The 20 Best Face Washes for Oily Skin So You Look Glowy, Not Greasy
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Your freshly clean, shine-free face awaits you.
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A good cleanser is the first step in helping to balance your complexion. When you have oily skin, the goal of a cleanser is not only to clean, but also to control oil production. "Sebum is a natural oil that protects and hydrates the skin, but too much of it can lead to oily skin, clogged pores, and acne,” says New Jersey-based licensed esthetician, Ali Tobia. She goes on to note that, “The amount of sebum your skin produces is largely determined by your genes, but prolonged stress and some medications can negatively influence oily skin."
The right cleanser for your skin should leave your skin feeling cleansed, but not stripped dry — a particularly daunting task for oily skin that needs to both remove excess oil and retain moisture. Cleansers formulated for oily skin are able to balance both needs by coupling clarifying ingredients with skin soothers and hydrators, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and ready for what’s next. Ahead, our editors recommend the best cleansers for oily skin that can help balance your complexion.
Best Overall: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Face Wash
What We Love: This cleanser removes excess oil without disrupting the moisture barrier and is gentle enough for even oily sensitive skin to use daily.
What We Don’t Love: It doesn’t have additional ingredients to combat blemishes.
This cleanser from La Roche-Posay is our top pick as it checks every box for an everyday face wash for oily skin. The gentle foam removes excess oil without completely stripping the skin of moisture, it leaves no residue and contains nourishing and skin barrier-supporting ingredients, like ceramides, glycerin and niacinamide. According to esthetician Lara Kaiser, “the gentle surfactants help break down sebum and prepare skin for treatment serums.” Because it doesn’t contain any potentially irritating or drying active ingredients, like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, it’s suitable to be used twice daily.
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide, ceramide-3, prebiotic thermal water｜Texture: Gel to foam｜Size: 13.52 oz
Best Budget: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
What We Love: The foaming formula cleanses without stripping and leaves skin refreshed.
What We Don’t Love: The packaging isn’t very exciting.
This affordable and effective cleanser is available in travel to jumbo sizes that still never exceed $20! Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lavanya Krishnan names this face wash as one of her top recommendations for patients with oily skin. Containing ceramides, hyaluronic acid and oil-regulating niacinamide, it dispenses as a gel and lathers into a gentle foam to cleanse excess oil without causing excess dryness. Plus, it’s alcohol, essential-oil and fragrance-free.
Active Ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide｜Texture: Foaming gel｜Size: 8 oz
Best Drugstore: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser
What We Love: This cleanser uses zinc to purify and reduce shine.
What We Don’t Love: It has a slight perfume-y scent.
Like our best overall pick, this cleanser from La Roche-Posay is gentle enough to be used daily, but features zinc pidolate as the star ingredient. In a facial cleanser, zinc helps to regulate oil-production and provides some anti-inflammatory benefit to calm redness. The formula is a foaming gel that cleanses oily skin without stripping or disrupting the skin’s pH. Housed in a generously sized pump, this budget-friendly drugstore cleanser will last you a while.
Active Ingredients: Zinc PCA, thermal spring water｜Texture: Foaming gel｜Size: 6.76 oz
Best Splurge: iS Clinical Cleansing Complex
What We Love: This product features a unique blend of ingredients that resurfaces, clears pores, while calming and healing skin.
What We Don’t Love: With twice daily use, you’ll go through a bottle quickly (but we bet you’ll love the way it makes your skin look that you won’t mind).
A favorite among professionals, this multi-tasking gel cleanser packs a punch while still managing to be gentle enough for sensitive skin. Kaiser cites this as one of her top recommendations for oily skin, explaining that “it contains willow bark extract, a natural BHA that helps reduce oil and refine pores.”
Willow bark extract and sugarcane derived alpha-hydroxy acids work to gently exfoliate, soften and refine, while antioxidants like centella asiatica and chamomile protect and calm the skin. While it’s expensive for a cleanser, you can use it for more than just washing your face — the formula is an effective makeup remover or can be left on for a few minutes as a mask.
Active Ingredients: White willow bark extract, chamomile flower extract, centella asiatica leaf extract｜Texture: Gel｜Size: 6 oz
Best for Oily Skin and Acne: Naturium Benzoyl Peroxide Cream Cleanser 5%
What We Love: Micronized benzoyl peroxide makes it gentle enough to be used daily.
