The Best Skin Care Routine for Oily Skin Men
Get your grease under control by changing certain habits, and choosing the best oil-toning ingredients and mattifying products.
July 09, 2024
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Every oily skinned person knows that feeling of greasy, glossy grime on the forehead. Blech. It turns you into a human light bounce. A humid day feels exponentially worse for you, and that layer of sebum acts like a magnifying glass on your pores. But instead of wondering how to get rid of oily skin, it’s better to seek balance. That’s because oily skin is a problem of excess. Having too much oil is a better problem than the alternative. By mastering the best skin care routine for oily skin, you can find this happily hydrated balance.
See, the sebum your skin excretes is extremely protective and nourishing. It’s a natural moisturizer, but it’s far too much of a good thing. And if you overcorrect, then you can cause a domino effect of problems: First, you can dehydrate and damage your skin, and then you’ll trigger the skin to work overtime to restore moisture—which means it produces even more oil than before. Suddenly, you’re in a cycle between polar opposite states. So the real aim, again, is learning how to manage and balance your oil levels.
It’s imperative to build a thoughtful regimen for oily skin around specific ingredients and formulas—even if it’s the most basic skincare routine. I promise you don’t need to use a bunch of products; instead you need a few that work smarter, not harder, and you need to build habits around them, too.
Let’s start with those ingredients and formulas, before I structure an optimal regimen for you at the end of this article.
The Best Products for Oily Skin
These are some of the oily skin products that appear throughout the article.
- The Best Face Wash for Oily Skin: Peace Out 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Gel Cleanser
- The Best Moisturizer for Oily Skin: Lab Series Oil Control Moisturizer
- The Best Salicylic Acid Treatment for Oily Skin: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Salicylic Acid Treatment
- The Best Toner for Oily Skin: Thayers Unscented Alcohol-Free Toner with Aloe Vera
- The Best Face Mask for Oily Skin: Youth To The People Superclay Purify + Clear Power Mask with Salicylic Acid
- The Best Serum for Oily Skin: Naturium Niacinamide Face Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%
- The Best Night Cream for Oily Skin: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Omega Rich Cloud Cream
- The Best SPF Moisturizer for Oily Skin: Cardon SPF 30 Daily Face Moisturizer
- The Best Face Sunscreen for Oily Skin: Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
- The Best Baseline Skincare Set for Oily Skin: Cardon Skincare Essentials Set
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Ingredients to Prioritize for Oily Skin
I think it’s best to take an ingredients-forward approach to oily skin mitigation. Here are the ones I suggest you incorporate into your regimen, or at least a few of them if you prefer minimalism. I’ll drop in a great product that matches each ingredient, too. Later in the article, I’ll build the best oily skin regimen with additional high-performance products, all with accessible costs top of mind.
Salicylic Acid
This exfoliating acid is one of the easiest ingredients to incorporate into your regimen, and easily one of the best. Salicylic acid is what’s called a “beta hydroxy acid” (BHA), and it can lift away dead skin cells from the surface of your skin (preventing clogged pores), while also seeping into the pores to flush out any buildup of oil inside there—while also regulating future oil production in the sebum glands. So, a good salicylic acid cleanser in the morning should, in effect, temper your oil production throughout the day, and without drying the skin. (Shout out to a recent favorite of mine, from Peace Out Skincare, which is terrific for oily and acne-prone types for the same pore-clearing reason.)
You can also find salicylic acid in many serums, toners, and creams, often targeting acne mitigation and exfoliation. These will have up to 2% salicylic acid concentration (some even higher), and can be a nice addition to a bedtime regimen. But anything with that level of BHA concentration that isn’t quickly rinsed away might leave skin temporarily sensitive or reddened, hence why it’s best to use in the evening (every second or third night) and to let skin rebound overnight. One product I constantly recommend for this is the salicylic acid treatment from Paula’s Choice.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Salicylic Acid Treatment
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Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is the key ingredient in oil-balancing toners these days—the non-drying, non-alcoholic ones that help balance skin’s pH levels while also regulating oil production in the pores. Toners are a really simple, affordable product that follows the face wash and, in toning and calming things, it readies the skin for any serums or moisturizers.
I almost always prop up Thayers’ excellent toners when discussing the category. They have toners with all sorts of gentle formulas—one even targeting acne with salicylic acid—but this “baseline” toner from them is perfect for all skin types and harnesses witch hazel alongside aloe vera.
