Did you know: You don’t have to have capital-o Oily Skin in order for your skin to produce shine during the day. In fact, your skin can produce more oil than usual no matter what your defined skin type is, depending on the weather, the season, and your hormones.

Specifically, one review published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that higher sebum production was more likely to happen during the spring and summer, in humid weather, and when certain hormone levels rise throughout the month (e.g. ovulation). Not only that, but stress can set off a domino effect that increases cortisol levels, which in turn triggers sebum production (hence stress breakouts). So, for instance, your so-called combination skin can easily veer into unquestionably oily depending on many factors. Consider it all the more reason to have a skincare wardrobe ready to best care for your skin on any given day and take it Day by Day, Skin by Skin™.

When that happens, adjusting your moisturizing routine accordingly, including our best moisturizer for oily skin, can help. That’s because the common reaction to excess oil is to get rid of it, ASAP. But that may do more harm than good, drying skin out too much and encouraging skin to only produce more oil — ultimately creating a cycle of oily skin that’s tough to break. Thanks, but no thanks!

Just as cleansing for your skin type takes strategy, moisturizing for oily skin can bring balance to skin if you do it right. Here’s how.

Ditch Oil-Stripping Cleansers

The idea of squeaky-clean skin? Throw it out. In no world should skin ever be squeaky-anything — or tight, or dry — but that’s often the case with many cleansers geared towards oily skin. Many contain harsh surfactants that remove excess sebum from skin and then some, ultimately stripping it of all its moisture. That, as we mentioned, can lead to even more oil production.

Rather, cleanse with the One Plus One method in the evening to thoroughly remove makeup and grime without damaging skin. Then, if skin looks oily in the A.M., wash with a foaming cleanser like Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser. Its blend of microfoaming bubble and exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids cleanses and smooths skin, while hyaluronic acid delivers moisture in the very first step. 

Discover why the double cleanse deserves a spot in your P.M. routine.

Pair Hydration With Exfoliation

If you’re no stranger to oily skin, then you may already recognize toner as a must-have. But not just any toner will do. The old-school types were brimming with alcohol and harsh astringents, which remove oil, without any hydration in sight. Our Watermelon Glow BHA+PHA Pore-Tight Toner pairs gentle, naturally-derived salicylic acid and polyhydroxy acid with skin-quenching cactus water to clear oil from pores without drying them out — again, a strategic balance of exfoliation and hydration. It also delivers the look of tighter pores, which helps with those large pores that often accompany oily skin.

Then, either daily or a few times a week (depending on how your skin’s feeling), slather on the Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask before bed. It’s packed with glycolic and lactic acids to gently resurface skin — ungluing the dead skin cells that can otherwise clog pores — as well as amino acid-rich watermelon and hyaluronic acid.

Reach for Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid’s reputation is well-known: It attracts and retains many times its own weight in water, can get into the deeper layers of skin, and offers near-instant plumping, for starters. But a lesser-known advantage is that, according to a paper published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, hyaluronic acid can actually reduce the amount of sebum skin produces, thus cutting down oiliness. Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum contains five forms of hyaluronic acid, while the plum complex works to increase the body’s natural production of the good stuff.

Read everything you’ve ever wanted to know about hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic acid is also helpful since it can help prevent dehydration. Dehydrated skin occurs when skin lacks water, versus oil. While oily skin is rich in the latter, that doesn’t account for water — so oily, dehydrated skin is very possible. Hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, is a humectant and draws in water, ultimately ensuring skin has a healthy balance of the two.

Use a Lightweight Moisturizer

The idea that people with oily skin have to avoid oil at all costs has been debunked. Under the right circumstances — with a damaged skin barrier, for instance, or in the winter — oils can deliver key lipids and fatty acids to oily skin. That being said, a rich, velvety moisturizer might still feel like a lot when skin is super-greasy. And skipping moisturizer isn’t a great option, either (see: all the above points).

What makes a gel-emulsion, like Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer, the best moisturizer for oily skin is that it feels weightless and delivers a combo of hydrating hyaluronic acid and watermelon, not to mention plenty of antioxidants. With it, you can get the necessary moisture without worrying about an shiny spot appearing by midday — that’s a win-win.

Keep reading about all things skin type-related:

• How to Treat Facial Pores According to Your Skin Type
• How to Cleanse Your Skin According to Your Skin Type
• Is Your Skin Trying to Tell You Something?