The 5 Best Products and Treatments for Persistently Oily Skin

A quick spritz of the zinc sulfate-infused La Roche-Posay’s Serozinc ($15) transforms tired looking skin, leaving it alive and fresh while eliminating unwanted shine, too.

Clay may be one of nature’s best-known beauty ingredients and green clay is heralded at the top of the complexion perfecting apex as it draws out excess oil and impurities. Find it in Triumph & Disaster Roll & Roll Suicide Face Scrub ($34) to get skin looking spick and span with nary a drop of grease in sight. 

Over-the-counter and prescription-strength skin-care products that boast salicylic or glycolic acid are a must, according to Beverly Hills dermatologist Rhonda Rand, MD. “I like microdermabrasion or light glycolic peels to clean out the oil. Treatments like these also prevent the pores from reflecting as much light, which can make them look larger,” says Dr. Rand. “And, if you are super oily, use a benzoyl-peroxide based cleanser,” she says. 

It’s a pretty well-known fact that oil is the antidote for oily skin—oil attracts oil, lifting it away without stripping skin. A light layer of Herbivore Lapis Facial Oil ($72) goes to work to clarify oily complexions and mitigate potential breakouts.

They may be best known for their collagen-stimulating and wrinkle-reducing abilities, but prescription-strength retinoids like Retin-A, Differin and Tazorac act like a sponge of sorts to sop up oil. Use them nightly to keep oil production (and enlarged pores) during the day to a minimum.