The Best Skin-Care Routine for Oily Skin, According to Dermatologists

Washing away bacteria, makeup, and other pore-clogging gunk should be the first step in any routine. Cleansers come in many forms, including oils, creams, and foams, but when it comes to oily and acne-prone skin, experts agree that gel formulas are best because they’re designed for the deep cleaning that oily skin needs, but they don’t strip the skin, meaning you’ll get that squeaky clean feeling without any tightness. Facialist Sofie Pavitt loves this best-selling K-beauty cleanser because it helps ward off pimples. “It has BHA [beta hydroxy acid], an active ingredient that really cleans inside the pores” but is still easy on the skin, she says. It’s also a favorite of Strategist contributor Rio Viera-Newton, who says, “if your skin is oily, this cleanser will prep your skin for the day by providing you with the perfect level of pH, meaning it ensures nice, soft skin but also preps for whatever toner or essence you’re putting on next.”

If you prefer a creamy cleanser with a rich lather, this one from French brand La Roche-Posay also contains powerful ingredients, like salicylic and alpha hydroxy acids, that exfoliate the skin and clean deep into pores. “It loosens dead cells and increases cellular turnover to reveal new skin,” says dermatologist Sonia Batra, a co-host of The Doctors. “The acids work to rid skin of common acne concerns such as oiliness, pimples, and blackheads.” Tess Adams, facialist and co-founder of New York’s Take Care Spa, agrees that these acids “can be imperative for healing cystic or severe acne.”

Get any dermatologist talking about must-have ingredients in a skin-care routine, and we guarantee that vitamin C will be one of the first to come up. It’s an antioxidant that can reduce inflammation, fight free-radical damage, brighten skin, diminish fine lines and wrinkles, and reduce the appearance of discoloration and dark spots. If you’re acne-prone, you’ll have to be cautious when shopping for vitamin C serums as many are packaged with ingredients like vitamin E that, while very moisturizing for those with dry skin, might clog up pores. SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic is considered the gold standard of vitamin C serums, but dermatologist Julie Russak, founder of the Russak Dermatology Group, says this serum from the same brand is “the better choice for oily skin types” because it doesn’t contain vitamin E. It even made our list of the best products for cystic acne since it improves skin tone by reducing hyperpigmentation caused by old acne spots.

Since your oily skin makes you more likely to develop pimples, it’s a good idea to keep a spot treatment in your arsenal for handling any blemishes that do pop up. This dermatologist-approved treatment attacks acne from two fronts — hence the “Duo” in its name. It’s got 5.5 percent benzoyl peroxide to kill acne-causing bacteria plus exfoliating lipo-hydroxy acid to strip pores of debris and dead skin cells. Morgan Rabach, a dermatologist and co-founder of LM Medical NYC, says that it helps pimples shrink and disappear faster, and dermatologist Samer Jaber, the founder of Washington Square Dermatology, praises its beneficial “anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects.”

When your skin is naturally oily, the last thing you want to do is weigh it down with a heavy, greasy moisturizer. But you don’t want to skip moisturizer entirely, since oily skin can still become dehydrated — which actually can lead to the skin producing more oil. Experts say the best options for oily skin are formulas that are oil-free and non-comedogenic (meaning they won’t clog pores). This lightweight gel moisturizer checks both boxes. Hadley King, a clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, explains that its key ingredients, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, “are both humectants, so they can hydrate the skin without the need for emollients that may feel too heavy for oily skin.”

As with moisturizer, it can be tricky to find a sunscreen that doesn’t leave oily skin feeling greasy. But you definitely can’t skimp on sun protection. Besides preventing skin cancer, a good sunscreen will protect against dark spots and hyperpigmentation caused by acne. When we asked dermatologists what they recommend, EltaMD UV Clear was the overwhelming favorite. Jennifer MacGregor of Union Square Laser Dermatology likes that it’s “lightweight and oil free, so it won’t clog pores,” and Dendy Engelman of the Shafer Clinic adds that it contains “lactic acid, which will gently exfoliate the skin and regulate sebum buildup,” actually working to prevent breakouts.