Which face moisturizer is best for oily skin? While your first response might be to reach for something that will aggressively dry out your skin, that's the last thing you should do. Oily skin is caused when sebaceous glands produce too much sebum (a.k.a. oil), which is primarily determined by fluctuations in hormones and genetics.

While there's not much you can do about your genetics, the good news is that there are a number of things you can do to help minimize the nuisance of a super-shiny face. For one, you can make sure to use the proper skin care products that will hydrate your skin and keep it supple.

Wait, what? Yes, you read that right. Oily skin must be moisturized daily. (That goes for dry skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and combination skin, too.) If you don't hydrate regularly, you can actually end up overdrying your skin, which will then spur more oil production and could potentially lead to breakouts.

The key is to find the right moisturizer that will balance your skin's natural oil production so you can put your best face forward and let your personality, not your pores, shine through.

To make sure you actually have oily skin, take our easy test to determine your skin type, plus get some great tips on finding a vegan moisturizer while you're at it.

Read on to learn the do's and don'ts of finding the best moisturizer for oily skin that will have your skin feeling and looking refreshed, replenished, and just the right amount of dewy.

The Do's of Oily Skin

Create a Regular Skincare Routine

Consistency is key when it comes to properly hydrating your skin. That means applying moisturizer every day. We're all too familiar with the myth that creams or lotions should never be used on oily skin types, but this is simply not true. Once you find products that work for you, stick with a daily routine and you'll soon realize that a hydrated face is a happy face. Try our Super Soft Kit that includes a moisture balancing cream, gently exfoliating cleanser, and ultra-soothing lip balm.

Choose Lightweight Moisturizers

There's nothing quite as disheartening as a greasy, gunky cream that makes you feel like you've just slathered a vat of fat on your face. The best moisturizers for oily skin are lightweight, absorb quickly, and leave your skin satiny smooth. Look for mattifying moisturizers that will give your skin a silky matte finish.

Contrary to what you might think, this can sometimes be achieved with an oil, such as our highly rated Bright Daily Squalane + Facial Oil Blend. This luxurious vegan serum features the acne-fighting properties of rosehip oil, skin-brightening power of vitamin C, and nourishing elements of avocado oil without any waxy, greasy finish.

Look for Oil-Free Moisturizer

If you're feeling uncertain about using a facial oil on your oily skin, there's nothing wrong with going oil-free. There are a host of oil-free formulas that allow for greater oil control yet will keep your skin adequately hydrated. Water-based lotions and creams as well as water gels are good options.

To boost the efficacy of your daily moisturizer, try incorporating a weekly treatment like Feel Beauty's Brilliant Bamboo Charcoal Facial Sheet Mask. These active charcoal masks are loaded with charcoal and hyaluronic acid to cleanse, hydrate, and detoxify. Bye-bye, excess oil and bacteria. Hello, pretty pores!

Seek SPF Protection

The American Academy of Dermatology advises that everyone wear sunscreen every day. That includes people with oily skin. To make your routine a little easier, consider wearing a daily moisturizer with at least an SPF 30 rating. Not only does this spare your skin from the ravages of the sun's damaging, cancer-causing rays, but it also saves you the extra step of applying sunscreen in addition to your moisturizer.

Consider a Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin

Oily skin often goes hand-in-hand with skin that is prone to breakouts. To avoid ingredients that could cause future flare-ups, read labels carefully and avoid petroleum, mineral oil, and silicones. The "non-comedogenic" description means the product will not clog pores. If you have acne-prone skin, be sure to consult our helpful guide on the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin, which often include salicylic acid.

Find the Right Acid

It's not a bad idea to look for a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and amino acids. While these are naturally created by the body, applying them topically via moisturizer can help further strengthen your skin's protective barrier and regulate oil production. Even better, hyaluronic acid is a powerful humectant, so it has the added benefit of plumping up skin and staving off fine lines and wrinkles.

The Don'ts of Oily Skin

Buyer Beware

Even though drugstore brands such as Cetaphil, Neutrogena, and La Roche-Posay tend to be popular choices for mainstream consumers, it's crucial to be aware of the long list of chemicals, preservatives, and animal-derived ingredients in these products that could actually do more harm than good. Feel Beauty's collection of face skincare features ingredients that are not only carefully sourced, but are also 100 percent cruelty-free.

Stay Away From Synthetic Fragrances

A moisturizer should thoroughly hydrate your skin, not make you smell like you just sprayed perfume all over your face. Artificial scents can be highly irritating to all skin types (especially if you have acne-prone oily skin), so opt for a fragrance-free moisturizer or one that only uses fragrances from essential oils or other natural ingredients.

Avoid Overscrubbing

As tempted as you might be to simply scrub away the oil from your face, don't do it. Remember: In order to compensate for the oils you keep stripping off your skin, your sebaceous glands will actually start producing more sebum! That said, using a very gentle scrub such as our Renewed Pumpkin Walnut Facial Cleanser is an ideal fix for oily skin. Pumpkin infuses the skin with alphahydroxy acids and vitamins A and C to control oil and keep skin clear, while walnut powder effectively sloughs off dead skin cells. Bottom line: It's the best way to exfoliate your face without the Brillo pad effect.

Don't Forget to Take Your C

Getting your daily dose of vitamin C isn't just good for preventing the common cold. Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is touted for its ability to brighten and tighten skin, reduce redness, and keep skin glowing, not greasy. It also fights free radicals to keep wrinkles at bay and enhances collagen to keep your skin looking young and fresh. Feel Beauty's Bright Daily Squalane + Facial Oil Blend packs plenty of vitamin C, making it a winning moisturizer for oily skin types.

Looking Good

Now that you've learned some of the do's and don'ts of buying a moisturizer for oily skin, it's time to put that knowledge into practice. Don't forget: No matter how great the product is, if you're not wearing it consistently (read: every day) it won't do you much good. Be sure to shop our selection of Feel Beauty face products featuring natural ingredients and get ready to let your true beauty shine.