Listen, oily skinners: I know it feels counterproductive to moisturize your skin. But you've gotta! Oily skin might product more sebum, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need the nutrients, hydration, and replenishing that comes with frequent moisturizing.
Luckily, the Koreans have figured out how to give skin all the benefits of hydration without any of the negative side effects, like breakouts, excess sebum, or tacky skin. With the use of (maybe seemingly strange!) ingredients like snail mucus and green tea, Korean beauty scientists have made major inroads in keeping oily skin happily hydrated without making it look like it's spent the last two hours in a sweat lodge.
Here are some options to get you started:
Mizon All In One Snail Repair Cream
Snail mucus is one of the most restorative products used in skincare. Oddly enough, it can help human skin regenerate and emerge looking younger and fresher in the same way that it helps snails regenerate. It's also a favorite for people with oily skin, since it goes on feeling more like a super lightweight gel rather than a heavy moisturizer that will make you shine or create sebum. It's light enough to wear under makeup, all while working its rejuvenation powers.
Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream
This is a super lightweight cream that, as the name implies, feels more like a watery refresher than it does a heavy, tacky cream. That makes it great for oily skin, since it packs in a ton of nutrients and moisture without the heaviness or tackiness of creams designed for drier skin.
belif Oil Control Fresh Moisturizer
There are no oils in this belif moisturizer - just one of the reasons that it's quickly becoming one of the favorite Korean products to cross borders. Instead of oils, the brand uses natural herbs and herbal processing formulas that have been used for more than a century. This moisturizer also helps to tighten larger pores, which both controls sebum production and gives skin an overall smoother appearance.
Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cream
Innisfree's 'Fresh' line is one of Korea's most popular lines for oily skinned people. Green tea is a light, refreshing ingredient that also happens to be saturated with amino acids and minerals. This is another product that feels more like a watery gel than it does a heavy cream - it will go on smooth and soft against skin without leaving any of the grease or shine of a heavier product.