What We Don’t Love: Benzoyl peroxide can sometimes stain sheets and towels.
Benzoyl peroxide is a well-known ingredient for combatting acne, thanks to its ability to kill acne-causing bacteria and exfoliate pores. Typically too drying to be used everyday, Naturium’s innovative cleanser contains less-irritating micronized benzoyl peroxide. The formula uses a nourishing cream base to offset dryness while still providing an effective cleanse for oily, acne-prone skin. In addition to clearing active breakouts, the cleanser is also a preventative treatment to stop new pimples from forming. Because it works by killing acne-causing bacteria, Tobia says that benzoyl peroxide is best for inflammatory acne, like red pustules and cysts, rather than blackheads and whiteheads.
Active Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide｜Texture: Cream｜Size: 5 oz
Best for Oily Skin and Large Pores: Ole Henriksen Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser
What We Love: This product uses a proprietary blend of active botanicals in addition to AHAs.
What We Don’t Love: This eucalyptus scent may be overpowering.
Large pores are one of the most common complaints among those with oily skin and this cleanser addresses the issue in many ways. The brand’s proprietary Green Fusion Complex, features active, proven botanical ingredients, like green tea, algae and eucalyptus to clarify pores and reduce excess oil without stripping. Additionally, lactic and glycolic acid exfoliate to clear dead skin cells, which can exacerbate the appearance of pores. Plus, this cleanser has a refreshing cooling sensation and aromatic eucalyptus scent for anyone that prefers a sensorial skincare routine.
Active Ingredients: Proprietary Green Fusion Complex, glycolic acid, lactic acid｜Texture: Cream｜Size: 5 oz
Best Korean Beauty: Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser
What We Love: It has an antioxidant rich formula to prevent free radical damage. This can also be used as a flash mask for deeper cleanse.
What We Don’t Love: It has a blueberry scent that some may dislike.
This fruity 3-in-1 cleanser from Glow Recipe is a favorite of Kaiser’s for many reasons: “It cleans well without stripping, gently foams, can be used as a flash mask and smells good!” In addition to using it as a traditional face wash, you can also use the gel-cleanser on dry skin as a makeup remover or leave it on for five minutes as a flash exfoliating mask (the brand smartly suggests doing this in the shower).
Naturally vitamin and antioxidant-rich blueberry extract gives the cleanser its scent and color, while functionally, it helps to neutralize free radicals, reduce inflammation and strengthen the skin barrier. It also contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate and lactic and glycolic acids to gently slough off dead skin cells. True to its name, the cleanser leaves oily skin bouncy and refreshed.
Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, glycolic acid, blueberry extract, hyaluronic acid｜Texture: Lightweight gel｜Size: 5.41 oz
Best Dermatologist-Recommended: Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Removing Foam Wash
What We Love: A budget-friendly cleanser with an instant foaming pump, no lather required.
What We Don’t Love: Unlike many drugstore options, this cleanser is only available in one size.
Dr. Krishnan recommends gentle foaming cleansers for those with oily skin, as the “soap suds” are generally most effective at removing excess oil and dirt. This drugstore classic is her top-pick for patients with oily or even combination skin, and it's suitable for sensitive skin, too. It also couldn’t be easier to use, as the pump instantly dispenses foam. The formula features oily skin favorite zinc to absorb excess oil and calm inflammation, while glycerin leaves the skin hydrated and not stripped.
Active Ingredients: Zinc, glycerin｜Texture: Foam｜Size: 8 oz
Best for Oily Skin and Pimples : Kate Somerville EradiKate 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser
What We Love: This cleanser features three percent sulfur to combat blemishes.
What We Don’t Love: It has a slight sulfur scent.
Sulfur is a great (and sometimes smelly) pimple-fighting ingredient that helps absorb excess sebum and soften dead skin so that it doesn't stick in pores. It’s generally well-tolerated, Kaiser tells us, making it a good option for those with sensitive, oily and acne-prone skin. Containing three percent sulfur, honey, rice bran extract and oat extract, this cream-to-foam whipped cleanser treats and prevents both inflamed and non-inflamed acne, while also soothing the skin.
Active Ingredients: Sulfur, patented botanical complex with honey and rice bran extracts, natural oat extract｜Texture: Cream to foam｜Size: 4 oz
Best for Oily Skin and Blackheads: Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser
What We Love: This product uses a natural salicylic acid extracted from a medicinal plant called Wintergreen.
