Oily Skin Care

Anyone dealing with oily skin knows the frustration and struggle of finding oily skin treatments that absorb excess oil yet leave skin feeling soothed and hydrated. It’s a delicate balance that we’ve dedicated years of research to mastering—our founder, Paula, has oily skin herself. Here’s exactly what you need to get oily skin under control.

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How to Control Oily Skin

Hand holding Paula's Choice Skincare 10% Niacinamide Booster and SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant in front of a light tan backgroundThe first step is to assess your current oily skin care routine to make sure you aren’t using products that are provoking your oily skin and making it worse.

Ditch harsh, drying formulas because they actually trigger more oil production! Ingredients like SD alcohol or denatured alcohol may make your skin feel less oily at first, but in the long run, they only make matters worse, causing your skin to produce more oil. More ingredients to sidestep can be found here.

Avoid products with ingredients that make your skin tingle (like menthol, mint and eucalyptus). People often think that if a product is tingling, it’s working, but that is just your skin’s response to being irritated, and that cumulative irritation causes more problems for oily skin.

Toss out thick lotions/creams. They tend to clog pores or exacerbate oiliness. Consider using lighter gel moisturizers instead.

Oily Skin Care Routine

Next, you need to put together a gentle but effective oily skin care routine that perfectly meets the unique needs of oily skin.

1. Cleanse: A great face wash for oily skin will break down makeup and whisk away excess oil—all without drying out skin. This gives your oily skin a clean slate for the rest of your routine to work effectively.

2. Tone: The best toner for oily skin is loaded with antioxidants and skin-replenishing ingredients that all skin types need. This key step helps revitalize oily skin in a healthy way, while minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores and removing the last traces of makeup that can lead to clogged pores. For some, a well-formulated toner can provide all the hydration oily skin needs when applied directly after using a cleanser for oily skin.

3. Exfoliate: Exfoliation is one of the most important steps for an oily skin care routine. Oily skin tends to have an extra-thick layer of built-up dead skin on the surface and gentle exfoliation is the only way to remove that build up and diminish clogged pores. For oily skin, we highly recommend 2% BHA in liquid form, which not only exfoliates the surface of your skin but also inside the pore lining.

4. Face Moisturizer with SPF: Sunscreen is essential for reducing the risk of early signs of aging and skin cancer, no matter what your skin type. If you've avoided sunscreens in the past because the products you used were too greasy or occlusive, try RESIST Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30. Your oily skin will appreciate the weightless, matte finish.

5. Nighttime Moisturizer: At night, you don’t necessarily need a traditional moisturizer for oily skin. Instead, opt for a lighter weight gel or serum that provides essential antioxidants and skin-replenishing ingredients, without clogging pores.

Oily Skin Treatments

Paula's Choice Pore Reducing Toner for Oily SkinIn addition to the steps above, you can add treatments to help absorb excess oil. Some of our favorites include:

SHINE STOPPER Instant Matte Finish With MICROSPONGE® Technology to help control oily shine throughout the day. (Wear by itself, over, or under makeup.)

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