It’s easy to assume that if you have oily skin you don’t need to moisturize. Like, your skin feels moist, right? But oil and hydration are not the same thing. In fact, in some cases, when your skin is dry, it may actually secrete more oil to try to rebalance itself. If you already have oily skin, using a moisturizer could actually help you become less oily. Wild, right? It sounds crazy, but it’s true—and really drives home the case for using a moisturizer, no matter your skin type.
Best Drugstore Moisturizer for Oily Skin
La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat Daily Moisturizer for Oily Skin
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That said, not all moisturizers are good for oily skin. Generally, people with oily skin gravitate toward lighter moisturizers like gels and lotions that don’t sit on top of your skin but rather sink in quickly without leaving residue. You’ll also want to look for moisturizers that are noncomedogenic, meaning they won’t clog your pores and possibly lead to breakouts. Excess oil is one of the roots of acne, but that doesn’t mean oily skin is the same as acne-prone skin, either. (All skin types can be acne prone, for the record.) Still, erring on the side of caution is always recommended. You may also want to use a moisturizer that goes beyond the requisite hydrating ingredients and also includes ingredients like salicylic acid that can control oil production throughout the day.
Just like there are many types of skin, there are many types of moisturizers, which can feel daunting if you’re trying to find the right one for you. That’s why we tested dozens and dozens of oily-skin moisturizers to find the best ones out there. Any of these will keep your skin hydrated and happy without leaving you looking like an oil slick.
Best Overall Moisturizer for Oily Skin
Atwater Oil Regulator Face Moisturizer
Pros
- Lightweight texture
- Contains oil-controlling ingredients
- Matte finish
Cons
- May be too lightweight for very dry skin
Throughout the testing process, we tried a ton of moisturizers, but we kept coming back to this one. It’s become our go-to moisturizer because it checks pretty much all the boxes you want. The texture is perfect. It strikes the ideal balance between lightweight gel and moisturizing cream, sinks into your skin immediately with no filmy residue, and leaves a matte finish on your skin for the entire day. It’s not just the matte finish that keeps shininess at bay, either. Inside the formula is salicylic acid, which helps to gently exfoliate your skin and pores and balance oil production. On top of that is a complex that helps to keep oil production under control. Add to those aloe-leaf extract and niacinamide, both of which help to soothe and calm skin, and you have a moisturizer that goes to work underneath your skin well beyond just giving it moisture. And honestly, that’s what we all want in a moisturizer, isn’t it?
Key Ingredients | Salicylic acid, oil-control complex, aloe-leaf extract, niacinamide |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | No |
Size | 3.4 oz |
Format | Gel-lotion |
Best Gel Moisturizer for Oily Skin
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Face Moisturizer
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Pros
- Very lightweight
- Good for all skin types
- No greasy finish
Cons
- Applying too much can make your face feel sticky
This ultra lightweight gel is one of our all-time favorite moisturizers. It’s so simple and lightweight you won’t even know it’s there, yet it’s still so hydrating that when we use it, we notice our skin stays plump and hydrated all day and into the night. In fact, it’s so effective that we’re often tempted to apply more at night. It’s suitable for all skin types, but the reason it’s so good for oily skin is twofold. First, the simple formulation is really focused on deep hydration. Second, the ultralightweight gel texture won’t leave your skin feeling greasy and helps to keep it hydrated for hours, which may help control oil production in general.
Key Ingredients | Hyaluronic acid |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | No |
Size | 1.7 oz |
Format | Gel |
Best Drugstore Moisturizer for Oily Skin
La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat Daily Moisturizer for Oily Skin
Pros
- Suitable for sensitive skin
- Matte finish
- Won’t clog pores
Cons
- Small size
If you have oily skin, one of the best things you can do is use a moisturizer that is specifically formulated for you instead of, you know, skipping the moisturizer altogether. This one is a great option. It’s a cream but still very lightweight, and since it’s oil-free, it won’t leave a greasy residue on your skin or make you feel extra oily. We also love the matte finish, which helps keep our mugs shine-free all day long. Inside the formula is lipohydroxy acid, which is derived from salicylic acid and has some of the same oil-balancing properties, as well as antioxidants from thermal spring water. It’s all mixed with lightweight glycerin, a powerful moisturizer. That’s all to say, this moisturizer is proof that you don’t have to compromise between shine and moisture.
