain water and pat it dry.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of ubtan powder with 2 tablespoons of rose water into a smooth paste. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the powders soften.
- Apply an even layer over your face and neck with clean fingers or a brush. Avoid the eyes and lips.
- Leave it on for 15–20 minutes. It should feel dry to the touch at the end, but it must not crack. If it starts to crack and pull, rinse it off — you have left it too long.
- Wet your fingertips and loosen the pack with the lightest possible touch — 20–30 seconds of gentle circles, and skip any area with an active pimple or broken skin entirely. Do not massage over it.
- Rinse with room-temperature water. Pat dry, do not rub.
- Follow with your usual light moisturiser. Oily skin still needs moisturiser after exfoliation; skipping it can leave skin feeling tight and produce more oil through the day.
Rose water is the right liquid for this skin type because it makes a light, fresh paste. Milk and yogurt make a richer, creamier pack that suits dry skin better — for oily skin they can feel heavy. Plain water works too, and is the safest starting point if you are not sure how your skin will react.
How often
- Oily skin without frequent breakouts: face pack 2–3 times a week.
- Oily skin with frequent breakouts: face pack once a week to start, mixed with plain water or rose water. Increase only if your skin stays calm for several weeks.
- Combination skin (oily T-zone, drier cheeks): face pack 2 times a week; keep the pack off the drier areas if they feel tight afterwards, or use a thinner layer there.
Every time you use ubtan you are exfoliating. Daily pack use dries the skin out — and dry, irritated skin breaks out more easily, not less. Consistency at the right frequency beats doing it every day. The full frequency table by skin type is in the How to Use guide: How to Use Ubtan Powder.
What the ingredients traditionally do
The seven ingredients are the same pouch used in every guide on this site; for oily skin, the relevant part is what each one is traditionally used for in ubtan routines:
- Bengal Gram and Red Lentils — the base powders. Traditionally used for gentle cleansing and light exfoliation.
- Green Mung Beans — a fine, soft powder traditionally used to help lift away surface oil and dead skin.
- Sandalwood — traditionally used for its cooling, calming feel on the skin.
- Wild Turmeric — gives the powder its golden colour. A little goes a long way; too much can stain skin and towels, and can irritate — which is why the recipes in these guides use a pinch, not a spoonful.
- Pearl Oats and Fennel Seeds — soften the blend so the pack is not harsh. Oats in particular make the paste gentler than besan alone.
None of this makes ubtan a medicine. These are traditional cosmetic uses, and results vary from person to person. The full ingredient-by-ingredient breakdown is in the Benefits guide: Ubtan Powder Benefits.
What NOT to do on acne-prone skin
These are the mistakes that turn a gentle routine into an irritating one:
- Scrubbing active breakouts. Never massage ubtan hard over active pimples, open skin or anything that is weeping or bleeding. Skip that area, or skip the pack that week on that part of your face. Scrubbing spreads irritation.
- Using lemon juice in the mix. Lemon is acidic and can sting and irritate, especially on skin that is already inflamed or has just been in the sun. Rose water, plain water or milk are enough.
- Leaving the pack on until it cracks. 15–20 minutes is the window. A cracked pack pulls at the skin and is much harder to rinse off without rubbing.
- Using it every day to “dry out” pimples. Ubtan is not a spot treatment and does not dry out pimples. Daily exfoliation on acne-prone skin usually makes redness and breakouts worse.
- Skipping the patch test because the ingredients are “natural”. Natural ingredients can still irritate. The forearm test costs one day; skipping it can cost you a week of redness.
- Expecting it to replace your existing routine. If you already use a cleanser or a prescribed treatment, ubtan is an addition a few times a week, not a replacement.
What it will not do
- It will not cure or treat acne, pimples or any skin condition. It is a cosmetic for external use.
- For oily skin, the fairness comes from the routine itself — regular use clears excess oil and surface dullness, so skin looks lighter and fairer over weeks. Very dark skin does not turn white.
- It will not remove deep blackheads or replace professional extractions.
- It will not stop your skin producing oil — it cleans and exfoliates the surface; how much oil your skin produces is not something a face pack controls.
- Results vary. Some people with oily skin love a weekly ubtan pack; others find their skin prefers a plain cleanser. Both answers are fine.
If breakouts are painful, cystic, scarring, or not improving, see a dermatologist. That is the right tool for that job, and no home pack — homemade or ready-made — is a substitute.
Storing the pouch
Keep the pouch sealed, dry and out of direct sunlight. Never put a wet spoon into the pouch — moisture spoils the powder. Mixed paste does not keep; mix only what you will use in one sitting and throw away any leftover paste.
Frequently asked questions
Is ubtan powder good for oily skin?
It can be, used 2–3 times a week as a gentle pack mixed with rose water and rinsed off after 15–20 minutes. It cleans and lightly exfoliates the surface. It does not control how much oil your skin produces.
Can I use ubtan powder if I have pimples?
You can use it on acne-prone skin, but not on top of active breakouts. Skip any area with an active pimple when you loosen and rinse the pack, use it once a week to start, and stop if your skin gets more red or sore. Ubtan does not treat pimples — if breakouts are severe, see a dermatologist.
How often should I use ubtan on oily skin?
2–3 times a week for oily skin without frequent breakouts; once a week to start if you break out often. Daily use is too much — every use exfoliates, and over-exfoliating oily skin usually backfires.
What should I mix ubtan powder with for oily skin?
Rose water. It makes a light paste that suits skin that gets shiny. Plain water is the neutral option if you are unsure. Milk and yogurt suit dry skin better.
Does ubtan powder remove blackheads?
No. Gentle exfoliation can make skin look and feel smoother, but ubtan does not remove deep blackheads. Be honest with yourself about what a face pack can do — it is a cleansing ritual, not a clinical treatment.
Golden Glow Ubtan Powder — 100g pouch, Rs. 600.
Cash on Delivery all over Pakistan. Delivery Rs. 200, free on orders of Rs. 1,800 or more. Delivered in 2–5 working days. Pay by Cash on Delivery, JazzCash or Easypaisa.