The Best Moisturizers for Oily Skin

How we chose: we read the ingredient lists of the moisturizers Google’s top guides and Reddit users with oily skin recommend, checked each against the brand’s current list, and compared them with the AAD’s advice for oily skin. We did not test them on skin. Our method

The best moisturizer for your kind of oily skin

• Very oily, shiny skin: The most oil absorbers, highest on the list: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte.
• Oily skin that also flakes or feels tight: Niacinamide, oil absorbers and the barrier lipids dry skin needs, ceramides and cholesterol: CeraVe Oil Control Gel-Cream.
• Oily, sensitive skin: No plant oil, no fragrance, oat flour and feverfew: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel.
• Oily, acne-prone skin on treatment: A night lotion with ceramides: CeraVe PM. For washes, see our salicylic acid cleansers.
• Oily but dehydrated skin: A water-holding gel: The Ordinary NMF + Beta Glucan.
• Combination skin: A gel all over and a richer cream on dry cheeks only, as an AAD dermatologist advises; our dry-skin picks cover the cream.

Best overall: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

Best overall

Check price at Amazon: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)

A 16-ingredient gel-cream: glycerin second, silica third, then corn starch and perlite to soak up oil, niacinamide fifth and one ceramide. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Barrier lipids
• Oil absorbers
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

• Oily and combination skin
• Less shine under sunscreen or makeup
• A short, fragrance-free list

Skip it if: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

• Dry patches: they need a richer cream
• You want a dewy finish

Label facts for La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

Barrier lipids

Ceramide 8th

Humectants

Glycerin 2nd, betaine 4th and hyaluronic acid 11th

Oils and occlusives

None listed

Oil absorbers

Silica 3rd, corn starch 7th and perlite 13th

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Ceramide, niacinamide, glycerin and hyaluronic acid

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from La Roche-Posay's US website on October 10, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

No pick lists an oil absorber higher: silica 3rd, then corn starch and perlite, powders that soak up oil already on the skin. They do not change how much oil your skin makes, and skin wiped clean is back to its usual oiliness within about two hours (Rode 2000), so expect less shine, not none. Niacinamide, 5th, has a controlled study behind it for less oil: 2% for four to six weeks (Draelos 2006). La Roche-Posay prints no percentage.

Wirecutter’s face moisturizer guide names it for oily skin (September 2026), and Byrdie names it best mattifying (May 2026), though Byrdie credits it with “three hydrating ceramides”: the US list has one, ceramide NP. Some Reddit users found that it pilled under sunscreen or was not matte enough.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

• One ceramide and no cholesterol.
• Some users find it pills when sunscreen or makeup goes on before it sets.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

Check price at Amazon: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer ingredients (full list of 16, key ingredients marked)

Aqua / Water / Eau, Glycerin, Silica, Betaine, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Zea Mays Starch / Corn Starch, Ceramide NP, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Perlite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum

As printed on La Roche-Posay's US website on October 10, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best with ceramides and oil absorbers: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream

Best with ceramides and oil absorbers

Check price at Amazon: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Niacinamide second, the highest of any pick, corn starch and silica for oil, and three ceramides with cholesterol. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Barrier lipids
• Oil absorbers
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream

• Oily skin that also flakes or feels tight
• Skin on drying acne treatments
• Drugstore shopping

Skip it if: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream

• Isopropyl myristate has broken you out before
• You want the most matte finish here

Label facts for CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream

Barrier lipids

Ceramides 8th, cholesterol 19th and phytosphingosine 25th

Humectants

Glycerin 3rd and hyaluronic acid 17th

Oils and occlusives

None listed

Oil absorbers

Corn starch 7th and silica 15th

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from CeraVe's US website on October 10, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream

CeraVe made it for combination to oily skin: niacinamide second, corn starch 7th and silica 15th to absorb oil, and ceramides NP, AP and EOP with cholesterol and phytosphingosine, the barrier lipids most oily-skin moisturizers leave out. Skin with acne has been measured with less ceramide in its outer layer and a weaker water barrier (Yamamoto 1995).

