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If you've found your way to this guide, then you're likely fed up with that tell-tale sheen that regularly takes up residence on your forehead. You're bored of the breakouts and blackheads. We are talking, of course, about the scourge that is oily skin.
Men are more likely to suffer from a greasy complexion than women because they have naturally larger pores and thicker skin (only literally, we hasten to add). But with a whole host of skincare for oily skin on the market, there are plenty of topical ways to combat excess oil and keep sebum production at its optimal level.
To help you get a handle on your oily T-zone or blemish-prone chin, we’ve enlisted the help of our Esquire Lab expert testers, plus a panel of long-suffering men, who trialled a range of products for four weeks to see which ones really work when it comes to controlling grease.
Here are the results at a glance, but read on for the full guide:
Best Skincare for Oily Skin
Why is men’s skin typically more oily than women’s?
“Male and female skin exhibit differences due to hormonal disparities,” explains Joanna Wyszynska, dermatologist at Premier Laser Clinics. “Male skin tends to be oilier because of higher levels of androgens, including testosterone. These sex hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum (the skin’s natural oil).”
“Male skin is also typically thicker, with higher collagen density, than female skin,” Joanna explains. This structural difference means the signs of ageing can be slower to appear (hurrah!), but the elevated sebum production can also lead to acne and breakouts (huh…).
How to get rid of oily skin
Thankfully, having an oily face isn't a one-way ticket to adult acne. In fact, there are a number of simple lifestyle tweaks you can make to help keep the gleam at bay.
Diet
It's really true: you are what you eat. Which is why stuffing your face with greasy junk food, rammed to the gunnels with saturated fat, is a surefire way to keep you looking like you've just emerged from one of those incubator pods from The Matrix.
Dairy is best avoided too. Foods like cheese and milk contain high levels of hormones that can stimulate sebum production and leave you looking shinier still.
Instead, stick to dairy-free alternatives, such as almond or soya milk. And get your protein from lean meats including chicken and turkey. Keep that up and you'll be well on your way to healthier skin.
Hygiene
Washing your hands at regular intervals is just good practise, irrespective of what sort of skin you have. But when you're prone to excess oil, keeping clean becomes even more important.
We've established that oily skin can lead to spots. Well, so can touching your face with grubby hands. Combine the two and you're basically creating a breeding ground for acne.
You should also be aiming to wash your face in the morning and the evening. For bonus points, employ a cleanser that has been specially formulated for oily skin. Speaking of which...
How to build a skincare routine for oily skin
“Balancing sebum production and effectively managing oily skin require a thoughtful skincare approach that combines gentle care, targeted treatments and consistent habits,” Joanna says.
Oily skin often comes from overactive sebaceous glands, which produce excessive sebum, leading to a shiny complexion, enlarged pores (which can often serve as display cabinets for oxidised oil, aka blackheads) and potential acne breakouts.
Here are some effective strategies for balancing sebum and managing excess oil.
Cleansing: Employ a gentle, sulphate-free cleanser to avoid stripping the skin of its natural oils, which can prompt the sebaceous glands to produce even more sebum. Cleansing twice daily helps remove any excess oil and impurities, but don't go overboard. A double cleanse morning and night should be the absolute max, unless you're doing a daily Ironman race.
Look for gel-based or foaming options that include salicylic acid or glycolic acid. These ingredients facilitate gentle exfoliation. You want products that cleanse effectively without causing dryness or irritation.
Exfoliation: Regular exfoliation, about 2-3 times per week, helps to eliminate dead skin cells that can obstruct pores and contribute to oiliness. Opt for exfoliants containing salicylic acid or glycolic acid.
Moisturising: Despite having oily skin, moisturising remains essential. Choose lightweight, oil-free and non-comedogenic moisturisers. These options hydrate the skin without exacerbating oiliness.
Seek formulations containing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid to deliver hydration without contributing to oiliness.
Spot Treatments: Ensure you avoid formulations loaded with alcohol that can strip your moisture barrier, as this could actually cause more oil production. Instead, use targeted treatments with benzoyl peroxide (at concentrations of 2.5% or 5%) or salicylic acid to address breakout-prone areas. Apply these treatments sparingly and directly to the affected regions.
Masks: Incorporate weekly clay masks into your routine to draw out impurities and excess oil. Masks featuring ingredients including kaolin or bentonite clay can be particularly beneficial.
Sun Protection: Prioritise daily application of a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Exposure to UV rays can intensify oil production and worsen oily skin concerns.
Oil-Control Products: Integrate products infused with niacinamide, witch hazel or clay into your routine. These ingredients can help regulate excess oil production and minimise the appearance of pores.
“Maintain consistency and patience in your skincare routine,” Joanna advises. “Avoid over-cleansing, as it can stimulate excess oil production. If concerns persist or worsen, always seek guidance from a dermatologist.”
Cleansers for oily skin
How we test
34 brands of cleanser were put through their paces for four weeks by our 470-strong mixed panel, all with mild to extremely blemished skin. They gave feedback on packaging quality, how clean their skin felt after use, whether the cleanser helped control the appearance of blemishes and if it left their complexions feeling dry or flaky. Without further ado…
Clear Skies Cleansing Powder
This cleansing powder not only boasts eco credentials — saving on excess water that can be common in grooming products — it’s also a great go-to for that clean feel. Simply tip a portion into your palm and mix with a few drops of water for a lathery, foamy sensation that will wash any hard day away. And breathe.
