Best skincare for oily skin – how to build an oily skin skincare routine from budget cleansers to luxury creams

Your guide to the best skincare for oily skin from cleansers to toners, serums, moisturisers, we help you build an oily skin skincare routine whatever your budget

The skincare market is full of options claiming to mattify, control, and rebalance oily skin.

Some work, many don’t and surprising number make things worse by stripping skin so aggressively that oil production increases.

To help you cut through the nonsense and find oily skin skincare that actually works, we’ve tested hundreds of cleansers, toners, serums, moisturisers and foundations to build the ultimate best skincare for oily skin list.

We’ve separated the options by product type and then within each section we’ve selected our favourite across three price points – budget (under £10), mid-range (£10-£30), and luxury (£30+).

Plus, given how popular and effective Korean skincare is at the moment, we’ve also thrown a K-beauty skincare option into each mix

We’ve focused on products that manage oil without causing other problems. Alternatively, head to our Finder page to explore our growing list of skincare reviews with filters based on type, price, oily skin and more.

What does oily skin need?

Image credit: Shutterstock

Oily skin happens when your sebaceous glands produce more sebum (oil) than your skin technically needs.

It’s partly genetic, partly hormonal, and partly environmental. This explains why teenagers tend to be oilier, why some women notice increased shine before their period, and why humid weather turns your T-zone into an oil slick.

The good news is that oily skin ages better. All that natural sebum keeps skin plumper and more protected from environmental damage.

The less good news is you’re more prone to congestion, blackheads, and breakouts because excess oil mixes with dead skin cells and clogs pores.

What works:

• Gentle cleansing that removes oil without stripping your skin barrier. When you use harsh cleansers, your skin overcompensates by producing more oil. You want clean, not squeaky.
• Lightweight hydration. Yes, oily skin still needs moisturiser. Skipping it doesn’t reduce oil, it just dehydrates your skin, which then produces more sebum to protect itself.
• Ingredients that regulate rather than strip. Things like niacinamide, salicylic acid, and AHAs used correctly can help manage oil production. Alcohol-heavy toners and aggressive scrubs just cause problems.

The key is working with your skin, not against it. Oily skin that’s properly cared for can be clear, healthy, and honestly quite resilient. Oily skin that’s been stripped and stressed is a nightmare – congested, reactive, and somehow still shiny.

Oily skin skincare routine builder

Jump straight to each section using the links below:

For each of the skin concerns, we’ve put together complete oily skin routines in the TL;DR boxes at the top of each section. Alternatively, see the full skincare for oily skin routines below, broken down by budget or keep scrolling to read more about each of the products.

Best cleansers for oily skin

Look for gel or foaming cleansers with a balanced pH, ideally around 5.5 and ingredients like niacinamide, salicylic acid, and gentle AHAs.

Below are the best cleansers for oily skin, you can also get more recommendations in our best cleanser guide.

Read more in our skincare ingredient checker guide.

Budget cleanser for oily skin: Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel

Simple’s Refreshing Facial Wash Gel is the sort of product that doesn’t try to be clever, which is exactly why it works.

It’s a straightforward foaming wash that removes oil, dirt, and light makeup without leaving your face feeling tight or stripped.

It’s not going to change your life, but it will clean your face properly twice a day for about 3p per wash, which is all most people actually need from a budget morning cleanser.

The gel texture spreads easily and rinses clean without residue. Your skin feels fresh but not squeaky, which is the sweet spot for oily skin. The formula then uses gentle surfactants that create a light lather without relying on harsh sulphates like SLS that can disrupt your skin barrier.

Ingredient-wise, it contains pro-vitamin B5 and vitamin E, which are basic but effective humectants that help your skin hold onto moisture even as the cleanser removes surface oil.

There’s no fragrance, no colour, no essential oils that might irritate. It’s dermatologically tested and suitable for sensitive skin. All for under a fiver.

FURTHER READING: How to remove makeup properly – and why it matters

Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel

Boots

£5 + £3.95 delivery

Mid-range cleanser for oily skin: CeraVe Foaming Cleanser

CeraVe’s Foaming Cleanser has become something of a cult product, and for once the hype is justified.

What makes it different from cheaper alternatives isn’t just marketing, it’s the inclusion of three essential ceramides (1, 3, and 6-II) in a formula that’s designed to clean without disrupting your skin barrier.

Ceramides are lipids that occur naturally in your skin and they form part of the protective barrier that keeps moisture in and irritants out.

When you wash your face, you inevitably remove some of these along with the oil and dirt and most cleansers don’t replace them. This one does, which means you’re not just cleaning, you’re actively supporting your skin’s barrier function while you cleanse.

For oily skin that’s prone to dehydration (yes, that’s a thing), this matters.