Isopropyl myristate is 6th. It is the first offender named in the old rabbit-ear tests of pore-clogging ingredients (Fulton 1984). But the researchers who built the human test found rabbit skin more sensitive than ours (Mills and Kligman 1982), and a finished product with a “comedogenic” ingredient is not necessarily comedogenic (Draelos and DiNardo 2006). CeraVe calls the gel-cream non-comedogenic.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream

• Isopropyl myristate is on the list, if you avoid it.
• Fewer Reddit users to go on than the other picks: five recommended it in the 29 threads we read.

CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream

Check price at Amazon: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)

CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream ingredients (full list of 28, key ingredients marked)

Aqua / Water / Eau, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, C14-22 Alcohols, Isopropyl Myristate, Zea Mays Starch / Corn Starch, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Benzoic Acid, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

As printed on CeraVe's US website on October 10, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best gel moisturizer: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Best gel moisturizer

Check price at Amazon: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (paid link, opens in a new tab)

A silicone gel: dimethicone second, glycerin (6th), hyaluronic acid and a little silica (18th). No fragrance and no drying alcohol, but three dyes.

• No ceramides
• Oil absorbers
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

• Oily and combination skin that wants a light gel
• Under makeup
• A pump bottle

Skip it if: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

• You avoid dyes
• You want niacinamide or ceramides

Label facts for Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Barrier lipids

None listed

Humectants

Glycerin 6th and hyaluronic acid 15th

Oils and occlusives

Dimethicone 2nd

Oil absorbers

Silica 18th

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, caffeine and vitamin E

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from Clinique's US website on October 10, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Clinique sells it as an oil-free gel for combination, oily and sensitive skin and prints “non-acnegenic” rather than “non-comedogenic”. After water, the list starts with dimethicone, a silicone that holds water in; more than half of the acne moisturizers in one review used dimethicone, glycerin or both (Chularojanamontri 2014).

Reddit users with oily skin recommend it across several threads, and none of them reported a problem with it in the 29 threads we read.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

• Three dyes: Yellow 5, Red 4 and Yellow 6.
• No niacinamide or ceramides.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Check price at Amazon: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel ingredients (full list of 36, key ingredients marked)

Water/Aqua/Eau, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycerin, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract/Extrait D'Orge, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Caffeine, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysilicone-11, Silica, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Oleth-10, Lactobacillus Ferment, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 4 (CI 14700), Yellow 6 (CI 15985)

As printed on Clinique's US website on October 10, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best Korean moisturizer for oily skin: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

Best Korean moisturizer for oily skin

Check price at Amazon: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)Check price at Stylevana: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)

A 17-ingredient gel-cream: oat seed water first (77%, Purito states), then butylene glycol and glycerin, a little squalane (8th), panthenol and beta-glucan. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• No ceramides
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

• Oily skin that turns red easily
• Hot, humid weather
• A short list

Skip it if: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

• Oily but dehydrated skin that needs more
• You want oil absorbers or niacinamide

Label facts for Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

Barrier lipids

None listed

Humectants

Glycerin 3rd and panthenol 12th

Oils and occlusives

Squalane 8th

Oil absorbers

None listed

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin, panthenol, squalane, oat and licorice

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from Purito's website on October 21, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

The moisturizer Reddit users with oily skin named most in the 29 threads we read, counting each account once, most of them in r/AsianBeauty. Across all 29 threads, its main complaint was not greasiness but too little hydration, which suits oily skin more than dry.

Purito Seoul calls it non-comedogenic. Squalane, 8th, is a light emollient (a softening ingredient); the list has no plant oil, butter or silicone. It is also the gel pick in our Korean moisturizer guide.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

• Some find it not hydrating enough.
• No oil absorbers or niacinamide.

Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

Check price at Amazon: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)Check price at Stylevana: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream ingredients (full list of 17, key ingredients marked)

Avena Sativa (Oat) Seed Water (77%), Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 2,3-Butanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aqua/Water, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Squalane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Surfactin, Beta-Glucan

As printed on Purito's website on October 21, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best for oily, sensitive skin: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

Best for oily, sensitive skin

Check price at Amazon: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)

A 22-ingredient gel-cream: glycerin second, dimethicone third, oat kernel flour (the ingredient name for colloidal oatmeal; Aveeno calls it prebiotic oat) and feverfew. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• No ceramides
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

• Oily skin that stings or flushes
• Pairing with acne treatments
• Drugstore shopping

Skip it if: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

• You want "non-comedogenic" on the box: Aveeno doesn't print it
• You want niacinamide or oil absorbers

Label facts for Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

Barrier lipids

None listed

Humectants

Glycerin 2nd and panthenol 13th

Oils and occlusives

Dimethicone 3rd

Oil absorbers

None listed

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin, panthenol, centella and colloidal oat

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from Aveeno's US website on October 10, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

Aveeno sells it for sensitive skin, not oily skin, and does not call it oil-free or non-comedogenic. The list still has no plant or mineral oil: glycerin and dimethicone, then, after an olive-derived emulsifier, oat kernel flour 5th and feverfew juice.

It was among the moisturizers Reddit users with oily or oily, acne-prone skin named most outside r/AsianBeauty, with one breakout report in all 29 threads we read.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

• No niacinamide or oil absorbers.
• A jar, so fingers go in.

Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

Check price at Amazon: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer ingredients (full list of 22, key ingredients marked)

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylamide, Synthetic Beeswax, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Chlorphenesin, Dimethiconol, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract

As printed on Aveeno's US website on October 10, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best night moisturizer for oily, acne-prone skin: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

Best night moisturizer for oily, acne-prone skin

Check price at Amazon: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion (paid link, opens in a new tab)

A lotion: glycerin second, caprylic/capric triglyceride (a light emollient) third, niacinamide fourth, three ceramides and cholesterol. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Barrier lipids
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

• Nights after a retinoid or benzoyl peroxide
• Acne-prone, combination skin
• Drugstore shopping

Skip it if: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

• Very oily skin in heat: it is richer than the gels
• Daytime shine control

Label facts for CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

Barrier lipids

Ceramides 7th, cholesterol 16th and phytosphingosine 21st

Humectants

Glycerin 2nd and hyaluronic acid 15th

Oils and occlusives

Dimethicone 11th

Oil absorbers

None listed

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from CeraVe's US website on October 7, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

The AAD says acne treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, adapalene and tretinoin tend to dry and irritate, and a daily moisturizer helps skin tolerate them. In a trial of 100 people starting adapalene, everyone given a moisturizer (a heparinoid, not this one) from day one stayed on that regimen for four weeks; without one, 30% needed a moisturizer added or dropped out (Hayashi 2014).

CeraVe calls it oil-free and non-comedogenic and labels it for night. TODAY (April 2026) names it the best night moisturizer for oily skin, as do two older guides. Reddit users with oily skin are split: in the threads we read, three said it made them oilier or felt too heavy, about as many as recommended it.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

• Richer than the gels here.
• Labeled for night: no SPF and no oil absorbers.

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

Check price at Amazon: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion (paid link, opens in a new tab)

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ingredients (full list of 24, key ingredients marked)

Aqua / Water / Eau, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin

As printed on CeraVe's US website on October 7, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best cruelty-free moisturizer for oily skin: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

Best cruelty-free moisturizer for oily skin

Check price at Amazon: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)

A 17-ingredient water cream: a light emollient, dicaprylyl carbonate, second, then glycerin, niacinamide fourth (5%, Inkey states) and betaine. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• No ceramides
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

• Oily, acne-prone skin
• Niacinamide without a separate serum
• Cruelty-free shoppers

Skip it if: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

• Niacinamide bothers you
• You want ceramides named on the list

Label facts for The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

Barrier lipids

None listed

Humectants

Glycerin 3rd and betaine 6th

Oils and occlusives

None listed

Oil absorbers

None listed

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Niacinamide and glycerin

Cruelty-free certified

Yes, Cruelty Free International

Read from The Inkey List's US website on October 10, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

The only brand among our picks certified by Cruelty Free International. Inkey prints 5% niacinamide; the controlled oil study used 2% (Draelos 2006). In a split-face trial with a short-contact benzoyl peroxide gel, the side with a 5% niacinamide cream lost oil sooner, but the plain-cream side caught up by week 12 (Kaewsanit 2021).

Inkey’s page promises ceramides, but the list names none; the nearest entries are glycosphingolipids and glycolipids. One very oily Reddit user found it looked greasy.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

• No named ceramide.
• No oil absorbers.

