Dermatologist Recommended Skin Care Routine For Oily Skin

If you reach for oil blotting sheets or frequent powder touch-ups, you just might have oily skin. While mattifying makeup may help eliminate excess shine, there’s actually a whole lot you can do with skin care alone to regulate your skin’s oil production. Dermatologist Recommended Skin Care Routine For Oily Skin.

Skin care routines may have similar steps from person to person (you know the drill: wash, hydrate, SPF); however, the products used should be tailored to your skin type. To save you time, we’ve asked dermatologists for the best routine for oily skin.
To follow, an expert-approved, step-by-step routine for oily skin and a few winning products to get you started.

Dermatologist Recommended Skin Care Routine For Oily Skin

Step 1: Remove makeup + SPF.

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As with any evening skin care routine, you must remove your makeup and SPF before going in for a deeper cleanse. “All skin types can benefit from oil cleansing, as oil cleansers work by gently lifting off dirt, debris, and makeup, without harming the skin,” organic esthetician Katie Sobelman once told mbg.

If you have oily acne-prone skin, you’ll want to opt for a noncomedogenic oil. A few grade-A options include jojoba oil, rosehip oil, hemp seed oil, evening primrose oil, sea buckthorn oil, tea tree oil, grapeseed oil, and tamanu oil.

If oil cleansers just aren’t your thing, opt for micellar water and a reusable cotton pad instead.

Step 2: Cleanse.

Now you can move on to a deeper cleanse. Oily skin will benefit from an active cleanser, specifically, “if you have oily, acne-prone skin and you’re dealing with breakouts and clogged pores,” board-certified dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D., FAAD, tells mbg.

Cleansers with salicylic or glycolic acid are preferable, board-certified dermatologist Jeremy Fenton, M.D., tells mbg. “These not only help to exfoliate the skin but also help to control oil,” he explains.

Step 3: Toner or essence.

Let’s be clear—toners aren’t a necessity when it comes to basic skin care. That being said, if you want to add a toner as an extra step, then you’ll have to decide between an astringent, an essence, and a classic toner.

Astringents like witch hazel will help to minimize excess oil. That being said, if you’re using other oil-control products throughout the routine, you may opt for a hydrating toner or essence to restore moisture instead. Why? Oil control is all about balance, and if you strip your skin too much it may spur your skin into producing more sebum. Kind of the opposite effect of what we’re trying to get here, no?

If you get oily in the T-zone only (i.e., have combination skin), then using an astringent toner in that area only may be a more strategic choice. This way, you’ll get the benefit of an astringent where you need it and prevent drying out other areas on the face.

Step 4: Treat.

Here’s where the magic happens. While you won’t want to use retinol and exfoliants on the same evening, they will both come in handy for those with oily skin when used in a cyclical routine (yes, we’re talking about skin cycling).

Choose your acids carefully on the evenings you decide to exfoliate. According to Fenton, “Glycolic and salicylic acid are fantastic exfoliants for oily skin.” For people with oily and acne-prone skin, salicylic acid in particular might be a preferable option. Ramya Garlapati, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, notes that because this beta-hydroxy acid is oil-soluble, it can enter pores deeply and unclog them.

You might be able to tolerate retinol products better than people with dry skin if you have oily skin, which is a benefit. Retinol has advantages for healthy skin aging as well as the additional benefit of lowering excessive oil production, according to Fenton.

You may want to choose something a little more potent if your skin is oily and prone to breakouts, such as retinaldehyde or prescription-strength retinoids like tretinoin or Tazorac. If your breakouts don’t get better with your over-the-counter skin care solutions, be sure to see your dermatologist.

Step 5: Moisturize.

Even the oiliest of skin needs a moisturizer—don’t believe the false narrative that your sebum will suffice as a hydrator. That being said, it’s important to pick a moisturizer designed for your skin type to avoid pore-clogging or excess shine. The simple answer: Gel or gel creams over heavy-duty moisturizers.

“Gels or gel creams have a higher water content and are usually oil-free and are quickly absorbed into the skin,” Garlapati says. On the flip side, creams are generally oil-based and will leave the skin feeling a bit greasy–which is why they’re ideal for dry skin instead.

A few hero ingredients to look for in your oily skin moisturizers include:

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic acid
Glycerin
Aloe vera
Shop these products:
SkinFix

Step 6: Sunscreen.

Many individuals with acne or oily skin say that sunscreens just accentuate their shine or further clog their pores. Fear not; there are more contemporary SPF products available designed especially for this skin type: Look for a gentle, oil-free SPF cream to prevent feeling greasy after use. See our ranking of the top sunscreens for skin prone to pimples.

How to determine if you have oily skin.

Wash your face and let it sit for around 30 minutes to establish whether your skin is oily, dry, or somewhere in between. You can be sure you have oily skin if it feels oily to the touch.

Fenton says that people with oily skin may typically wash their faces numerous times a day without experiencing problems with dry skin. Although it’s not necessary to wash your face more than twice a day, the fact that your skin doesn’t become dry says a lot.

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