The texture is a lightweight gel that foams nicely when mixed with water. It contains niacinamide, which helps regulate sebum production over time, and hyaluronic acid to draw moisture into the skin.

The pH is balanced at around 5.5, which matches your skin’s natural pH rather than disrupting it. Developed with dermatologists, it’s fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and doesn’t contain common irritants.

It’s particularly good if your skin is oily but gets irritated easily, or if you’re using active ingredients like retinol or acids that can compromise your barrier.

FURTHER READING: The best CeraVe products for all your skincare concerns – from acne, wrinkles, bumpy skin and eczema

CeraVe Foaming Cleanser

Boots

£12.50 + £3.95 delivery

Luxury cleanser for oily skin: Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser

Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser is specifically formulated to tackle oily skin whilst being gentle enough not to cause irritation.

At £42 for 150ml, you’re paying substantially more than mid-range options but what justifies the price is a genuinely sophisticated formula that goes beyond basic cleansing.

The cleanser contains a multi-mineral solution of magnesium, zinc, and copper combined with a trio of exfoliating acids: succinic acid, lactic acid, and ferulic acid.

These ingredients work together to gently dissolve dead skin cells, reduce excess oil production, and minimise the appearance of pores without being harsh. The acids provide gentle chemical exfoliation, which is more effective and less irritating for oily skin than physical scrubs.

The texture is a lightweight gel that transforms into a creamy lather and it removes makeup and SPF thoroughly, reduces surface oil without triggering increased sebum production, and gently resurfaces skin over time.

If you have oily skin that’s also reactive or if you’re using strong active ingredients that need a gentler cleanser to balance them out, this is a great – albeit expensive – choice.

FURTHER READING: Blackheads: What causes them and how to get rid of blackheads without damaging your skin

Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser

Boots

£50

Best Korean cleanser for oily skin: Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser

Round Lab’s 1025 Dokdo Cleanser is a perfect example of why Korean skincare has a well-deserved reputation for understanding how to clean oily skin without being aggressive about it.

Named after Dokdo Island and formulated with mineral-rich deep sea water from the area, it’s built around the principle that oily skin still needs gentle care and proper hydration.

The formula has a low pH of around 5.0-6.0, which matches your skin’s natural pH rather than disrupting it with harsh alkaline cleansers.

This matters because when you use a high-pH cleanser, you temporarily compromise your skin’s barrier function, which can trigger increased oil production as your skin tries to protect itself. A low-pH cleanser avoids this.

The deep sea water (which makes up a significant amount of the formula) contains 72 types of naturally-derived minerals including magnesium, calcium, and zinc.

These ingredients help strengthen skin’s barrier and provide lightweight hydration. There’s also panthenol (vitamin B5) for soothing, allantoin to calm irritation, and beta-glucan for moisture.

The texture is a soft, bouncy gel that creates a gentle foam. It’s not heavily foaming – Korean cleansers tend to be less aggressive with their surfactants – but it cleans thoroughly.

The main appeal is how gentle it is without being ineffective. If you’ve found Western cleansers too stripping or irritating, this is worth trying.

FURTHER READING: Do you have dry skin or is it just dehydrated?

Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser

Boots

£15

Best toners for oily skin

The best ones contain ingredients like salicylic acid (BHA) or glycolic acid (AHA) to keep pores clear, or hydrating ingredients to prevent your skin from overcompensating with more oil.

If your skin is oily and prone to breakouts, a BHA toner can help. If it’s oily but also dehydrated, you need hydration alongside oil control. And if you just want something gentle, a simple alcohol-free option works fine.

Below are the best toners for oily skin, you can also get more recommendations in our best toner guide.

Best budget toner for oily skin: Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner

Simple’s Soothing Facial Toner does exactly what it says: soothes and tones.

At £4.50 for 200ml, it’s one of the most affordable options available, and it doesn’t try to do anything complicated.

Which is actually its strength.

The formula is alcohol-free and it contains witch hazel, pro-vitamin B5, chamomile and allantoin. The witch hazel provides mild oil control, the other ingredients prevent irritation.

If you want actual treatment from your toner, you need something with acids, like the The Ordinary toner below, but if you just want a gentle, fuss-free toner that won’t cause problems, this toner for oily skin from Simple does the job.

FURTHER READING: Simple Soothing Toner review

Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner

Boots

£4.50 + £3.95 delivery

Best mid-range toner for oily skin: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner is a cult product for good reason.

It delivers proper chemical exfoliation at a price that undercuts nearly every competitor.

This isn’t a gentle, soothing toner – it’s an active treatment that removes dead skin cells, unclogs pores, and helps prevent the congestion that leads to breakouts.

