Best moisturizers for oily skin (2026)

Key takeaways

• Oily skin still needs moisturizer. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says that when skin becomes dry, your body makes more oil, and that extra oil can clog pores.

• Look for “oil-free” and “non-comedogenic” on the label, and a gel or gel-cream texture.

• Our top pick is La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Face Moisturizer: Niacinamide, a Ceramide, and oil-absorbing silica in a fragrance-free gel for $24.99.

• On a budget, The INKEY List Omega Water Cream has 5% Niacinamide for $15. For a dewy rather than matte finish, Glow Recipe Pink Juice is oil-free and made for oily and combination skin.

• Niacinamide may help regulate how much oil skin produces, per Cleveland Clinic, which is why it shows up in half the moisturizers here.

A shiny forehead by lunchtime makes it tempting to skip moisturizer. Dermatologists say not to, and the right formula can leave oily skin feeling hydrated without adding to the shine. The eight below are gels, gel-creams, and light lotions from $15 to $74, chosen for oily and combination skin, with notes on which ones leave a matte finish and which leave a dewy one.

Why oily skin still needs moisturizer

The AAD explains that “when your skin becomes dry, your body makes more oil,” and that extra oil can clog pores. Cleveland Clinic makes the same point more bluntly: “parched skin produces more sebum.”

On its oily skin page, the AAD says it’s still important to moisturize oily skin and recommends products labeled “oil free” and “noncomedogenic,” which means they’re formulated not to clog pores. The same page notes that Salicylic, Glycolic, and Lactic Acids can reduce oiliness but may be too harsh for some skin.

A few ingredients also help with the shine itself:

• Niacinamide. Cleveland Clinic’s Niacinamide guide says it “may help regulate the amount of oil your glands produce,” which can help prevent clogged pores.

• Oil-absorbing powders. Silica, perlite, and corn starch soak up oil on the surface for a matte finish.

• Light Humectants. Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid hydrate without the weight of rich oils and butters.

• Ceramides. They support the moisture barrier, which matters if acne treatments or acids are drying your skin out.

Our guide to minimizing the look of pores covers why less visible oil also makes pores look smaller.

Matching a moisturizer to your kind of oily skin

“Oily skin” covers a few different situations, and the right moisturizer shifts with each.

• Oily all over, shiny by midday: a matte gel with oil-absorbing powders, such as La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Matte or CeraVe’s gel-cream, keeps the finish flatter for longer.

• Oily but tight or flaky in places: this can mean skin is dehydrated as well as oily. A gel-cream with Humectants, such as The INKEY List Omega Water Cream or Glow Recipe Pink Juice, adds water without much weight. Our guide to dry vs dehydrated skin explains the difference.

• Oily and using acne treatments: Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid can leave skin dry and tight, so a Ceramide moisturizer with no acne ingredients of its own, such as Paula’s Choice CLEAR, keeps the routine from doubling up.

• Oily and easily irritated: a short, fragrance-free formula is the safer starting point, and a patch test on the side of the jaw for a few days shows whether a new formula agrees with you before it’s applied to the whole face.

At a glance

1. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Face Moisturizer: best moisturizer for oily skin overall

2. CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream: best drugstore gel-cream

3. The INKEY List Omega Water Cream: best budget pick

4. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer: best for a dewy finish

5. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream: best cooling gel

6. Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer: best for oily, sensitive-feeling skin

7. Paula’s Choice CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer: best for breakout-prone skin

8. Tatcha The Water Cream: best splurge

How we compared these moisturizers for oily skin

No moisturizer here was tried on skin. Instead, we checked each brand’s page and full ingredient list in October 2026 against five criteria:

• Texture and finish: gel, gel-cream, or lotion, and whether the brand describes it as matte or dewy.

• Labeling: oil-free and non-comedogenic claims.

• Oil-control ingredients: Niacinamide, silica, and other powders.

• Fragrance status: label claims compared with what the ingredient list shows.

• Price: with the jar or bottle size.

Moisturizers for oily skin compared

1. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Face Moisturizer: best moisturizer for oily skin overall

La Roche-Posay’s matte version of its Toleriane cream is a light gel with Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Glycerin, and the brand’s prebiotic thermal water, plus silica and perlite to absorb oil. La Roche-Posay says it gives all-day hydration without the shine, and labels it oil-free, non-comedogenic, and fragrance-free.