Silica/Dimethicone
These ingredients probably aren’t going to be broadcast front and center on the product label, but they play an important role in skincare products that target oily skin. It’s funny that I grouped them together, considering that dimethicone is a type of silicone, but silica is not a silicone (despite the name practically suggesting as much). Instead, silica is a mineral that acts like an oil-absorbing powder in skincare products. Dimethicone, meanwhile, helps “fill in” the surface of the skin, meaning it reduces the appearance of pores and gives skin an overall smoother look. They’re really not the same ingredient at all, but lots of mattifying moisturizers in particular will possess both of them—and they are easily confused, which is perhaps ironically aided by my lumping them together here.
Lab Series’ Oil Control Moisturizer is an all-time anti-shine favorite of mine; it’s on the more expensive side of things, so if budget is a constraint, you could always save it for those most important events and meetings. It uses both dimethicone and silica in its recipe, as well as kaolin clay and salicylic acid to absorb excess oil and reduce shine. (It’s a fantastic base beneath a blemish concealer, too.)
Cetaphil’s Mattifying Acne Moisturizer is fantastic on oily skin as well; it uses light-dose salicylic acid along with dimethicone to neutralize shine and reduce pore appearance.
Tea Tree Oil
An ingredient with many benefits (anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial powers among them), tea tree oil is terrific at tempering oil production and preventing clogged pores and grimey skin. It’s also a key ingredient in many scalp-balancing dandruff-fighting shampoos.
Please don’t use pure tea tree oil on your skin, since essential oils can be extremely irritating when they aren’t safely diluted. Only use products that have passed FDA clearance. This risk of irritation is exactly why tea tree is rarely the central ingredient in any oil- and acne-targeting remedies. (But don’t worry; if it’s a reputable brand, then the ingredient should be perfectly balanced within the formula.)
One fantastic line of products is the Teatreetment assortment from Dr.Jart+—this cleansing foam is a terrific high-grade deployment of the ingredient, especially for use on oily skin.
Clay and Charcoal
There are many types of clay used in skincare which can provide different nourishing and detoxifying benefits, but most of them share the same oil-absorbing and pore-clearing powers. (Which charcoal also provides.) I personally prefer clay, since I find it more cushioning on skin, and more hydrating in the long run. But maybe you’ll disagree—to each his own.
You’ll see these ingredients in lots of masks and cleansers, but they’re not uncommon in moisturizers, either. (The abovementioned Lab Series moisturizer has kaolin clay, even.) I love a cushioning clay cleanser for a gentle refresh (hello, Cardon—my all time favorite face wash), as well as a deep-cleansing masks like Youth to the People’s, which also has salicylic acid to help clear out pores.
Youth To The People Superclay Purify + Clear Power Mask with Salicylic Acid
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Niacinamide
Niacinamide is arguably the best active ingredient you can add to any skincare regimen, no matter your skin type. It wears many hats: barrier fortifier, hydration booster, and texture smoother are its primary benefits, but niacinamide can also help regulate oil production and reduce the appearance of pores. So start getting your daily topical dose of this B vitamin, which pairs easily with most other ingredients—making it easy to incorporate, too.
One of the easiest (and budget-friendly!) ways to get a high-grade dose of niacinamide is Naturium’s 12% serum. I adore this product and have lauded it in other articles for my editorial clients.
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Formulas to Prioritize—Or Rather, To Avoid
Sometimes, your search for the best products can take a formula-centered approach. Here’s a list of things to avoid, but read closely, because all of these approaches are full of contradictions, too.
1. Avoid products with an oil base: Truth be told, most oil-based ingredients will be totally fine for you. The majority of oils won’t necessarily clog your pores, but they can feel heavy and occlusive on skin. Don’t worry if you see “argan oil” or “grapeseed oil” or even “tea tree oil” low on the ingredients list (especially tea tree oil, which is so lightweight, it’s not going to bother you—plus I listed it above as a great sebum-balancing option). The main oil to avoid at all is coconut oil, which can be comedogenic and clog pores. Even then, most reputable brands will have formulated products to avoid pore clogging. (And maybe acne isn’t a concern for you.)
Since I’m starting to talk myself in circles: This is why it’s just easiest to avoid products whose base is oily in nature, for comfort’s sake. There are plenty of moisturizers that blatantly market their lack of oil, which makes shopping for those quite simple.
Side note: Beard oils are perfectly fine here, since they’re likely the only thing you can get beneath a big bushy mane, and tend to combine lightweight carrier oils with active essential oils. Ditto for pre-shave oil being fine as a skin lubricant prior to shaving. You’ll rinse it away soon enough, and you’ll appreciate the conditioning benefits ahead of a razor shearing.
