Best face moisturizer for combination acne prone skin

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K, maybe you’ve heard this a million times, but it bears repeating: You can’t skip out on face moisturizer if you’ve got oily or acne-prone skin. Sorry, not sorry, but if you want to keep your oily skin at bay, the secret is to keep it hydrated with a great moisturizer. If you’ve tried everything to get rid of your oily skin to no avail, it’s time to pop one of these 15 face creams for acne-prone and oily skin into your bag ASAP.

And before you’re all like, huh, contradictory much?! A few experts—dermatologists Mona Gohara, MD, Heidi Waldorf, MD, Anar Mikailov, MD, and Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD—and I broke down everything you need to know about the best moisturizers for acne-prone and oily skin types, why they’re essential, and even sifted through the hundreds of creams on the market right now to find your match. And if you’re just here for the goods and you don't want alllll the ~great knowledge~ below (which, whomp whomp), here's a little sneak peek of the content ahead:

Our top picks for the best moisturizers for acne-prone and oily skin in 2022:

• 

  Best Nighttime Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin

  CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion

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• 

  Best Overall Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

  Origins Clear Improvement Pore Clearing Moisturizer

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• 

  Best Drugstore Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

  Cetaphil Pro Oil Absorbing Moisturizer

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• 

  Best Affordable Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin

  The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

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• 

  Best Salicylic Acid Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin

  Peter Thomas Roth Acne-Clear Oil-Free Matte Moisturizer

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Now for the fun part and what you’ve all been waiting for: The 15 best moisturizers for acne-prone and oily skin on the market, including mattifying lotions, lightweight gel creams, and sunscreens, ahead. Buh-byeee, oil, and acne! Love to watch you go <3

Best Nighttime Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion

Best Overall Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Origins Clear Improvement Pore Clearing Moisturizer

Best Drugstore Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Cetaphil Pro Oil Absorbing Moisturizer

Best Affordable Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

Best Salicylic Acid Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin

Peter Thomas Roth Acne-Clear Oil-Free Matte Moisturizer

Best Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone, Irritated Skin

Cosrx Oil Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion

Best Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin and Clogged Pores

Shani Darden Daily Oil-Free Moisturizer

Best Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin and Dark Spots

Rosen Skincare Moonlight Moisturizer

Best Fragrance-Free Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Skin

EltaMD AM Therapy Facial Moisturizer

Best Moisturizer for Acne-Prone, Oily Combination Skin

Nola Skinsentials Hyaluronic H2O Créme

Best Clean Moisturizer for Oily Skin

Tata Harper Clarifying Moisturizer

Best Gel Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Farmacy Daily Greens Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer

Best Lightweight Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Tatcha The Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer

Best SPF Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Supergoop! Mineral Mattescreen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++

Best Moisturizer for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin That Prevents Breakouts

Tula Skincare Breakout Star Acne Moisturizer

Does acne-prone skin need moisturizer?

Yes, acne-prone skin needs moisturizer. “Moisturizing is important to keep the skin’s barrier intact,” Dr. Waldorf has told Cosmo. It might feel a little counterintuitive to load up on heavy creams and lotions when you’ve got hella shine on your face, but skipping moisturizer can actually make your face produce more oil (and that definitely isn’t the goal, right?).

Oily skin and acne typically tend to go hand in hand, considering too much oil production on your face contributes to blackheads, clogged pores, and all those ~lovely~ breakouts. So when looking for a moisturizer for your skin, it could be beneficial to purchase products that target and address both of these skin concerns.

In addition to regular cleansing and treating, you’ll also want to invest in a lightweight—yet super hydrating—moisturizer to keep excess oil, and therefore acne, at bay. “Use a light lotion instead of a heavier cream,” says Dr. Gohara. Lotions are more-so water-based, whereas creams are more so oil-based, and oil, of course, is something you’ll want to avoid, she explains.

How to choose the best moisturizer for acne-prone and oily skin:

Determine your skin type

Listen, I get it, you’re here because you have oily skin—a no-brainer, right? But there’s more to it than just having oily skin. In this case, I’m referencing your skin’s sensitivity and other skin concerns, like acne. Your general skin type and preexisting skin concerns are the best indicators for what type of moisturizer you should use, Dr. Mikailov has explained to Cosmo, adding that “as the ingredient list grows, so does the likelihood of irritation or allergic reaction.” Leading us to need to...

Examine the ingredients

Once you choose your moisturizer’s consistency, those with oily skin should look for formulas with lightweight hydrators like hyaluronic acid or glycerin, Dr. Waldorf explained to Cosmo. If you have sensitive skin and legit breakout at the thought of trying new products and ingredients, stick to “alcohol-, fragrance-, and oil-free products,” says Dr. Gohara.

Develop a skincare routine

And finally, if you’re looking to keep your oily skin in check, in addition to popping one of these moisturizers for oily and acne-prone skin in your cart, you should def develop a skincare routine. But before you do, understand that I don’t suggest that you purchase a million unnecessary products—in fact, adding too many products will increase your chances of looking, well, oily. Start with a great oil-free face wash, one of these moisturizers above, and a sunscreen for oily skin (yes, non-greasy sunscreens do indeed exist). See? Easy peasy.

Meet the experts:

• Mona Gohara, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Hamden, Ct, president of the Women’s Dermatologic Society, and associate clinical professor at Yale. Her areas of expertise include medical and surgical dermatology and skin of color.
• Heidi Waldorf, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics in New York, NY who specializes in cosmetic dermatology. Dr. Waldorf previously spoke to Cosmo about how to get rid of oily skin.
• Anar Mikailov, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, MA, and the founder of KP Away, a line of skincare products for keratosis pilaris-prone skin. Dr. Mikailov previously spoke to Cosmo about the best face moisturizers for all skin types.
• Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist at Mudgil Dermatology in New York, NY. Dr. Mudgil previously spoke to Cosmo about AHAs versus BHAs.

Why trust Cosmo?

Siena Gagliano is a contributing beauty editor at Cosmopolitan and has two years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news. She’s an expert at researching and writing skincare stories, like the best blackhead removal tools and the best clear sunscreens, and feels especially knowledgeable about moisturizers for acne-prone skin, thanks to being a beauty editor and therefore trying a million different formulas. She regularly tests and analyzes moisturizers for acne-prone skin on her own skin for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top dermatologists to assess new formulas and products.

Ruby Buddemeyer was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan for nearly three years, and has five years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and celebrity news across print and digital, like the best Korean sunscreen brands and how to get rid of whiteheads. She curated her moisturizers for acne-prone skin through product testing, researching, and reading reviews.

Siena Gagliano Contributing Editor Siena Gagliano is a contributing editor at Cosmopolitan, where she primarily covers beauty in the makeup, skin, and hair spaces.

Ruby Buddemeyer Ruby was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covered beauty across print and digital.

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