When you’re trying to find the right face serum for oily skin, you may think you should avoid those with oil. But you shouldn’t! Read on to find out why.
If you have oily skin, you probably feel wary when it comes to applying skin care products with oil. After all, your whole MO when it comes to your skin care regimen is to reduce the amount of oil your pores produce, not douse it with more of the stuff. But what about when a lot of the anti-aging products you love contain oils? Does that mean you can’t reap the benefits of these prized oils for reducing wrinkles and brightening skin?
Absolutely not. “It is a myth that someone with oily skin cannot use an oil based product,”says Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at the Department of Dermatology at Moint Sinai Hospital. “Natural oils are loaded with antioxidants and free fatty acids that nourish and protect the skin.” The key here is finding the right products that contain light oils that will work in tandem with the natural oils on your face to only add antioxidant nutrition instead of excess sebum.
An important point of what Zeichner said is the focus on using natural oils on oily skin instead of any of the DIY oils you see on Pinterest. “Natural oils are loaded with antioxidants and free fatty acids that nourish and protect the skin,” he explains. “Cosmetic grade oils used in skin care are very different than applying pure canola oil on your face. These products are light, quickly absorbed, and will not leave you feeling heavy or greasy.”
Why a serum is the right oil-based product for oily skin:
If you’re still feeling a bit nervous about adding an oil to our routine, you don’t need to dive right in with a full on face oil. Instead, opt for a light anti-aging serum with an oil in it. “Oily skin is usually your body’s way of trying to balance out areas that are dry,” says dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla. “By using a light serum-based oil you can still hydrate the skin without clogging your pores or inducing increased oil.”
A great starter oil-serum is the Neogen White Truffle Serum in Oil Drop. It’s a thin serum with truffle oil droplets dispersed inside of it, which means that it goes on way lighter instead of a heavy, greasy oil:
The white truffle oil in the serum contains high concentrations of vitamin C, which works to even out skin tone and brighten acne scars. The serum also contains strong amounts of adenosine (a powerful anti-wrinkle ingredient) and niacinamide to add luminosity to skin.
In theory, those with oily skin can view a serum like the Neogen Serum in Oil Drop as a light moisturizer. “In general, if you are looking to re-balance the skin, this serum formulation can be thought of as a good humectant or moisturizer,” says Mariwalla. “Even oily skin needs moisture, so if you are more on the oily side or you have acneic skin consider using it conservatively to balance your skin’s moisture content.”
Also, you should note that serums tend to have higher concentrations of ingredients than moisturizers, so when there’s oil in a serum, it usually serves a larger purpose instead of just providing moisture. “Serums tend to be more potent formulations than lotions or creams and are usually non-comedogenic,” says Mariwalla. “Even those that contain oil usually act in a way that the oil is there to simply help the ingredients penetrate the skin so they key actives can work more effectively.”
Bottom line:
If you have oily skin, don’t shy away from serums with oils in them. Instead, swap out your moisturizer for a serum infused with oil to kill two birds with one stone. When you think about it, your oily skin will fare much better by using one product that has enough nourishing ingredients to act as a serum/moisturizer hybrid than slathering on a serum and moisturizer separately and possibly risk clogging your pores.
By incorporating a serum with oil into your routine you’ll be adding strong antioxidants to your skin and hydrating your skin in one handy product. The key is to look for the right serums with oil that are formulated to balance skin and not congest it.
+ What do you think is the best face serum for oily skin? Share your picks in the comments!