The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

Check price at Amazon: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)

The Inkey List Omega Water Cream ingredients (full list of 17, key ingredients marked)

Water (Aqua / Eau), Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Magnesium Sulfate, Glycosphingolipids, Glycolipids, Sodium Benzoate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Oleic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Polyglycerin-3

As printed on The Inkey List's US website on October 10, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best for oily, dehydrated skin: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

Best for oily, dehydrated skin

Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan (paid link, opens in a new tab)

A 40-ingredient gel of water-holding ingredients: betaine fourth, beta-glucan, amino acids, sugars, sodium PCA, urea and hyaluronic acid. No oils or silicones, no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• No ceramides
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

• Oily skin that still feels dry or tight
• Layering under sunscreen
• Hot, humid weather

Skip it if: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

• Dry patches or cold, dry air
• You want oil absorbers

Label facts for The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

Barrier lipids

None listed

Humectants

Betaine 4th, sodium PCA 21st, urea 24th, hyaluronic acid 26th and glycerin 29th

Oils and occlusives

None listed

Oil absorbers

None listed

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin, allantoin, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from The Ordinary's US website on October 10, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

The Ordinary lists it as suited for oily skin, oil-free and silicone-free. A long run of the list (eight amino acids, sodium PCA, sodium lactate and urea) copies the skin’s own water-holding molecules, its “natural moisturizing factors”. Your skin’s own oil adds very little hydration (Friedman 2017), and oily skin has measured less hydrated than dry skin (Thadanipon 2020).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

• Almost nothing to hold the water in: on dry patches, layer something richer.
• No named ceramide: phospholipids and sphingolipids.

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan

Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan (paid link, opens in a new tab)

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan ingredients (full list of 40, key ingredients marked)

Aqua (Water), PPG-24-Glycereth-24, Propanediol, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine HCl, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, P-Anisic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

As printed on The Ordinary's US website on October 10, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Every pick, side by side

What each US label shows, with the oil absorbers and niacinamide

Pick	Ceramides, cholesterol, phytosphingosine	Petrolatum, silicone, squalane, shea or mineral oil	Added fragrance	Drying alcohol	Oil absorbers	Niacinamide	Where to buy
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte MoisturizerBest overall	ceramide (8th)	None of these	None listed	None listed	silica (3rd), corn starch (7th) and perlite (13th)	5th	Check price at Amazon: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)
CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-CreamBest with ceramides and oil absorbers	ceramides (8th), cholesterol (19th) and phytosphingosine (25th)	None of these	None listed	None listed	corn starch (7th) and silica (15th)	2nd	Check price at Amazon: CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing GelBest gel moisturizer	None listed	dimethicone (2nd)	None listed	None listed	silica (18th)	None listed	Check price at Amazon: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (paid link, opens in a new tab)
Purito Oat-in Calming Gel CreamBest Korean moisturizer for oily skin	None listed	squalane (8th)	None listed	None listed	None listed	None listed	Check price at Amazon: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)Check price at Stylevana: Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)
Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel MoisturizerBest for oily, sensitive skin	None listed	dimethicone (3rd)	None listed	None listed	None listed	None listed	Check price at Amazon: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing LotionBest night moisturizer for oily, acne-prone skin	ceramides (7th), cholesterol (16th) and phytosphingosine (21st)	dimethicone (11th)	None listed	None listed	None listed	4th	Check price at Amazon: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion (paid link, opens in a new tab)
The Inkey List Omega Water CreamBest cruelty-free moisturizer for oily skin	None listed	None of these	None listed	None listed	None listed	4th	Check price at Amazon: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)
The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta GlucanBest for oily, dehydrated skin	None listed	None of these	None listed	None listed	None listed	None listed	Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Does oily skin need moisturizer?

Yes, says the AAD's oily-skin page (updated 2024): apply a moisturizer after cleansing, choose products labeled “oil free” and “noncomedogenic”, and save a step with one that has broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. An older AAD page quotes a dermatologist who, because too much moisturizer can clog some people’s pores, suggests a light gel or skipping it, and another who treats combination skin “as though it’s two faces”.