What We Don’t Love: The cleanser contains essential oils, which may be irritating.
If blackheads are your primary pimple problem, try this purifying, super sudsy, but never drying, gel face wash. Using natural salicylic acid to exfoliate inside the pore, the cleanser also has Caudalie’s famed grape water for extra antioxidant protection, healing and hydrating. Essential oils and polyphenols further help to reduce the formation of blackheads while absorbing excess oil.
Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, grape water, essential oil complex and grapeseed polyphenols｜Texture: Gel-cream｜Size: 5 oz
Best Brightening: Hyper Skin Hyper Even Gentle Brightening Cleansing Gel
What We Love: This cleanser is formulated with clinically proven ingredients to brighten dark spots on all skin tones.
What We Don’t Love: The jelly texture is slippery and may fall through your fingers.
Hyper Skin is a Black-owned and founded brand, inspired by the founder’s own struggle to find products to help acne and dark spots. This cleanser has one of the most unique ingredient profiles we’ve ever seen in a cleanser, like mandelic acid to gently exfoliate and licorice root and arbutin to fade and prevent discoloration. The powerhouse ingredient list and gel-base enables it to be a true multitasker for oiliness, congestion and of course, dark spots. Be mindful when dispensing however, as the jelly-like consistency is particularly slippery, especially if your hands are already wet.
Active Ingredients: Mandelic acid, licorice root extract, willow bark extract, aloe vera｜Texture: Gel｜Size: 5 oz
Best Natural: Boscia Detoxifying Black Charcoal Cleanser
What We Love: This cleanser uses activated charcoal to remove excess oil and detoxify the pores.
What We Don’t Love: It creates a warming sensation that may be unpleasant for some.
It doesn’t get more natural than activated black charcoal, the hero ingredient in this cleanser. Normally a face wash that comes out black would be alarming, nevermind one that warms up as you massage it on your skin, but not to worry here. Charcoal is able to exfoliate and absorb oil while vitamin P, which increases circulation, is responsible for the warming sensation. Finally, artichoke leaf extract has some impressive anti-aging benefits, such as increasing elasticity which can help minimize the appearance of pores, making this product even more beneficial for oily skin.
Active Ingredients: Activated charcoal, artichoke leaf extract, vitamin P (alpha glucosyl hesperidin)｜Texture: Gel｜Size: 5 oz
Best for Oily and Sensitive Skin: The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser
What We Love: This impossibly gentle cleanser was clinically tested as safe for babies, meaning it’s a terrific option even for the most sensitive skin types.
What We Don’t Love: The tube may dispense more product than you need.
This face wash is one of the newest launches from cult-favorite, science-forward (and uber affordable) brand, The Ordinary. Glucosides are gentle cleansing agents derived from glucose — so gentle in this case that the formula is even clinically tested to be gentle enough for babies.
Despite being baby-friendly, the lightly foaming gel formula is somehow also very adult oily-skin friendly and able to effectively remove excess oil, dirt and impurities. To top it all off, the thin eight-ingredient formula is the easiest cleanser to rinse off that I’ve ever encountered. However, the thinness also means it comes out of the tube really quickly, so be careful not to squeeze too hard.
Active Ingredients: Decyl glucoside, coco-glucoside｜Texture: Gel｜Size: 5 oz
Best Exfoliating: Tatcha The Deep Cleanse Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser
What We Love: This award-winning cleanser uses natural fruit exfoliants for physical exfoliation.
What We Don’t Love: Physical exfoliation may be too abrasive for sensitive skin.
For anyone that likes a little physical exfoliating action, this gel face wash contains ground fruit fibers from Japanese luffa fruit to physically lift dead skin cells and unclog pores. According to the brand, dried and ground luffa fruit fibers were the inspiration behind loofahs! While that might sound abrasive, the formula somehow transforms with water into a creamy foam that leaves the skin smooth and hydrated. Our experts remind you to be mindful of over exfoliating, which can be easy to do with physical exfoliants, though the formula is safe to be used daily if tolerated.
Active Ingredients: Japanese luffa fruit exfoliant, Japanese wild rose, Tatcha’s patented Hadasei-3｜Texture: Gel with physical scrub to foam｜Size: 5 oz
Best Cleansing Oil: One Love Organics Botanical B Enzyme Cleansing Oil
What We Love: This oil cleanser rinses completely clean and effectively removes makeup, sunscreen and gunk.