Our panel said their faces felt purified and revived after use, with most finding the product helped calm redness and inflammation and made them feel deeply cleansed and fresh.
Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
Detoxifying Japanese charcoal does the dirty work in this formulation, fixing up super oily complexions and cleaning up, well, dirt. Almost everyone said they liked how their skin felt after a session with this balm, and every tester was impressed with its ability to balance sebum and swipe away oil without stripping the skin.
So, if redness and reactivity are your skin’s biggest bugbears, they may be about to meet their match.
Carbon Theory Facial Cleansing Bar
There’s nothing theoretical about the fandom this Carbon Theory Facial Cleansing Bar has carved out for itself. An N1 postcode might be stamped on the side of the bar, but it has won cult status (as well as a cabinet full of awards) way beyond the reaches of North London.
Again, charcoal does some heavy lifting here, combined with tea tree oil to reduce inflammation and shea butter to nourish and hydrate without clogging up pores too much. It raised the bar (sorry) for our panel, with many putting it top for how easy it was to incorporate into their daily routines. It left a tingling yet “invigorating” sensation on the skin, making complexions visibly brighter and smoother. Oh, and let’s hear it again for a waterless formulation.
Moisturisers for oily skin
How we test
With the help of 540 panel members, we evaluated 36 men’s moisturisers over a period of four weeks. Testers gave feedback on how easy each product was to use, as well as texture, skin feel and product performance.
In the lab, we used a Corneometer probe to measure skin hydration immediately after application and again six hours later. We also used the VISIA Image Analysis machine to assess any improvements in skin texture throughout the testing period.
We put our skin through a lot — shaving, stress, erratic UK weather, to name a few factors — which is where this cream comes in.
It brought some much-needed comfort to testers’ skin, helping to relieve irritation while leaving it feeling pillow-soft. It didn’t skimp on hydration either — scoring 7/10 in our lab test — but some may find the texture too thick.
Sisley Sisleÿum For Men - peaux normales
Promising to protect fatigued faces from the effects of everyday life — such as post-shave redness and bitterly cold weather — this ultra-luxe cream tackles an array of skin-related qualms.
Our panel loved its rich texture, which didn’t cause any irritation and soaked in quickly. It was a particular favourite for helping to soothe and hydrate skin after shaving.
Clinique’s moisturiser claims to help control oil on any area of the face that normally greases up by midday, while still hydrating the skin.
Although it didn’t prove to be as hydrating in the lab as it was for our testers, it didn’t cause any irritation and left complexions softer than it found them.
Aesop Mandarin Facial Hydrating Cream
Not only will this sleek packaging look good on your bathroom shelf, but the stuff inside works wonders, too.
Our testers raved about how quickly it absorbed into skin, and it scored well in our lab test for hydration. The lightweight texture also eliminated greasy T-zones and kept skin feeling fresh throughout the day.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Soothing Duo +
This gel formula aims to prevent pimples popping up, eliminate blackheads and control shine. Our panel said skin felt immediately more nourished after use, which in turn helped relieve any post-shave irritation. It also combatted unwanted oiliness and smoothed out any irregular texture, while the majority of testers said that it calmed redness and soothed inflammation, too. A great all-rounder.
If this works for you, the brand has just launched a new variation of this formulation (the Effaclar Duo +M), with added targeted anti-bacterial properties for acne sufferers.
Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer
Leaving behind a satisfying cooling sensation, this one’s our top choice for calming skin from any razor-related issues.
The texture is more lightweight than others on our list — so not the best if your skin’s more combination than oily, but it may suit those who hate the sticky residue some moisturisers leave behind. It also left skin feeling super smooth.
Mixing hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, this no-shine formula promises to protect skin from environmental stressors and blue light damage, so might be a strong option for any city slickers who spend their days slumped in front of a screen.
Testers said it didn’t ignite any sensitivity issues and provided a serious moisture boost to skin, leaving it feeling smoother. We didn’t test for its blue light claims, so we’ll have to take their word for it, but it certainly lived up to the brand’s gently efficacious, skin-soothing credentials for our panel.
Elemis Superfood Day Cream Pre-Biotic Day Cream
We've all heard about the benefits of pre- and probiotics for our gut, but balancing our skin's microbiome is also an important part of keeping breakouts at bay.
Enter Elemis’ Superfood Day Cream. This fragrance-free, soothing moisturiser had our panel pining for more, with almost all saying they would use it again for its skin-softening effects. The focus on overall skin health in this formulation makes it a winner for those with combination skin.
Spot treatments
How we test
Over 280 panellists tried 19 brands of spot treatments over a four-week period. They gave feedback on ease of application, texture and effectiveness at tackling breakouts, with a focus on soothing redness and reducing spots. They also closely monitored the frequency of future breakouts and noted any reaction or sensitivity.
Back at the Esquire Lab, our expert testers used a VISIA complexion analyser to check for any skin improvements, with panellists attending before and after lab appointments on the first and last days of the trial.
Medik8 Blemish SOS Rapid Action Blemish Treatment Gel
This product proved to be the best spot treatment in our lab tests, effectively reducing redness quickly and clearing spots within a few days.
Our panel liked how lightweight the gel texture was, with many saying they would continue to purchase the treatment after the trial.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Clarifying Spot Treatment
This formulation stole the show when it came to drying out spots in our lab tests. Although many of our testers weren’t fans of the fragrance, in terms of effectiveness, it was consistent across the board. This is perhaps the more potent of the two treatments, so a better option if you’re more prone to flare-ups.
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