As you can read in our skincare A-Z guide, glycolic acid is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) that works on the surface of your skin to dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing them to shed naturally.

At 7% concentration with a pH of around 3.6, this formula is strong enough to be effective but not so aggressive that it causes problems for most people.

What makes it a particularly good toner for oily skin is that it addresses the dead skin cell buildup that mixes with sebum and clogs pores. By keeping that surface layer clear, you reduce the likelihood of blackheads and breakouts.

It also contains Tasmanian pepperberry (to reduce irritation), ginseng root (for radiance), and aloe vera (to soothe).

The main difference between this and a budget toner is that this actively treats your skin rather than just refreshing it. If your oily skin is also congested, textured, or prone to breakouts, the acid exfoliation makes a real difference.

FURTHER READING: The best The Ordinary products for all your skincare concerns – from large pores to redness, wrinkles and acne

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

Boots

£11.90 + £3.95 delivery

Best luxury toner for oily skin: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is the product that made BHA exfoliants mainstream.

it’s expensive, compared to The Ordinary’s and Simple’s toners, but this is genuinely different from cheaper alternatives, and for people with persistently oily, congested skin, it often justifies the price.

BHA (beta hydroxy acid, specifically salicylic acid at 2%) is oil-soluble, which means it penetrates into pores rather than just working on the surface like AHAs.

For oily skin, this means it get inside the pore, dissolves the mix of oil and dead skin cells that causes blockages, and helps prevent new ones from forming.

The formula has an optimal pH of 3.2-3.8 and also contains green tea extract and methylpropanediol. It helps shrink the appearance of pores over time, clears existing congestion, prevents new breakouts, and improves overall skin texture.

If you have persistent congestion that AHAs haven’t solved, or if your skin is oily in a way that creates constant blockages, the BHA formula can make a real difference.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Cult Beauty

£35

Best Korean toner for oily skin: Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner

Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner represents a completely different approach to managing oily skin.

Instead of stripping oil or aggressively exfoliating, it focuses on hydration and barrier support.

This might sound counterintuitive for oily skin, but it’s actually one of the smartest things you can do.

The formula contains fermented black rice extract, which is rich in antioxidants and amino acids. Fermentation breaks down these ingredients into smaller molecules that penetrate more easily, providing deep hydration without heaviness.

There’s also hyaluronic acid (in multiple molecular weights to hydrate different skin layers), bamboo shoot extract (for soothing), and beta-glucan (for barrier support).

The texture is somewhere between water and essence – slightly viscous but still very light. You can either pat it in with your hands (the Korean method) or apply it with a cotton pad.

FURTHER READING: Do you have dry skin or is it just dehydrated?

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner

Boots

£16 + £3.95 delivery

Best serums for oily skin

Niacinamide is particularly effective – it reduces sebum production, minimises pores, and helps fade post-breakout marks. Salicylic acid gets into pores to clear congestion. Hyaluronic acid provides hydration without oil.

Oily skin needs water-based or gel formulations that sink in completely and don’t interfere with the rest of your routine.

Below are the best serums for oily skin.

FURTHER READING: Best face serum: We’ve tested 60+ of the best serums for face and neck

Best budget serum for oily skin: Boots Ingredients Niacinamide Serum

Boots’ own-brand Niacinamide Serum is £5.50, which makes it one of the most affordable niacinamide serums available.

Not only that, it contains 10% niacinamide, which is the concentration most dermatologists recommend for effectiveness without irritation.

Unlike acids, it doesn’t exfoliate, it works by supporting your skin barrier and influencing oil production at a cellular level.

This makes it suitable for daily use, morning and evening, without the irritation risk that comes with exfoliating acids.

Over time (usually 4-6 weeks of use), you’ll notice your skin produces less oil, pores look smaller, and any post-breakout marks fade more quickly. It won’t give you instant matte skin or dramatically change your complexion overnight, but the cumulative effects are real.

Boots Ingredients Niacinamide Serum

Boots

£5.50 + £3.95

Best mid-range serum for oily skin: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a cult product that’s been around long enough to prove it actually works.

The formula pairs 10% niacinamide with 1% zinc PCA.

Zinc is particularly good for oily skin because it has antimicrobial properties, which means it helps with breakouts and further regulates sebum production.

Together, niacinamide and zinc create a formula that’s specifically targeted at oily, blemish-prone skin rather than just general skin improvement.

The zinc component means it’s particularly good if your oily skin is also prone to breakouts rather than just being shiny.

The texture is slightly thicker than standard niacinamide serums and if you’re using other products afterward, give it 30 seconds to sink in before layering.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Boots

£9 + £3.95

Best luxury serum for oily skin: SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense

SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense is for people who have tried everything else and need something that addresses both oily, congested skin and signs of ageing simultaneously.