What We Don’t Love: Like any cleansing oil, it can take a minute to wash off.
Cleansing oils may sound counterintuitive for oily skin, but not all oil is pore-clogging. Oil cleansing breaks down the oils in makeup and sunscreen, as well as excess surface oil produced by the skin, allowing for a deeper, more thorough cleanse. This oil cleanser is a top recommendation for a first cleanse at night, using non-comedogenic oils, like sunflower oil to cleanse, in addition to pineapple and papaya fruit enzymes for gentle exfoliation and unclogging. Oh, did we mention it smells like a delicious tropical cocktail?
Active Ingredients: Papaya oil, papaya enzymes, sunflower oil, pumpkin oil｜Texture: Oil｜Size: 4 oz
Best Clay: First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Deep Cleanser with Red Clay
What We Love: It uses clay for a deeper, but not drying cleanse.
What We Don’t Love: The deep red color may be messy.
Kaiser calls this a great option for oily skin as the clay will help draw excess oil out of pores without stripping hydration, like a traditional clay mask would. The red clay is dispersed in a gel base, giving it a beautiful jewel-toned color. In addition to unclogging pores and absorbing oil, added antibacterial rosemary leaf oil helps reduce and prevent blemishes.
Active Ingredients: Red clay, glycerin, rosemary leaf oil｜Texture: Gel/clay｜Size: 4.7 oz
Best for Combination Oily Skin: Dr. Jart+ Teatreement Cleansing Foam
What We Love: This cleanser uses spot-targeting technology to find blemish-prone spots without irritating areas that don’t have breakouts.
What We Don’t Love: The tea-tree smell isn’t everyone’s favorite and can feel medicinal.
Combination-oily skin presents an interesting challenge, as different parts of your face may require different cleansing needs. Dr. Jart+ innovatively addressed this problem by developing spot-targeting technology that uses pH to identify and deposit tea tree extracts on blemish-prone areas without drying out non-irritated areas. Tea tree oil complex is beloved for oil control, killing bacteria and reducing inflammation, making it a great ingredient for combination-oily skin, according to our experts. The gentle foam also contains green tea and chamomile extracts to calm the skin.
Active Ingredients: Tea tree leaf extract, green tea extract, aloe vera extract｜Texture: Foam｜Size: 4.05 oz
Best Salicylic Acid: Dr. Loretta Micro-Exfoliating Cleanser
What We Love: This cleanser has two percent salicylic acid at a low pH of 4.5 to maintain skin health.
What We Don’t Love: It's likely too strong for sensitive, rosacea-prone or post-procedure skin.
Salicylic acid is usually one of the first ingredients that experts cite as beneficial for oily skin. The oil-soluble ingredient is able to exfoliate inside the pore, reduce inflammation and regulate oil production. However, it can often be drying and overuse can lead to flakes, which is why this salicylic acid cleanser is housed in a hydrating milky gel base that never strips the skin. In addition, this face wash has aloe to soothe and prevent irritation.
Active Ingredients: 2% salicylic acid｜Texture: Milky gel｜Size: 6.7 oz
Best Clean: iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Keep It Clean Hydrating Gel Cleanser
What We Love: This product uses a blend of acids, including BHAs, AHAs, PHAs and azelaic acid.
What We Don’t Love: Glycolic acid might be too strong for some to use daily.
This instantly foaming cleanser is jam packed with ingredients and frankly, really fun to use – the name Foam Around practically encourages you to have a good time! It’s so enjoyable in fact, that it's the only cleanser my oily-skin fiancé has ever asked me to repurchase (now that’s a relationship milestone). A blend of multi-tasking acids help to remove excess oil, unclog pores and combat blemishes, while green coffee bean extract increases circulation to increase radiance. One or two pumps are all you need, making this foaming cleanser a particularly great value given the comprehensive ingredient list and fun-factor.
Active Ingredients: Patented blend of glycolic acid, azelaic acid, and gluconolactone, salicylic acid｜Texture: Foam｜Size: 5 oz
Best Cream: Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Oil Reducing Cleanser
What We Love: This concentrated cream formula can be used as a first cleanse as an alternative to oil.
What We Don’t Love: May need to be used twice to remove heavy makeup.
