“Serums that contain hyaluronic acid are hydrating but great for oily skin as they leave minimal emollient residue. Avoid serums that are heavy, oil-based, or contain many botanical seed oils. Serums that contain AHA can be helpful for oily or acne-prone skin,” Dr.
The two product categories that you should absolutely have in your routine if you have oily skin are an acid exfoliant and a lightweight hydrating serum (instead of a cream or lotion) because all skin needs hydration, but oily skin doesn't need the extra emollients in a thick moisturizer.
Yes — definitely. Hyaluronic acid is a key component in moisture retention for your skin, and when you eliminate dry skin, you get rid of many of the underlying causes for those dry cells to build up and cause oil production to go into overtime. So using hyaluronic acid could potentially help with oily skin.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that oily acne-prone skin can benefit from majorly. It helps treat inflammation associated with acne, treats damaged skin and brightens skin while improving skin texture and health.
Find a serum that claims to do just what you need it to. - Secondly, consider your skin type. If you have oily and acne-prone skin, select a face serum with salicylic acid and retinols, as well as rosehip seed oil. For mature and dry skins, try something with hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C.
"Clinical studies have shown that niacinamide can improve excess sebum production (overly oily skin), the appearance of pores, fine lines and keep the skin's barrier intact." In turn, this prevents water loss from the skin, limiting dryness and irritation, such as itching.
If you decide to layer, it's recommended to start with hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin cells, and then top it up with niacinamide to protect the skin's surface and prevent moisture loss.
If you're looking to add niacinamide into your skincare regimen, keep potency in mind. Dr. Li explains that "the scientific literature suggests 5% as optimal for achieving desired effects" and she goes further to caution that higher concentrations may cause skin irritation.
Retinol has similar benefits, but it's stronger than niacinamide. It's also known to cause irritation, redness, and dry skin. Pairing the two ingredients is safe and can make retinol easier to use. Niacinamide helps hydrate the skin, which reduces the risk of irritation caused by retinol.
Non-comedogenic moisturisers and cleansers, such as those in the CeraVe range, work to effectively hydrate and remove impurities from the skin without clogging pores, making ideal products for oily skin types.
GREAT FOR MOISTURIZING OILY OR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
Hyaluronic acid is non-comedogenic - meaning it hydrates without clogging your pores, making it a great moisturizer for oily and acne prone skin. FYI: If you have oily skin, that does NOT mean it's hydrated.
She advises looking for a hydrating serum with any of the big three ingredients, with a primary claim to quench dry and dehydrated skin. However, she notes, “most people can benefit from using a hyaluronic acid serum. A lot of serums on the market are HA-based, or include some form of it.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
This drugstore option comes highly recommended by dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., for its moisturizing properties and versatility.
Oil-Free, Non-Comedogenic, and Lightweight Formulas
If your skin is oily and/or prone to breakouts, Engelman suggests using serums that are oil-free and non-comedogenic. “This indicates that the product will not clog pores or worsen acne,” she says.
When it comes to oily, acne-prone skin, Cerave takes the crown. The reason behind this: Cerave has multiple cleansers that can work perfectly for your skin type. If you're more towards the sensitive skin type, Cetaphil would be a great choice for you.
CeraVe is the #1 dermatologist-recommended moisturizer brand*, and our products for acne-prone skin promote a clear complexion without dryness or flaking while helping maintain the skin's barrier with three essential ceramides.
It's an ingredient found in a number of moisturizing skin-care products, as well as certain foods and supplements like multivitamins. Can you use niacinamide every day? Yes. In fact, you can use niacinamide-containing topical products in the morning and night because it's generally a gentle ingredient.
Don't Mix: Niacinamide and vitamin C. Although they're both antioxidants, vitamin C is one ingredient that's not compatible with niacinamide. "Both are very common antioxidants used in a variety of skincare products, but they should not be used one right after the other," says Dr. Marchbein.
Using niacinamide before retinol works well. So does combining them into one product. A 2016 study found that a product containing retinol, niacinamide, hexylresorcinol, and resveratrol improved fine lines, sallowness, wrinkling, hyperpigmentation, and skin tone.
When selecting niacinamide products, Dr Ho advises that “a concentration of 4-5% niacinamide is ideal—enough to improve acne and fine wrinkles”. Higher concentrations, like The Ordinary 10% Niacinamide + 1% Zinc, have not yet been proven to exhibit a higher rate of efficacy.
Using a product with, say, 10% niacinamide won't cause any major issues, but you may experience some irritation and redness, especially because niacinamide is quite easily absorbed into skin.