Here They Are: The 12 Best Serums of All Time If You Have Oily Skin

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(Image credit: @taniasarin)

If you have oily skin, it's easy to make a lot of mistakes in the skincare departmentSo many people (myself included, once upon a time) think you should dry out oily skin in order to keep it more balanced, but this often makes it worse. It's also entirely another beast if you're oily and acne prone. Ugh. 

I'm here to help take the guesswork out of things, though. When shopping for the best serums, there are a couple things (and ingredients) to keep in mind if you have oily skin. I asked two dermatologists to give me the lowdown on exactly which ingredients work well for oily skin types and what their serum recommendations are. Check out what they had to share below.

The Best Ingredients for Oily Skin

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(Image credit: @sasha.mei)

If you're unsure where to start when it comes to serum shopping for oily skin, dermatologists have a few key ingredients they swear by. Board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, MD, says vitamin C is a favorite, for starters. "Vitamin C is a skincare ingredient that can be used on most types of skin, including oily skin," he says. "Finding a product that is lightweight and does not leave a thick residue is important when buying skincare for oily skin." He also recommends a good oil-free moisturizer and salicylic acid: "Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that is hydrophobic, which allows it to penetrate deep in pores and flush them of excess oil and residue."

Board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Divya Shokeen, MD, recommends serums that contain retinol and AHAs in addition to BHAs. "Retinoids help to reduce oil production, while AHAs and BHAs are great for reducing the appearance of pores," she shares. Find a few of their recommended serums below along with some of my own favorites.

The Best Serums for Oily Skin

Up Next: Derms and Facialists Cringe When People With Oily Skin Make This Common Mistake.

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Associate Beauty Editor

Shawna Hudson is a beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and travel writer with over 10 years of experience. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a degree in journalism and has written for other publications such as Bustle, The Zoe Report, Byrdie, Elite Daily, and more. She is currently a beauty writer atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing and hopes to continue feeding her (completely out-of-control) beauty obsession as long as she can. Stay up to date on her latest finds on Instagram @shawnasimonee.