We like a name that cuts right to the chase: skin balancing and oil reducing cleanser? Sounds great! Cream cleansers are usually not a primary recommendation for oily skin, but this one is different. The concentrated cream turns into a gentle foam that effectively breaks down oil and makeup, as well as reduces the appearance of pores. Tobia likes this as a daily cleanser for oily skin as ”it doesn't over-exfoliate or over-dry your skin, which means you can use other products with active ingredients (such as retinol or vitamin C) without worrying about adverse reactions.”
Active Ingredients: Sunflower seed oil, aloe vera, glycerin｜Texture: Cream to foam｜Size: 8 oz
What to Keep in Mind
Ingredients: Face washes for oily skin are formulated with ingredients to balance oil production as well as address common issues associated with oily skin such as large pores and blemishes. “Some ingredients that are beneficial for oily skin are salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, and zinc,” explains New Jersey-based licensed esthetician, Ali Tobia. “These ingredients help to unclog pores, reduce inflammation, and control oil production.”
In addition to the more classic ingredients mentioned above, Kaiser recommends formulas blended with “clays and charcoals to absorb shine, tea extracts for their astringent properties, and light foaming agents to break down grime.”Foaming Cleansers: All of our experts recommend foaming cleansers for oily skin as they have superior cleansing power to remove excess oil. However, they all also agreed that foaming cleansers can sometimes be too harsh and stripping, especially for those with sensitive or combination skin, so formula is key. Make sure your foaming cleanser also has hydrating ingredients, like glycerin, squalane, and hyaluronic acid, and “if you notice that your skin feels tight, flaky, or irritated after using a face wash for oily skin, you may want to switch to a milder product and consult with a skincare professional,” advises Tobia.
Gel Cleansers: “Gel cleansers are slightly gentler and thicker in consistency,” says Dr. Krishnan. “They are slightly less drying and are recommended for combination skin types.”
Kaiser also mentions that alternating the use of foaming and gel cleansers can help sufficiently remove oil without causing dryness or irritation. “Sometimes just adding an oil control cleanser a few nights per week can get you more balanced.”
Your Questions, Answered
What causes oily skin?
Oily skin is genetic and caused by excess sebum production from sebaceous glands in the skin. According to Kaiser, true oily skin is thicker and characterized by large pores, especially in the T-zone.
How often should you wash your face if you have oily skin?
Dr. Krishnan recommends washing your face twice a day, morning and night, if you have oily skin. Cleansing is necessary to remove dirt, bacteria, oil and sweat, which accumulates throughout the day and even while we sleep, and is particularly important throughout the summer months when there is increased humidity and sweat.
While cleansing twice a day is particularly helpful for oily skin, Tobia warns that "washing your face more than twice a day can strip your skin of its natural oils and cause it to produce more sebum to compensate." Try alternating with a more gentle cleanser, suggests Kaiser, if washing twice a day with a foam or active cleanser is too irritating.
What are ingredients to avoid when buying a face wash for oily skin?
Both estheticians agree to stay away from balmy cleansers that don't rinse clean, or anything with coconut oil or shea butter as these will clog already clog prone pores.
Additionally, Tobia says some ingredients that can worsen oily skin are alcohol, sulfates, and fragrances. These ingredients can strip the skin of its natural moisture, irritate the skin, or clog pores.
Will a face wash made for oily skin dry my skin out?
A face wash for oily skin should not dry your skin out if it is well-formulated with additional gentle and hydrating ingredients. All of our experts advise looking for such ingredients in a cleanser — look for words like hydrating, soothing or calming. “Some face washes for oily skin can be too harsh or drying for some people, especially if they contain high concentrations of active ingredients such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide,” says Tobia, emphasizing the importance of picking a cleanser that also has hydrating properties. Kaiser reminds us that cleansers for oily skin are intended to remove surface oil, but shouldn’t leave the skin feeling stripped dry, so pay attention to how your skin feels immediately after cleansing.
Why Shop With Us
Jolie De Feis is a licensed esthetician, freelance writer, consultant and content creator. Coming from a background in product + ux and education, she became interested in skincare while struggling with severe adult acne. Jolie graduated with honors from Christine Valmy International School and is the lead esthetician at Ställe Studios in NYC. For this story, she interviewed Lara Kaiser, an esthetician at Carrie Lindsey Beauty in Brooklyn, Ali Tobia, an esthetician in New Jersey, and board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Lavanya Krishnan.
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