There’s a fine line between dewy glow and downright oily skin. And for those of us who fall more on the greasy side, it’s important to curate a skin care routine for oily skin that decreases shine without leaving your complexion feeling tight and dry.
We’ve gone above and beyond the old faithful ‘apply your skin care from thinnest to thickest’ to deliver a complete morning and evening skin care routine dedicated to oily skin.
Morning skin care routine for oily skin…
Step one: Cleanse
Every good skin care routine starts with a cleanse, both morning and night. Oily, shine-prone skin will benefit from a good foaming cleanser that provides a deep clean while restoring balance. La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel ($23.99 at Chemist Warehouse) will remove any oil build-up and impurities collected on your skin overnight for a fresh start to the day.
Read more La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel reviews
Step two: Hydrating serum
The key to perfecting your oily skin care routine is finding the right amount of hydration and nourishment, without going overboard. The solution? A gentle yet effective serum, such as the Summer Fridays Dream Oasis Deep Hydration Serum ($66 at MECCA), that provides instant hydration, skin barrier support and also helps keep oil at bay throughout the day.
Step three: Moisturise
If you thought you could skip moisturiser with oily skin, think again. Not moisturising can actually lead to your skin producing more oil production — cue the blackheads and breakouts, not to mention the dreaded blind pimple… Our advice? Stick to a lightweight gel moisturiser (sans oils) that hydrates and soothes your complexion without adding extra shine.
Go-To Very Lightweight Moisturiser, $55 at Go-To Skincare
Step four: Apply SPF
SPF has the (somewhat outdated) assumption that it clogs your pores and adds to your shine, leading to more breakouts. But SPF has come a long way and there are plenty of sunscreens for oily skin on the market. Opt for a broad-spectrum, non-comodegenic sunscreen that will protect your skin from UV damage without making leaving any greasy residue behind.
Cancer Council Face Day Wear Fluid SPF50+, $17.49 at Chemist Warehouse
Read more Cancer Council Face Day Wear Fluid SPF50+ reviews
Night skin care routine for oily skin
Step one: Remove makeup
Sleeping in your makeup is a huge red flag, but can be even more damaging for oily skin (we can’t even bear the thought of all those clogged pores…). So reaching for a gentle makeup remover or micellar water should be the first step in your nightly oily skin routine. And this is about the only time we’d recommend an oil-based product – hear us out – for oily skin. Oil cleansers will melt away makeup and SPF, leaving you with a fresh canvas for your deep cleanse.
Bioderma Sébium H2O Purifying Micellar Water Cleanser, $29.99 at Adore Beauty
Read more Bioderma Sébium H2O Purifying Micellar Water Cleanser reviews
Step two: Cleanse
Is a second clease really necessary? Absolutely! No micellar water can go where a good foaming cleanser can go, removing pollutants and other impurities within your pores. A little goes a long way with the mattifying Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser ($30 at Paula’s Choice), which offers a deep, targeted cleanse without stripping the skin.
Read more Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser reviews
Step three: Exfoliate
If you’re looking for a natural glow without the shine, using a liquid exfoliator every other day is the way to go. Look for ingredients such as salicylic acid and glycolic acid to target whiteheads and blackheads, as well as aid the skin’s shedding process. The K-beauty cult favourite COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Toner ($29 at Woolworths) will do just that!
Step four: Targeted serum
From glow-boosters and skin-plumpers to those that target the signs of ageing, the beauty market is saturated with serums. Whichever skin concern you are targeting, it’s important for those with oily skin to steer clear of oil-based serums and instead reach for a calming, balanced serum that won’t add to your shine. A vitamin C serum is a great all-rounder for daily use. But for those looking for a more intense age-defying skin treat, reaching for the retinol will do your oily skin wonders.
L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser X3 Pure Retinol Night Serum, $50.99 at Chemist Warehouse
Read more L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser X3 Pure Retinol Night Serum reviews
Step five: Night cream
Night cream will likely be the last thing you put on your skin at the end of the day, so it’s important to choose a product that will nourish your skin from dusk til dawn. Your night moisturiser will likely be heavier than your day cream, and should balance your skin overnight. We love the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream ($52 at David Jones), which offers a non-greasy finish and is packed with antioxidants and amino acids to boost your glow and offer 24-hour shine control.
Read more Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream reviews
Not sure this routine is for you? Check out our acne skin care routine or Korean skin care guide to find your ideal fit.
Do you have oily skin? What are your go-to products?
I use a simple routine for my oily skin. A cleanser and serum in the morning with SPF. At night my foaming cleanser, toner and retinol
That sounds very simple, I found I couldn’t use toner and retinol together, it irritated my skin
Sounds like a fantastic routine for oily skin
I don’t have oily skin but this routine looks great. ☺️
I haven’t tried many of these products.
Neither have I and I suffer from oily skin
I don’t have oily skin but there are some products listed I will need to remember to help with other issues, i.e., La Roche posay effaclar gel, COSRX clarifying toner.
Dry skin but routine looks good
Routine looks good
Trying to get a handle on trigger words
Don’t forget blotching paper for throughout the day!
Thankfully I haven’t had oily skin since I was a teenager, a very long time ago.
Having oily skin is great! My thing is: never strip the skin and no harsh cleansers.
Agreed, I love my oily skin, I didn’t as a teenager
I now have parts of my face that are oily and parts that are dry. So this will be helpful for the products to target the oily areas.
My skin gets bit oily in the summer time only.
Really love La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser and I also love using Serums of different types on my face as well.
Interesting! I am not really sure that I have oily skin but still will look into this! X
Good list. I prefer Ultra Violette or Naked Sundays for SPF – I haven’t enjoyed using the one listed and still find it too heavy/comedogenic.
some lovely brands and products
I’m not a fan of foaming cleansers for oily skin, I think they strip too much oil and moisture from the skin. I actually like oil based cleansers.
I’m currently using that Revitalift Night Serum and love it
A good routine for all skin types, using appropriate products
I love Kiehl’s products.
I am not experiencing with oily skin. But would love to try these on my son’s skin. Thanks for sharing.
good article with simple steps
I don’t have oily skin, but some nice products listed I can recommend some friends
I don’t have oily skin, I have the opposite problem – a bit dry and sensitive.
Great products for Oily Skin 😍
That retinol serum is pretty strong.
That is a great night cream from Kiehls!
A good light moisturiser is great
clay masks are good too
I’m surprised at the lack of a toner in theee suggestions.
My go-tos are my cleansing device & rosehip oil.
Not for me as I don’t have oily skin
Gone are the days of using a toner
This was a problem for me when younger, but now my issue is dry skin…
I don’t have oily skin.
I think a good serum makes all the difference.