With 16 ingredients, it’s also one of the shorter formulas here, which is useful if you’re trying to work out what your skin does and doesn’t like.

Key features:

• Hydration plus oil control: Niacinamide and a Ceramide alongside silica, perlite, and corn starch.

• Oil-free, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free: all three on the label.

• Short ingredient list: 16 ingredients.

Best for: oily and combination skin that wants a matte, fragrance-free moisturizer.

Tradeoff: with a single Ceramide and a matte finish, it may feel too light if you also get dry patches.

Price: $24.99.

2. CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream: best drugstore gel-cream

CeraVe’s gel-cream is made for combination to oily skin and carries the brand’s usual three Ceramides with Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid, plus silica and corn starch. CeraVe says the powders help absorb excess oil, and it describes the finish as non-greasy and matte.

Key features:

• Three Ceramides: CeraVe’s usual trio, in a lighter texture than its creams.

• Oil-absorbing powders: silica and corn starch.

• Fragrance-free and non-comedogenic: per CeraVe.

Best for: oily skin that still wants Ceramides for hydration.

Tradeoff: it contains isopropyl myristate, an ingredient some people with breakout-prone skin prefer to avoid.

Price: $19.99.

3. The INKEY List Omega Water Cream: best budget pick

The INKEY List’s gel-cream turns watery as it’s spread, and it states its key amounts: 5% Niacinamide, 5% Glycerin, and 3% Betaine, plus a Ceramide complex. The INKEY List says it’s made for oily, dehydrated, and combination skin, and reports that it helped balance oil in a four-week clinical study of 22 people.

Key features:

• Stated percentages: the main ingredient amounts are on the page.

• Oil-free and silicone-free: also labeled non-comedogenic.

• Fragrance-free: no fragrance or alcohol in the formula.

Best for: oily, dehydrated skin on a small budget.

Tradeoff: it leaves a dewy finish rather than a matte one, which won’t suit everyone with very oily skin.

Price: $15 for 50 ml.

4. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer: best for a dewy finish

Pink Juice is a bouncy gel that Glow Recipe says is formulated for oily and combination skin, hydrating without adding oil or clogging pores. Watermelon extract is third on its ingredient list, with licorice root extract, Glycerin, and Sodium Hyaluronate following, and the brand labels it oil-free and non-comedogenic.

Glow Recipe suggests one to two pumps as the last step of your routine, morning and night, and says it can be patted on again during the day for extra moisture.

Key features:

• Oil-free gel: Glow Recipe calls it 100% oil-free.

• Refillable jar: a 50 ml refill pod is sold separately, and there’s a 25 ml mini.

• Daytime top-up: the brand suggests it for a midday refresh.

Best for: oily or combination skin that wants a fresh, dewy look rather than a matte one.

Tradeoff: Glow Recipe says it contains naturally derived fragrance at less than 0.5% of the formula, so it’s not the pick for skin that reacts to fragrance.

Price: $40 for 50 ml.

5. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream: best cooling gel

Kiehl’s oil-free gel cream is made for oily to normal skin, with Glycerin, a cooling ingredient (Menthoxypropanediol), and a small amount of Salicylic Acid. Kiehl’s reports that the appearance of oiliness dropped 28.28% and the appearance of pores dropped 19.80% in a four-week, expert-graded study.

Key features:

• Oil-free and fragrance-free: Kiehl’s also labels it alcohol-free and non-comedogenic.

• Cooling feel: from the Menthoxypropanediol.

• Several sizes: 1.7 fl oz and 4.2 fl oz jars, plus a 5.07 fl oz refill.

Best for: oily skin in hot weather that wants a light, cooling gel.

Tradeoff: it has no Ceramides or Niacinamide, so it’s less suited to skin that’s also dry from acne treatments.

Price: $39 for 1.7 fl oz.

6. Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer: best for oily, sensitive-feeling skin

Biossance’s gel lists Glycerin second and Squalane third, followed by Lepidium Sativum sprout extract, Bisabolol, a ferment blend, Sodium Hyaluronate, and Allantoin. No fragrance appears on its ingredient list. The brand reports that 100% of participants said excess oil felt more balanced, with visibly tighter-looking pores, after one week, in a four-week study with 32 women who described their skin as sensitive.