You will also read that skipping moisturizer makes your skin pump out more oil. The AAD's acne page says dry skin makes your body produce more oil, but we found no study that shows it. Oil glands are driven mainly by hormones and run higher in summer and humid weather (Endly 2017), and skin wiped clean is back to its usual oiliness within about two hours (Rode 2000). What is shown: oily skin is not the same as hydrated skin (Thadanipon 2020), acne treatments dry the skin, and a moisturizer helps people stay on them (Hayashi 2014).

“Oil-free” and “non-comedogenic”: what the labels mean

The FDA defines neither word and keeps no list of approved cosmetic claims; a review of the research found “oil-free” and “non-comedogenic” regulated by no governing body (Boozalis 2018). In practice oil-free means no mineral or plant oil, with silicones like dimethicone in their place (Chularojanamontri 2014).

Most lists of “comedogenic” ingredients trace back to rabbit-ear tests (Fulton 1984). The researchers behind the human test found rabbit skin more sensitive than ours (Mills and Kligman 1982), and a finished product is not necessarily comedogenic because one ingredient is (Draelos and DiNardo 2006).

Popular oily-skin moisturizers whose labels don’t match the guides

None of the guides we read checks the ingredient list. Four favorites show why it matters:

• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Mattifying Moisturizer: La Roche-Posay calls it oil-free, and Allure’s oily-skin guide (April 2025) lists it as fragrance-free. The US list has alcohol denat (5th) and fragrance (last of 24).
• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel: guides disagree on whether it is scented. Neutrogena now sells it as the Water Gel “with Signature Fragrance”, fragrance is 17th of 20, and its Fragrance Free Water Gel page now sells a gel cream for normal to dry skin.
• Tatcha The Water Cream: Byrdie’s and InStyle’s best overall for oily skin (both May 2026). Its US list has fragrance (29th of 35) and the allergens limonene, linalool and citral.
• Caudalie Vinopure Oil-Control Moisturizer: the pick for acne-prone skin in Byrdie (May 2026) and Allure (April 2025). Caudalie's own FAQ says it is not oil-free, and the list has six essential oils and alcohol denat (12th).

What oil absorbers do, and what they don’t

Silica, perlite, corn and tapioca starch and aluminum starch octenylsuccinate are powders that soak up oil already on your skin. Most over-the-counter oil-control products work this way, rather than by changing how much oil you make (Draelos 2006). The effect wears off as oil comes back: skin wiped clean is at its usual oiliness again within about two hours (Rode 2000). Niacinamide is different: at 2% it lowered oil in a controlled study, though not every measure moved in both groups tested (Draelos 2006).

For shine at midday, the AAD suggests blotting papers: press one on for a few seconds rather than rubbing, which spreads the oil.

Moisturizers with SPF for oily skin

The AAD says a moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher saves a step. The FDA treats any moisturizer with an SPF as both a cosmetic and a sunscreen drug, so its filters sit in a Drug Facts box (FDA). Cover all of your face: in one study, people missed more of their face, and of their eyelids, with an SPF moisturizer than with a sunscreen (Lourenco 2019). The same AAD page suggests zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sunscreens if you break out easily; all three below use chemical filters, so a mineral sunscreen over a plain moisturizer is the alternative. Read from DailyMed:

• 

  Cetaphil Oil Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30

  Silica and other oil-absorbing powders, zinc gluconate and a ceramide, with avobenzone, octisalate and octocrylene for SPF 30. Its Drug Facts list the same filters, strengths and inactive ingredients as Differin’s below, word for word; both are Galderma’s.

  Check price at Amazon: Cetaphil Oil Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30 (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Differin Oil Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30

  The same Drug Facts ingredients as Cetaphil’s: the same three filters at the same strengths and the same 26 inactive ingredients. Buy whichever costs less.

  Check price at Amazon: Differin Oil Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30 (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer UV SPF 30

  The SPF 30 version of our top pick, on a different base: four chemical filters, silica and perlite, but also capryloyl salicylic acid, an exfoliating acid. Amazon did not sell it on October 10, 2026.

For a sunscreen on its own, see our mineral sunscreens, a mineral sunscreen picked for oily skin and a matte Korean sunscreen.