What makes it different from cheaper acid serums is the formulation stability and the specific combination of acids.

Dioic acid is particularly effective for post-breakout marks and uneven skin tone—it’s gentler than straight azelaic acid but still highly effective.

The combination of BHA and AHA means it works both inside pores and on the surface, addressing congestion and texture simultaneously.

This multi-acid approach means you’re getting exfoliation, pore-clearing, and anti-ageing benefits in one product. Within 2-3 weeks, you’ll notice clearer pores and smoother skin.

By 8-12 weeks, post-breakout marks fade significantly and skin looks more refined overall. It’s particularly good for adult acne.

SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense

Lookfantastic

£114

Best Korean serum for oily skin: COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence takes a completely different approach to managing oily skin.

The hero ingredient – snail mucin – might sound unusual, but it’s one of Korean skincare’s most effective ingredients for repairing and hydrating skin without adding oil.

The formula contains 96% snail secretion filtrate, which is rich in glycoproteins, hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, and zinc.

These naturally occurring components help hydrate, repair skin barrier, gently exfoliate, and soothe. For oily skin that’s also dehydrated or irritated (from using too many harsh products), this addresses the underlying barrier damage that can actually trigger increased oil production.

This is about long-term skin health rather than quick fixes. If your oily skin is the result of barrier damage from over-cleansing or too many harsh products, this can actually help reduce oil production over time by fixing the underlying problem.

FURTHER READING: COSRX skincare routine builder for all skin types and concerns – from large pores to redness, wrinkles and acne

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Boots

£23 + £3.95

Best moisturisers for oily skin

Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid (hydrates without oil), niacinamide (regulates oil production), and ceramides (support barrier function).

Avoid heavy creams, anything with mineral oils or petrolatum high up in the ingredients list, and rich butters that will sit on your skin.

The best moisturisers for oily skin absorb quickly, leave skin hydrated but not shiny, and don’t interfere with makeup or SPF layered on top.

Below are the best moisturisers for oily skin.

Best budget moisturiser for oily skin: Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser

Simple’s Hydrating Light Moisturiser does exactly what the name suggests – provides lightweight hydration without any complications. T

he gel-cream texture absorbs in seconds, leaving skin soft and hydrated without greasiness.

It contains pro-vitamin B5, vitamin E, and bisabolol for soothing, plus triple-purified water as the base.

The formula is fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and suitable for sensitive skin.

It’s basic in the best possible way with no actives, no treatment claims, just straightforward hydration that won’t cause problems, which is why it’s the best moisturiser we’ve used.

Read our full Simple Light Moisturiser review.

Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser

Boots

£4.50 + £3.95 delivery

Best mid-range moisturiser for oily skin: CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion

CeraVe’s Facial Moisturising Lotion contains three essential ceramides (1, 3, 6-II) plus hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in a lightweight lotion specifically formulated for normal to oily skin.

The ceramides restore and maintain your skin barrier, the hyaluronic acid provides hydration, and the niacinamide helps regulate oil production over time.

It uses MVE Technology (Multi-Vesicular Emulsion) which releases ingredients slowly over time for all-day hydration.

The texture is lighter than CeraVe’s regular moisturising cream – more of a fluid lotion that absorbs quickly without leaving any residue.

CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion

Boots

£12.50 + £3.95 delivery

Best luxury moisturiser for oily skin: Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly

Clinique’s Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly is substantially more than budget options but formulated specifically for very oily to oily skin.

The jelly texture is cooling on application and transforms into a lightweight, water-like consistency that absorbs instantly.

It contains sunflower seed cake and barley extract to help strengthen skin’s barrier, plus hyaluronic acid for hydration without oil.

The formula is oil-free, ophthalmologist tested, and won’t clog pores.

What justifies the price is the texture – it genuinely feels like nothing on your skin whilst providing proper hydration. There’s no tackiness, no residue, no interference with makeup and the clear jelly turns translucent on skin, leaving a barely-there hydrated finish.

Read more in our Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly review.

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly

Boots

£37

Best Korean moisturiser for oily skin: Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturiser

Laneige’s Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturiser is the epitome of Korean skincare’s hydration-focused approach to oily skin.

The formula contains blue hyaluronic acid (a smaller molecular weight version that penetrates deeper), squalane for barrier support, and mineral-rich blue algae for soothing.

The gel texture is bouncy and cooling, absorbing completely without leaving any trace of stickiness or shine.

It provides substantial hydration, enough that your skin feels plump and comfortable, without any heaviness and the finish is what Korean beauty calls “mochi skin” – soft, smooth, and slightly dewy without being oily.

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturiser

Boots

£33.50

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