The 10 Best Moisturizers for Oily Skin in 2024, Tested and Reviewed

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.