How to use a moisturizer on oily skin

1. After cleansing, as the AAD advises, on skin that is still a little damp (AAD).
2. A thin layer, then let it set before sunscreen or makeup: gels can pill when the next layer goes on too soon. Our skincare order guide has the full sequence.
3. Wash gently, up to twice a day and after sweating, the AAD says; a harsh face wash irritates.
4. Sunscreen every morning, SPF 30 or higher, if your moisturizer has none (AAD).
5. On combination skin, moisturize the dry areas more and the T-zone less, or with a lighter product.

What to check on a moisturizer label for oily skin: six things

Cosmetic labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order (21 CFR 701.3); our guide to reading an ingredient list explains the rest.

• No fragrance or essential oils. 50% of the moisturizers in our catalog named for oily skin list fragrance. Read for lavender, peppermint or citrus oils and allergens like limonene and linalool too.
• No plant oils or butters, whatever the front says. Of the 22 catalog moisturizers with “oil-free” in the name, 5 list a plant oil, an essential oil or a butter anyway. Light emollients such as squalane or caprylic/capric triglyceride are a different thing.
• No alcohol denat. near the top. Mattifying formulas sometimes use it; in the first five ingredients it is there in a real amount.
• A humectant and something to hold it. Glycerin or hyaluronic acid draws water in; dimethicone holds it there without oil (Chularojanamontri 2014).
• Oil absorbers, if shine is the problem. Silica, perlite, corn or tapioca starch, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate. They mop up oil; they do not make less.
• Niacinamide, if you want to try for less oil. It has a controlled study behind it (Draelos 2006), though cosmetic dermatologists in a 2025 survey agreed on it for redness and dark spots, not oil (Alvarez 2025). More in our niacinamide serum picks.

Also considered

• 

  Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

  One of the most common picks in the guides we read (five of twelve, October 2026), but sold “with Signature Fragrance” now, with the dye Blue 1. Reddit users with oily skin report shine or breakouts as well as praise.

  Check price at Amazon: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Tatcha The Water Cream

  Byrdie’s and InStyle’s best overall (May 2026), but fragrance and three named allergens are listed, and Tatcha no longer calls it oil-free.

  Check price at Amazon: Tatcha The Water Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Mattifying Moisturizer

  Mattifying, with silica and perlite, but alcohol denat (5th), fragrance, and two exfoliating acids: capryloyl salicylic acid and salicylic acid.

  Check price at Amazon: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Mattifying Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Caudalie Vinopure Oil-Control Moisturizer

  Silica and tapioca starch for shine, but six essential oils, sunflower seed oil and alcohol denat. are listed.

  Check price at Amazon: Caudalie Vinopure Oil-Control Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel

  Niacinamide third, three ceramides with cholesterol, and no fragrance, but CeraVe sells it for all skin types and it lists one oil absorber, silica; we picked the Oil Control Gel-Cream, made for oily skin, with corn starch too.

  Check price at Amazon: CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb

  Reddit users in r/Sephora name it often, but alcohol denat (5th), macadamia ternifolia seed oil and butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, and four essential oils belif calls “fragrances of botanical origin” are listed.

  Check price at Amazon: belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Cetaphil Gentle Clear Mattifying Acne Moisturizer

  An OTC acne drug with 0.5% salicylic acid and oil-absorbing starch, fragrance-free. We kept acids out of the picks; skip it if you already use an acne treatment.

  Check price at Amazon: Cetaphil Gentle Clear Mattifying Acne Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Face Cream

  Oil-free, but salicylic acid (last of 22) and the cooling agent menthoxypropanediol are listed.

  Check price at Amazon: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Face Cream (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel

  The moisturizer Reddit users with oily skin named second most in the threads we read, fragrance-free, but sunflower seed oil is listed, low on the list (33rd of 58).

  Check price at Amazon: Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Bubble Level Up Balancing Gel Moisturizer

  Sold for oily and combination skin, with niacinamide and zinc, but cannabis sativa (hemp) seed oil and oenothera biennis (evening primrose) oil are listed.

  Check price at Amazon: Bubble Level Up Balancing Gel Moisturizer (paid link, opens in a new tab)

The best moisturizer is the one you use twice a day

Avina keeps your morning and evening routines with your real products and records the days you did them, so you can judge a new moisturizer on real use.

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