2. Avoid occlusives: This is in tandem with the previous tip, but occlusive products are often those that feel heavy on the skin, since their role is to trap moisture inside skin (to occlude the barrier and obstruct entry or exit). “Occlusiveness” usually refers to the base ingredients—which again, might be heavy oils—but the main culprits include mineral oils, vegetable oils (including shea butter), many silicones (dimethicone can be an exception in light amounts), petrolatum, and beeswax.
Things get tricky here because so many products contain some combination of these ingredients, even lightweight and non-occlusive creams. So it’s more about finding things to promise to be lightweight and non-suffocating. You’ll feel much fresher without these, even if it’s the dead of winter and you want a heavier moisturizer for the elements, or a dense night cream while you sleep.
Again, it’s easy to contradict oneself here; I have oily skin and love an occlusive agent for a night cream, since it’s so easy for skin to lose moisture and suppleness overnight. Sometimes, it’s a trial-and-error effort, as well as one that changes with the occasion or season.
3. Avoid comedogenic ingredients: This is more of a note for acne-prone individuals who are also oily. Comedogenic ingredients are those that give you comedones, AKA pimples. Every ingredient has a rating between 0-5 in terms of its potential to clog pores, and you need to adjust your vigilance based on your propensity for breakouts. But in general, avoid the 4s and 5s, which in terms of common skincare ingredients, includes coconut oil, cocoa butter, lanolin, lauric acid, and stearic acid. I’ve had bad luck with lots of algae extracts, too, which have become increasingly popular in skincare.
And, in the spirit of contradiction again: Most products that use comedogenic ingredients won’t clog your pores; sometimes it’s a matter of how prominent those ingredients feature in the formula or work with other ingredients. But, if you want to play it safe, you can use this as a framework for products to avoid.
Habitual Concerns for Oily Skin
Remember, managing oily skin isn’t always about products. You can also change select habits in your everyday life if you want to help control oil levels in skin. Here are a few things to keep top of mind.
1. Don’t overwash: In addition to using gentle cleansers, it’s important not to overdry the skin. Doing so not only creates a yo-yo effect where you deplete moisture only to have it roaring back with excess sebum production… but it traps you in that cycle, too. Remember, your skin can be trained to produce less oil. So the goal is to find that balance, that center. Once there, you’ll maintain a cadence of regular face washing (probably twice daily) without much thought otherwise.
2. Stress less: Easier said than done, I know. But when you experience any kind of stress, the cortisol levels in your body rise. This in turn triggers an increase in sebum production. (Sigh.) Now, this is even worse for acne-prone folks, since it then yields a bunch of annoying pimples… which can be stressful as well, thus perpetuating the cycle. So… just get that extra hour of sleep, or delete social media, or whatever it takes to be less harried all the time.
3. Audit your diet: If you google the foods that make skin oily, you’ll be awash in unhelpful information. Basically, you shouldn’t eat anything except maybe a carrot and ice water if you want perfect skin. (Lies.) However, there are some foods that famously alter our hormone levels, spike blood sugar, or cause inflammation. And the culprits are no surprise: Dairy, processed foods, overly sugary and salty foods, trans and saturated fats, booze, etc. In general, the healthier you eat—ditto for the healthier your lifestyle overall—the fewer issues you’ll have with your skin, period.
4. Audit your daily environments, too: From overly dry bedrooms to overly humid air outdoors, finding the perfect temperature and moisture levels can be a slog. They really don’t exist. So, I think keeping a general awareness of these things can be beneficial to your oil levels, in both directions. If the air is too dry, your skin will become dehydrated. Then sebum production will spike later on as it tries to recover. Then, if it’s too humid and hot, you might sweat and get overly glossy on the other end of the spectrum.
While I’m generally in the corner of pro-humidity as opposed to pro-air-conditioning, I want you to work on the balance of these things. If you insist on sitting or sleeping in air conditioning all day, then double down on your deeply hydrating moisturizers and night creams—no matter how oily you think your skin may be.
And on the topic of skin care products for oily skin…
The Best Oily Skin Regimen: How to Manage Oily Skin on a Daily Basis
Here’s a sample regimen that centers around many of the above ingredients, and in lightweight formulas that are also non-comedogenic.
It’s not necessary to have all of the products below, but it’s quite easy to build a manageable routine while covering all of your oil-balancing bases. You don’t want to stifle the pores, but you do want to regulate them, and this routine honors that. Best of all, you’ll notice the results quickly, I promise. Most of the products below are repeats of those I listed above.
