Ever since I started taking care of my skin, its been a challenge to find the perfect moisturizer for oily skin. For the longest time, I did not even realise that my oily skin needed a moisturizer. Many women are under the misconception that if they have oily skin, they do not need moisturizer. The truth is, everyone needs moisturizer, you just need the texture and formula suited for your skin type! Moisture/Hydration is different from oil/sebum and if your skin is oily, it doesn’t imply that it is hydrated. Low levels of moisture in the skin leads to overproduction of oil, as the skin tries to compensate for the lack of water. To maintain healthy, balanced skin, its important to hydrate the skin and not strip it dry.
Oily skinned people need to use light-weight moisturizers in the form of lotions, emulsions or gels and should stay away from heavier creams which may clog the pores and lead to pimples and blackheads. My skin oscillates between combination and oily and every once in a while, I get a few angry breakouts that refuse to budge for days. So I’ve tested out a boat load of moisturizers over the past few months and compiled this list of oily skin-friendly moisturizers. I hope you will find this compilation helpful!
I’ve divided these up in a few categories, based on specific skin type and need. I’m going to start with the moisturizers for combination skin. The following moisturizers have a light weight formula but they pack a ton of hydration to soothe and moisturize dehydrated skin.
The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturizer (Rs 2295 for 50 ml) – Buy online
- Light gel-cream consistency, sinks in easily into the skin
- Mild citrus scent, feels pleasant to use
- Contains Vitamin C that helps brighten skin
- Luxurious, heavy jar packaging
Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief Moisturizer (Rs 1950 for 30 ml)
- Light gel-cream consistency, sinks in easily into the skin
- Unscented, allergy tested, would recommend for sensitive skin
- Boosts hydration without greasiness, takes care of dry patches
- Light weight jar packaging
Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Gel (Rs 3450 for 50 ml)
- Creamy gel consistency, absorbs easily
- Mild, pleasant fragrance – feels fresh to use
- Hydrates and plumps up the skin (personal favorite!)
- Non-greasy but very hydrating for dehydrated skin
- Luxurious, heavy jar packaging
Yves Rocher Sebo Vegetal Zero Blemish Cream (Rs 800 for 50 ml)
- Thick creamy consistency, needs some time to absorb
- Not as light as the above but very nourishing (prefer this for night time)
- Mild fragrance – smells very fresh
- Contains Baikal powder that helps balance oily skin
The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream (Rs 895 for 50 ml)
- Gel-cream consistency, mild scent
- Takes a minute to absorb but gives a soft matte finish
- Contains Seaweed extracts and anti-oxidants
- Feels soothing and calming
Shiseido Ibuki Protective Moisturizer SPF 15 (Rs 2800 for 75 ml)
- Light, runny lotion (emulsion) consistency
- Absorbs easily, hydrating yet lightweight
- Improves skin texture, pores look more refined (have used a full bottle of this previously)
- Downside – contains alcohol
My next few picks are extremely light moisturizers that are best suited for oily to very oily skin. If you don’t have any acne problems and just need a light moisturizer for oily skin, these would work perfectly for you.
Forest Essentials Light Hydrating Rosewater Gel (Rs 1350 for 50 ml) – Buy online
- Clear, ultra-light gel consistency
- Light, cooling feel, mild rosewater scent
- Sinks in completely into the skin
- Contains Aloe Vera Juice, Plum fruit extract and Wheatgerm extract
Aviance White Intense White Radiance Day Gel (Rs 1199 for 50 ml) – Buy online
- Very light, clear gel consistency
- Soft mattifying finish, sinks in completely
- Mild, pleasant scent
- Contains brightening ingredients
The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet (Rs 1195 for 50 ml) – Buy online
- Moist, light gel consistency
- Very fresh on the skin, feels gentle and cooling
- Non-greasy, absorbs completely
- Heavy glass jar packaging, clean and mild, fresh scent
The next segment is for those who have oily, acne-prone skin. The following moisturizers contain ingredients that target breakouts but even people who don’t have active acne can use the following since the formulations are quite light.
Plum Green Tea Mattifying Moisturizer (Rs 540 for 50 ml) – Buy online
- Creamy, thick gel consistency, takes a minute or so to absorb
- Gives a clean, non-powdery matte finish
- Free from silicones, non-comedogenic
- Contains Glycolic acid and green tea extracts for acne control
Clean & Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer (Rs 100 for 80 ml) – Buy online
- Light creamy moisturizer, oil-free and non-comedogenic
- Comes in a travel-friendly, hygienic tube packaging
- Non-greasy, sinks in easily
- Contains Salicylic acid for acne control
- Very affordable
Avene Cleanance Mat Moisturizer (Rs 900 for 40 ml)
- Slightly thick, creamy gel consistency, takes a minute to absorb
- Non-powdery matte finish, feels light and clean
- Contains Salicylic acid for acne control
- Contains soothing and anti-inflammatory thermal spring water
La-Roche Posay Effaclar Duo (Rs 1300 for 50 ml) – Buy online
- Gel consistency, light on the skin
- Oil-free, designed to hydrate (glycerin), control oil and target acne
- Contains Salicylic acid for acne control, Zinc compounds for healing
- Shrinks acne, refines pores, targets post-acne marks
- Slim and hygienic tube packaging
- Contains soothing and anti-inflammatory thermal spring water
Some more moisturizers that I’ve liked using in the past –
- Lotus Herbals Alphamoist Oil-Free Moisturizer – light lotion for oily skin
- Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer – comes in 2 variants – oily skin and combination skin
- Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel – very light, hydrating and unscented
- The Body Shop Tea Tree Mattifying Day Lotion (Rs 1095) – good for acne prone skin
Hope you found this compilation helpful!
Let me know your favorite moisturizers in the comments below.