6 Face Washes for Oily Skin to Balance Your Radiance

Let’s celebrate your oily skin! The extra sebum keeps skin soft and youthful looking. And when your pores are balanced and oil production is under control, you get to walk around with a natural radiant glow. To achieve skincare equilibrium, cleansing with the best face washes for oily skin is essential. Why not use just any old soap? Please keep reading to discover how skin type-specific cleansers will help your skin reach its maximum potential.  

Why Use Face Washes for Oily Skin

Shiny skin and greasy hair are the primary characteristics of an oily skin type. It happens when our body’s sebaceous glands produce too much of a fatty, waxy substance called sebum. Sebum is necessary to protect and soften the skin in manageable amounts, so it’s harmless. But overproduction can be a source of aesthetic frustration.

Oily skin differs from normal, hydrated skin in that it can be challenging to control or manage. And the extra oil production occurs all over the face versus just parts of the face as with combination skin. Perpetually glowing folk may also notice enlarged, congested pores and be prone to acne breakouts.

The #1 recommendation from skincare experts to control oil production is to wash your face in the AM, PM, and after strenuous activities. Regular soaps can be harsh, overly drying, and cause your sebaceous glands to go into overdrive; yikes. On the other hand, using face washes for oily skin have the following benefits:

• Premium ingredients – Carefully crafted cleansers won’t strip your skin of all its moisture, nor will they have skin-clogging or harmful ingredients. They may also have anti-aging benefits to boost your overall skincare routine.
• Chemical exfoliants – Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) in low concentrations gently clear pores without disrupting your skin’s surface like rough physical exfoliants that aggravate acne.
• Moisturizing and oil-controlling factors – Ingredients like aloe vera, glycerin, and nutrient-rich botanicals help skin hold onto hydration and calm sebum production.

Now that you know what’s up, there’s no going back. Here’s a list of six of the best oily skin cleansers and why they work to help guide you into choosing the right formula.

Our Favorite Face Washes for Oily Skin

Oily and Sensitive – You haven’t been forgotten. There are face washes for oily skin types that also must be careful with trying new products. The PCA Skin Facial Wash calms your skin with aloe vera juice and willow bark extract as it washes away the buildup.

There’s also lactic acid, a beneficial AHA that’s different from other chemical exfoliants in that it is both hydrating and gentle on sensitive skin. It also promotes a smooth, clear complexion and helps fight acne, so your concerns are completely covered.

Acne Care – Salicylic acid is a well-known BHA that cleans out clogged pores that potentially cause acne. It has been used for thousands of years, and today, salicylic acid face washes for oily skin may help clear acne and prevent future breakouts. If you’re looking for over-the-counter support, add a cleanser like IMAGE Skincare’s Clear Cell Salicylic Gel Cleanser to your collection.

This foaming cleanser has 2% salicylic acid to get deep down into those pores. And it wakes up skin with eucalyptus, mint, and tea tree essential oils. Even with such effective cleansing power, a combination of glycerin, botanical extracts, and peptides will leave your skin feeling delightfully supple and invigorated.

Oily or Combination Skin – Dealing with sebum-packed pores is an ongoing process for oily and combination skin havers. Clear up that shiny t-zone with PCA Skin’s Facial Wash Oily Problem. It’s simply formulated to cleanse excess oil production, and there’s a touch of lactic acid and glycerin to draw in moisture and keep the dry, normal, and oily parts of your face and neck balanced and comfortable. Those with mild acne can also add this to their list of fantastic face washes for oily skin.

Remove Eye Makeup, Too – The bareMinerals’ Pureness Gel Cleanser lives up to their clean beauty standards with this vegan, cruelty-free face wash. It has just 15 ingredients, none of which are parabens, common allergens, or synthetic fragrances.

What is in this gluten-free cleanser is ultra-nourishing coconut water and coconut milk for a clean that’s powerful enough to remove eye makeup without aggravating your skin. There’s also prickly pear to leave your skin nourished from protective antioxidants and supportive vitamins. This is an ideal option for sensitive types as well.

Anti-aging Vitamin C Power – You may have heard of all the great benefits that Vitamin C provides to the skin. It prevents and repairs UV damage, evens tone, brightens dark spots, and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. But did you know that Vitamin C face washes for oily skin can also help control oil production?

Using a cleanser like Perricone MD’s Vitamin C Ester Citrus Brightening Cleanser is a great way to get your daily dose. This gel cleanser contains a gentle blend of vitamin C for sensitive skin types. And there’s the fast-absorbing DMAE, a naturally-derived agent that firms skin with continued use. Good thing you get cleanse twice a day!

An All-Purpose Splurge – If you want a superior plant-powered cleanser that does a little bit of everything, then Grown Alchemist’s Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser is for you. In addition to its soothing cleansing abilities, it relies on botanical actions from plants like willow bark, a natural source of salicylic acid, and chamomile and aloe vera extracts to soothe and calm inflammation.

Plus, there’s ultra-luxe rose oil that smells like heaven, protects your skin with antioxidants, and helps balance oil production. Lastly, an all-purpose cleanser wouldn’t be complete without hydrating ingredients like vitamin E for a comfortable clean that makes you feel like you left a “treat yourself” spa day.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve chosen amongst the best face washes for oily skin, it’s time to make sure the rest of your beauty routine meets the same high-quality standards. We have all the information you need at our Beauty Resource Center.

Complete your collection with the best toners, serums, moisturizers, and all-important sunscreens that will work with your extra sebum production. With a few more clicks, you’ll learn how to reach all your skincare goals and learn a bit about haircare and makeup, too.