1. Use Cleanser Morning and Night
Choose a cleanser that uses salicylic acid or clay, depending on your proneness to acne. If you are extremely acne prone, go with salicylic acid 2% (like Peace Out’s). If you are just oily, go with straight clay (like Cardon’s marshmallowy soft option).
2. Use Gentle Toner Morning and Night (Optional)
You can put a splash of toner in your hands and apply it to your face to help balance oil production in the pore, and to calm the skin’s pH levels. (That is to say, prevent the skin from feeling overly dry or irritated, especially considering the active-ingredient routine you’re building). Make sure the toner uses witch hazel to achieve its ends, and NOT alcohol. Many people will apply the toner to a cotton pad and wipe it across the face, but I can’t be bothered, especially since most witch hazel ones are perfectly hydrating and calming. Thayers has always been the name to trust here, so I never really stray from them. They come in a bunch of different formulas with added ingredients (I think the original, with aloe vera, is the best though).
3. Use Treatment Serums and Creams (Typically in the Evening)
Here is the ad hoc part of any regimen. You can introduce a serum or cream to target any number of things, like acne or signs of aging. In the evening, this is where you could apply your salicylic acid serum. You can apply treatments in the daytime—like a niacinamide serum or even an extra dose of hyaluronic acid to pull added moisture from the air into the depths of your skin. All of this is totally optional.
However, for the sake of sebum/oil mitigation, I would say to add a treatment to your nighttime regimen above anything else. A salicylic acid should be top priority if you aren’t also using it in your face wash—and regardless of your proneness to acne. It’s fine to use it in both cleanser and serum, but at least in one place. Many also have niacinamide in them, as a bonus. The two products I called out above—Paula’s Choice salicylic acid liquid exfoliant and Naturium’s 12% niacinamide serum, are excellent products here. I use the Naturium morning and night, since niacinamide is so agreeable with skin and with other ingredients.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Salicylic Acid Treatment
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4. Finish with Moisturizer (Day and Night) and SPF (Day)
You have two options for daytime moisturizer:
A. Choose a lightweight oil-free moisturizer with SPF 30+ (to satisfy that daily sun protection requirement). Cardon’s SPF 30 hydrator remains my staple here.
B. Choose a mattifying or smoothing moisturizer with ingredients like clay, dimethicone, silica, etc, to absorb oil and reduce the appearance of pores. Lab Series’ Oil Control Moisturizer is a fantastic one, which also incorporates salicylic acid.
But if you choose option B, then you’ll also need a dose of SPF 30+, so look for an oil-free facial moisturizer, like Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen.
As for nightime, keep things lightweight and breathable, perhaps alternating between seasons, or depending on how dry the room is in which you sleep. (Even with oily skin, it’s good to keep a humidifier on when you slumber.) I try to keep my bedroom mildly humid year round, so I stick with one uniform night cream, like the pillowy soft Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Cloud Cream. Any of its ingredients that contradict the above formula suggestions fall far enough down on its recipe roster that they don’t suffocate the skin in any way. It’s the overnight perfect layer for me, especially in a cool (but humid-ish) room.
I think some people will want something even lighter yet, especially in the summer. That’s where a gel moisturizer like Cardon’s is clutch.
Side note: I realize now I’ve touted three of Cardon’s primary products in one article… For that reason, I should probably tout the brand’s Cardon essentials skincare set that offers all three together (and at a discount when bought together, too). You can get the pore-clearing gentle clay cleanser, the daytime-use SPF30 moisturizer, as well as the nighttime-approved gel moisturizer. Gosh, I adore this brand. Think of this assortment as “great for not aggravating oily skin”; the cleanser will do a great job balancing oil while the moisturizers will both work well while wearing light.
5. Incorporate Detox Masks (Weekly or As Needed)
The general messaging on detoxifying masks (with clay or charcoal) is that you fold them into your routine once a week in the evening. Personally, I’m not huge on doing a weekly mask, as I think if you do all of the above, you should have perfectly fine results. However, I do think it’s wise to have a detox mask on hand just in case you want to purify the skin one day, or even target a problematic pimple.
You can even use one on the day before a big event, if you’re anticipating a little shine. So yeah, I keep mine on standby for this “if and when”, and for any moments where I need to soak up gunk from a real gnarly pimple. (Sometimes I even use the above-mentioned Cardon cleanser as a makeshift 3-minute mask.)
Youth to the People’s Superclay Mask is a killer in this domain; my skin feels brand new after a detox session with that guy—it even packs on two other oily skin essentials, pore-clearing BHAs and complexion balancing niacinamide.
Youth To The People Superclay Purify + Clear Power Mask with Salicylic Acid
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