Key Ingredients | Lipohydroxy acid, thermal spring water, vitamins C and E |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | Yes |
Size | 1.7 oz |
Format | Cream |
Pros
- Won’t clog pores
- Suitable for sensitive skin
- Alcohol-free
Cons
- Some may find it heavy
Yes, it is possible to have oily skin and dry skin. Oiliness doesn’t have a lot to do with the moisture content of your skin, which is why you should still use a moisturizer even if you have oily skin. Out of the oily-skin-appropriate moisturizers we tried, this one is on the heavier side, which makes it perfect for those whose skin leans dry. But even though it’s a thicker cream, it still won’t clog your pores (it’s noncomedogenic), and it doesn’t leave a greasy or heavy feel on your face. As a bonus, the licorice-root extract in the formula helps to soothe and calm skin while the rest of the formula moisturizes it.
Key Ingredients | Tri-balance complex, glycerin, licorice-root extract |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | No |
Size | 1.7 oz |
Format | Cream |
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Best Moisturizer for Oily Skin with SPF
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
Pros
- Contains SPF
- Good for acne-prone skin
- Can help soothe irritation
Cons
- May not be moisturizing enough for very dry skin
It goes without saying that you should be wearing sunscreen every day, but when you have oily skin it can feel like too much to use a moisturizer and a sunscreen. That’s why we’re fans of moisturizer-sunscreen combos—particularly moisturizing sunscreens, since they tend to have a higher SPF. This is the ultimate and the one that we personally use most often. Not only does it offer a high protective factor from the mineral zinc oxide in the formula, but it’s also ultra-soothing and calming thanks to niacinamide. The zinc also pulls double duty as both a sunscreen and an acne soother, which is why this is ideal for acne-prone, oily, and irritation-prone skin. And most important, even though it’s a mineral sunscreen, it doesn’t leave a white cast on our faces. (There’s also a tinted version to help further cut down on possible white cast.)
Key Ingredients | Zinc oxide, niacinamide |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | Yes |
Size | 1.7 oz |
Format | Cream |
Best Serum Moisturizer for Oily Skin
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum
Pros
- Very lightweight formula
- Comes in multiple sizes
- Contains five forms of hyaluronic acid
Cons
- May not be moisturizing enough for dry skin
When you have oily skin, the last thing you want to do is slather on a heavy cream. In those cases, a hydrating serum can do that trick since they’re typically ultralightweight to the point of feeling watery. This one is one of the best hydrating serums we’ve tried and has been our go-to for years, even when stacked against serums ten or more times its price. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid (five types, to be exact, that work on different layers of your skin), which helps your skin retain moisture. This version also contains vitamin B5, which helps to bolster your skin’s barrier and keep the moisture inside instead of evaporating out (which is a real thing).
Key Ingredients | Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, vitamin B5 |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | Yes |
Size | 30 ml, 60 ml |
Format | Serum |
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Best Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Oily Skin
Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Invisible Finish Gel Moisturizer
Pros
- Great for acne-prone skin
- Super lightweight
- Leaves a matte finish
Cons
- On the expensive side for the size
Acne-prone skin is not the same as oily skin, but the Venn diagram of the two overlaps quite a bit. This super-lightweight gel moisturizer works incredibly well for both. It’s one of the lightest we tested, and the gel formula sinks into skin almost instantaneously, leaving absolutely no film or residue. Instead, your skin is left feeling soft and hydrated—with a long-lasting matte finish to boot. The formula itself is packed with niacinamide, a powerful antioxidant that can help soothe and calm skin as well as fortify your skin’s protective barrier, and oat extract, which is another redness-reducing, skin-calming ingredient. There’s the requisite hyaluronic acid as well, which helps your skin retain moisture, which when we’re talking moisturizer is a must. Between those beneficial ingredients and the top-notch texture, this one is a no-brainer.
Key Ingredients | Niacinamide, oat extract, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | No |
Size | 2 oz |
Format | Gel |
Pros
- Lightweight cream texture
- No greasy residue
- Great for all skin types
Cons
- Expensive
We don’t always love a cream moisturizer for our oily skin, unless that cream moisturizer is this one from SkinCeuticals. Even though it’s a cream, it’s still incredibly lightweight, which is exactly what you want when you have oily skin. There aren’t any ingredients that specifically control oil, but it is packed with hydrating algae extracts and botanical extracts that help reduce the appearance of pores. It honestly shocked us how moisturizing this stuff is while still being lightweight. In fact, we could barely tell it was on our faces, even during the day, when typically creams make us feel greasy.
