As the weather gets colder and our skin drier, moisturisers become one of the most important parts of our skincare routines, if they weren’t already. While some simply hydrate, others brighten, strengthen the skin barrier and help smooth fine lines and wrinkles. And some even house SPF to help shield our faces from the sun’s UV rays.
Often used both morning and evening, a good moisturiser, for some, is the only necessity in their skincare arsenal (along with SPF, of course). For others, it’s the final step in a regular beauty routine, locking in vitamin C serums and skin-boosting lotions as well as reducing any side effects from retinol.
But when it comes to us oily-skinned folk, finding a moisturiser that does all of the above without exacerbating excess shine isn’t always straightforward, as oils, heavy-set creams and ingredients like shea butter can leave a slick residue on the skin.
As oily skin is a result of an over-secretion of sebum (an oily mix of fat molecules, squalene and waxes, produced to keep skin hydrated), which can often lead to breakouts and blackheads, we’re looking for moisturisers with a few key features. These include them being oil-free, non-comedogenic (less likely to clog pores) and lightweight, while being able to restore the skin barrier and hydration levels through ingredients such as ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
So, keep reading below as our oily-yet-dehydrated-skinned beauty editor puts dozens of moisturisers to the test, picking out the very best ones for you to try below.
How we tested
Our oily skin tester has put dozens of moisturisers to the test over the course of eight weeks to see which ones impressed. Adding them into their everyday routine, alongside the Medik8 C-tetra serum (£39, Lookfantastic.com) in the mornings and No7 future renew serum (£42.95, Boots.com) in the evenings, each moisturiser was used twice a day for a number of days while our tester judged how well they hydrated, smoothed and stamped out shine.
The best moisturisers for oily skin in 2024 are:
- Best overall – Voya Even Pure light calming moisturiser: £51.20, Lookfantastic.com
- Best budget buy – Q+A amino acid oil-free moisturiser: £8.50, Sephora.co.uk
- Best for stamping out shine – La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat+: £18.46, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for sensitive skin – Curel skin balancing oil control weightless gel moisturiser for oily, sensitive skin: £17.50, Amazon.co.uk
- Best gel moisturiser – Byoma moisturising gel cream: £12.99, Cultbeauty.co.uk