Key features:

• Light gel texture: two to three pumps over the face and neck.

• Soothing ingredients: Bisabolol and Allantoin on the list.

• Two sizes: 50 ml and a 100 ml jumbo.

Best for: oily skin that also feels sensitive or easily irritated.

Tradeoff: Squalane, an oil, is near the top of the formula, so it isn’t for anyone who wants a strictly oil-free moisturizer, and at $49 it’s the second-priciest pick here.

Price: $49 for 50 ml.

7. Paula’s Choice CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer: best for breakout-prone skin

Paula’s Choice made this sheer lotion for breakout-prone skin. It has three Ceramides, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, cholesterol, and Panthenol, and the brand says it won’t clog pores and is made without fragrance. It doesn’t contain acne ingredients of its own, so it can sit alongside a treatment you already use.

Key features:

• Pairs with acne treatments: no Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide to double up on.

• Ceramides and cholesterol: with Panthenol for hydration.

• Fragrance-free: per Paula’s Choice.

Best for: breakout-prone skin that’s dried out by acne treatments.

Tradeoff: at $42 for 2 fl oz it costs more than the drugstore picks, and Paula’s Choice suggests following it with sunscreen during the day.

Price: $42 for 2 fl oz.

8. Tatcha The Water Cream: best splurge

Tatcha’s Water Cream is a light, pore-refining moisturizer for combination to oily skin, built on a rice ferment, green tea, and Okinawa algae extracts, with gold. Tatcha describes it as oil-free and non-comedogenic, and reports that all 27 panelists showed a reduction in oil after one week.

Key features:

• Water-light texture: for oily skin that dislikes heavier creams.

• Refill option: a refill pod costs less than the full jar.

• Face, neck, and chest: morning and night, per Tatcha.

Best for: combination to oily skin that wants an indulgent texture and doesn’t react to fragrance.

Tradeoff: at $74 it’s the most expensive pick here, and its ingredient list includes fragrance, alcohol, limonene, linalool, and citral.

Price: $74 for 50 ml.

How to use a moisturizer on oily skin

Apply it after cleansing and serums. Our guide to skincare routine order shows where moisturizer fits.

Use a small amount. A thin layer over the face and neck is enough on oily skin. If your T-zone gets shiny but your cheeks don’t, you can use a little less through the middle of the face.

Add sunscreen in the morning. If your moisturizer doesn’t contain sunscreen, apply a broad-spectrum one on top. Our list of sunscreens for oily skin covers lightweight options.

Be careful with acids. The AAD says Salicylic, Glycolic, and Lactic Acids can reduce oiliness but may be too harsh, so start slowly if you add one.

Add Niacinamide if you want more oil control. Our list of the best Niacinamide serums covers options to layer under a moisturizer.

Pick the finish you’ll actually wear. A matte gel suits makeup and very oily T-zones. A dewy gel-cream suits combination skin that gets tight on the cheeks.

If oiliness comes with frequent breakouts that don’t settle after six to eight weeks of a consistent routine, a board-certified dermatologist can talk you through prescription options.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best moisturizer for oily skin?

For most people, a fragrance-free gel or gel-cream labeled oil-free and non-comedogenic. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte is our top pick, The INKEY List Omega Water Cream is the budget choice, and Glow Recipe Pink Juice suits a dewier finish.

Does oily skin need moisturizer?

Yes. The AAD says it’s still important to moisturize oily skin, and Cleveland Clinic notes that “parched skin produces more sebum.”

What should you look for in a moisturizer for oily skin?

The AAD recommends products labeled “oil free” and “noncomedogenic,” which means they’re made not to clog pores. A gel or gel-cream texture, and ingredients, such as Niacinamide or silica, can also help with shine.

Should you use a gel or a cream moisturizer for oily skin?

A gel or gel-cream usually feels lighter on oily skin. Creams can work too if they’re labeled oil-free and non-comedogenic.

How long does it take a moisturizer to help acne-prone skin?

The AAD notes that in studies, most patients saw less acne between four and eight weeks after starting an acne-friendly moisturizer alongside their acne treatment.

Related reading

• The 7 best sunscreens for oily and acne-prone skin

• The 7 best tinted moisturizers for sheer, natural coverage

• The 7 best face moisturizers for daily use

• The 7 best moisturizers for dry skin

• The 7 best moisturizers for dehydrated skin