Although it sounds counter-intuitive, using an oil serum on oily skin is actually good for you. How? Angela Caglia, esthetician, skincare brand founder, and Geneo facial ambassador helps break it down. “Oil works with oils and there is a handful of misinformation about oily skin and oils,” she explains. “However, face serums do much more than just moisturize your skin. Serums contain ingredients that help clean and tighten pores, smooth out uneven texture, and soak up excess oil. The right serum can create a smooth, mattifying effect as serums are the best way to deliver a highly concentrated, potent dose of active ingredients to the skin — even for oily skin types.” Ingredients like tea tree oil, niacinamide, and antioxidants can all help control oil.
People with oily skin should still use a serum twice a day after cleansing and toning skin just like with dry or combination skin, says Caglia. However, she points out that you should avoid certain ingredients, like silicones which traps bacteria into pores, and synthetic oils. “A non-comedogenic oil is better for oily skin than silicones that don’t have any skin care element,” she explains. Avoid “dimethicone, which is heavily used in many products still as it is very congestive for acne-prone or oily skin types.”
Looking for an easy list of approved serums for oily skin? We’ve got you covered. Continue reading for 12 of our favorites oily skin-friendly serums, with Ipster love to boot.
1. Best Hydrating Serum:
FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum
This lightweight serum will never clog pores or feel heavy on the skin. You can even use it as a buffer to wear under makeup for a hydrated complexion. Since this serum is packed with colloidal oatmeal and aloe leaf juice, it’s perfect for all skin types, even sensitive. One Ipster even calls it a “godsend” and says it “heals damage overnight.”
2. Best Exfoliating Serum:
SKIN ACTIVES SCIENTIFIC Take Five Renewing Facial Kit: Cranberry Moisturizing Serum
People with oily skin need a gentle exfoliator to keep pores clear from bacteria and sebum buildup, which causes more oil. This kit includes everything you need to exfoliate and add moisture back into the skin where it needs it. With lactic and salicylic acids, this serum will help minimize pores while hyaluronic acid hydrates skin.
3. Best for Changing Seasons:
AWAKE Glow Pill Super Serum
If your skin gets more oily in the summer and dry in the winter, this is the perfect serum for you. If your skin is oily you can wear it alone and skip moisturizer; if you have dry skin you can layer it under moisturizer without clogging pores. Since it’s formulated with vitamin B3 (niacinamide) and B5, it also helps eliminate fine lines and wrinkles and gives off a brighter complexion. Ipster Teee374 raves about the “light, water-like texture.”
4. Best Triple Threat:
LEEANNI ECO 3 in 1 Revolution Light
This product by LEEANNI ECO is a toner, serum, and moisturizer all in one. It’s perfect for those lazy days when you simply can’t bother with your full routine but still want to take care of your skin. Ipster alhallas calls it “one of my fave facial serums I’ve ever tried,” due to its all-natural ingredients and vegan formula.
5. Best With Squalane:
KATE SOMERVILLE® Kx Squalane + Hyaluronic Serum
This serum features super ingredient squalane, which actually helps boost moisture in the skin. The result is not over oily skin, but rather a more balanced complexion that learns to correct itself on its own over time. One Ipster said this serum is “gentle on my acne/oily skin.”
6. Best for Inflammation:
ODACITÉ BI + C Black Cumin Cajeput Facial Serum Concentrate
This serum stands out by using Black cumin seed oil, which is a natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ingredient that helps ward off future breakouts. It’s perfect for breakouts caused by oily skin, since you can also use this serum as a spot treatment. The ingredient cajeput oil helps even out skin tone and stop bacteria from seeping into pores.
7. Best With Antioxidants:
EVENPRIME Barrier Serum
People with oily skin can benefit from using a serum with natural antioxidants to help ward off stubborn skin aggressors like pollution, UV exposure, and blue light. Especially if you live in a big city, pollution can be one of the biggest causes of clogged pores, which perpetuates the cycle of oily skin. This serum has antioxidants and five different types of hyaluronic acid to boot.
8. Best Lightweight Formula:
LUÉ BY JEAN SEO Balance Hydrating and Calming Serum
This calming serum is so lightweight, it never makes your skin appear greasy after applying. Since it’s made from sodium hyaluronate, using this will help your skin hold on to moisture instead of being stripped of its natural, healthy oils. One Ipster said it “absorbs well and does not break me out.” That’s a win-win in our book.
9. Best for Acne:
JUICE BEAUTY Blemish Clearing Serum
This serum is made for clearing blemishes and can even be used on body acne. It helps reduce breakouts by using beta hydroxy salicylic acid instead of harsh benzoyl peroxide. Since it’s made with organic fruit acids, it also helps brighten skin tone and texture in the process. Ipster aesbpink says they use it to dry up a zit within a day.
10. Best Highly Concentrated Serum:
SERUMKIND Youth & Glow Serum
If you’re concerned with oil, balance is the word you should be looking for in your serum. This balancing serum uses sea buckthorn oil and shikonin to shield skin from environmental pollution and helps moisturize, calm, and soothe inflamed skin all in one.
11. Best AHA-Based Serum:
VERIPHY SKINCARE Power Trip Phytoglycogen + AHA Facial Serum
AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acids that help exfoliate skin and turnover new skin cells so pores never get clogged. It only exfoliates the upper surface of the skin so it’s not harsh and won’t strip your skin of its natural oils. The added ingredients of arnica and calendula extracts help calm existing redness or irritation caused by acne or stressed-out skin.
12. Best Under Makeup:
DEWYTREE Pore Minimizing Serum
DEWYTREE is the K-beauty brand that’s known for its all-natural ingredients. This serum helps minimize pores to control excess oil. Good-for-you oils like tea tree oil helps control shine and clear out clogged, tired pores. Ipster stace_knowles says it “does not go on oily” and can even be used “under makeup.”
Want more skincare to get you glowy and bright? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.
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