Key Ingredients | Algae extracts, botanical extracts |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | No |
Size | 2 oz |
Format | Cream |
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Best Skin-Barrier-Boosting Moisturizer for Oily Skin
Skinfix Barrier+ Skin Barrier Restoring Gel Cream
Pros
- Lightweight texture
- Helps control oil
- Helps improve the skin barrier
Cons
- On the expensive side
A healthy skin barrier is important for the overall health of your skin, no matter what skin type you have. The problem is that so many products designed to improve your skin barrier tend to be heavy, which if you have oily skin is not always the vibe. This one is different. The gel-cream texture is ultra-moisturizing but still lightweight enough to wear during the day without feeling like you have a film on your face. It also actually helps absorb and control oil, so your skin stays hydrated but not shiny. We were impressed by how long this gel kept our faces feeling soft and hydrated without even a hint of shininess.
Key Ingredients | Saccharide isomerate, heptapeptide blend, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | No |
Size | 1.7 oz |
Format | Gel-cream |
Pros
- Gives a cooling sensation
- Helps control shine
- Won’t clog pores
Cons
- May not be hydrating enough for very dry skin
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream is a moisturizing icon, but we find that it’s too heavy for our oily skin unless it’s the dead of winter (and even then, we only really use it at night). This version, however, is ideal for oily skin. It has all the moisturizing power of the classic, but the gel-cream texture sinks into skin quicker and is way more lightweight. There are also amino acids and salicylic acid in this formula that help to control oil production, ensuring that you don’t end up looking shiny later in the day. On top of all that, it has a pleasant cooling sensation as you apply it to your face—something we always appreciate, especially after a workout or on a hot day. It’s that cooling factor, plus all the other benefits, that make this our favorite post-gym moisturizer. We don’t work out without it.
Key Ingredients | Glycerin, glacial glycoprotein, salicylic acid, amino acids |
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Fragrance-free | Yes |
Oil-free | Yes |
Size | 1.7 oz, 4.2 oz |
Format | Gel-cream |
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What to Look For
Key Ingredients: Every moisturizer worth its salt will contain hyaluronic acid, which helps your skin retain moisture. Often they’ll also have humectants like glycerin, which help to draw moisture from the air into your skin, too. That’s just table stakes for a moisturizer. If you’re looking for a moisturizer that’s ideal for oily skin, you’ll want to look for some other ingredients. Salicylic acid is a good one since it helps to keep your pores clear and helps control oil production. Niacinamide is also a good one since it can help reduce the look of pores and is also shown to have calming effects on skin. And if you’re looking for a moisturizer with SPF, opt for one that contains zinc oxide, which acts as a physical sunscreen but can also help control oil.
Fragrance-Free: Typically, if you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to avoid fragrance in your face products since it can irritate your skin. That’s not as important if you have oily skin, but it is possible to have both oily and sensitive skin, so when in doubt, go for something fragrance-free.
Oil-Free: Contrary to popular belief, using a skin-care product with oil in it won’t necessary make you more oily. Oils can be powerful moisturizers and can often act as occlusives—ingredients that help seal moisture into your skin. That said, if you’re worried about your skin looking shiny or just don’t like the feeling of heavy products, you can look for an oil-free moisturizer. Many moisturizers that are designed for oily skin are oil-free, and those that aren’t don’t typically have enough oil in them to really cause issues.
Format: What format you use is really a personal choice and depends on what feels best on your skin. Typically, heavier moisturizers are better for drier skin, so if you also struggle with dryness, going for a cream could be helpful. Other formats like gels or serums are usually more lightweight and are less likely to feel heavy.
Why Trust Us
We’re not going to say something is great unless it’s actually great. Every product in Esquire’s roundups is carefully curated by our grooming and e-commerce teams.
When it comes to skin care, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting products that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved. Our grooming editor, Garrett Munce, along with the rest of the style team, has spent years slathering, smoothing, applying, wearing, and test-driving hundreds (thousands!) of skin-care products, and we are confident that these are the best.
Every pick on this list (and our other lists) comes from these years of testing. We know that everyone’s skin is different, no two men are the same, and what works for you may not work for everyone else. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.