We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Why Trust Us?
There's the Instagram “glow,” and then there's real-life glow. If you've got oily skin, you're likely reaching for blotting sheets and mattifying powders to contain regular breakouts versus highlighters and creams.
The backstory there is that your skin produces excess sebum, i.e. “the waxy, oily material that protects and hydrates our skin,” says Debra Jaliman, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and author of Skin Rules. While it’s normal for these sebaceous glands to produce a small amount of oil for a healthy moisture barrier, they're working overtime if you’re oily. “Signals can be generated in times of stress or from hormonal fluctuations,” says Rachel Nazarian, M.D., board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group and assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Whatever the case, a good face mask can help. “Face masks can help treat and decrease oily skin by absorbing and cleansing the oils from our skin’s surface,” Dr. Nazarian says. “Or by improving the baseline level of moisture and hydration of our skin” so that it doesn’t feel the need to overproduce.
What qualifies as a “good” face mask? For starters, it definitely shouldn't leave your skin feeling cracked or dry, shouldn't be too pricey, and has a couple key ingredients:
How to choose (and use) the best face mask for oily skin
Look for oil-absorbing ingredients: Dr. Jaliman says to go for masks that contain natural and pure ingredients that won’t inhibit hydration or clog your pores. Those ingredients include kaolin or bentonite clay to draw out impurities, activated charcoal to deep clean, and alpha or beta hydroxy acids (like salicylic, glycolic, or lactic acids) to exfoliate.
Don’t overdo it: When used for the proper amount of time, these ingredients are effective. But leaving them on your skin for too long can cause unnecessary dryness. Dr. Nazarian’s rule of thumb? Get your mask on for no more than 10 minutes at a time—once a week if your skin is sensitive, and twice a week if it’s normal to oily.
Always moisturize after: After rinsing off a mask, your oils may be controlled (yay!) but your skin might also feel a little tight. That’s your moisture barrier screaming for a drink. “It’s important to repair and support skin’s natural hydration after all masking, or even after washing,” Dr. Nazarian says. “Use an oil-free moisturizer that contains ingredients that strengthen skin, such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or squalane.”
Now that you know how to use them, here are some expert-approved face masks your oily skin will love.
1
BEST OVERALL
Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque
This clay mask has a simple ingredients list that works serious magic, including kaolin and bentonite clays to absorb oil, aloe vera for a dose of moisture, and oat extract to soothe. “It removes surface oil and is useful for creating a matte appearance,” Dr. Nazarian says. What more could you ask for?
Dr. Jaliman likes this super-affordable option. It contains charcoal and kaolin clays to deep clean pores and its “self-heating” element is activated by menthol, which makes your skin feel clean and refreshed once everything is rinsed off. Dr. Jaliman recommends using it once or twice a week.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
This mask’s mineral-rich Umbrian clay, sandalwood oil, chamomile flower, and lavender water work together to remove impurities and calm the skin, leaving behind a more balanced, shine-free texture. A fan favorite, testers love that it minimizes pores, leaves skin feeling soft, and can even be used as a spot treatment for pimples.
4
ORIGINS Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores
The name pretty much says it all. “This mask helps to get rid of environmental toxins and dirt that can clog pores and make the skin look dull,” Dr. Jaliman says, thanks to kaolin and bentonite clays. “The charcoal eliminates excess oil that could lead to blackheads and acne.”
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
5
Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Mask Acne Treatment Mask
This clay-based mask is packed with sulfur, a natural mineral that aids in oil reduction and decreases acne-causing bacteria on the skin. It also contains aloe vera to help soothe and calm inflammation, so your face is left feeling soft and smooth. (Just be warned, sulfur does have a bit of a smell that takes some getting used to!)
Dr. Jaliman loves this mask because it includes both bentonite and kaolin clays, as well as calming, moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera and herbal extracts that prevent the skin from drying out. Glycolic, malic, and lactic acids also offer exfoliation that will make your skin glow (in the good way).
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Affordable and conveniently packaged, this mask-stick innovation allows you to “spot mask” where you need to with ease (hello, shiny T-zone). It also contains kaolin clay, which is why it’s Dr. Jaliman-approved.
You might not expect a mask like this to help oily skin, considering the leading word on its label is squalane, which is an oil. But it’s actually a smoothing peel that exfoliates with alpha hydroxy acids. It pulls double duty and moisturizes with hyaluronic acid in addition to squalane to “keep skin hydrated despite the removal of oil and exfoliation,” Dr. Nazarian says.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Dr. Nazarian is also a big proponent of kaolin as a “gentle method for decreasing oil,” which is why she likes this mask. “I recommend applying it for five minutes, twice a week,” she says.
A cult favorite for good reason, this clearing treatment has it all: kaolin clay, activated charcoal, and exfoliating acids to absorb oil, reduce breakouts, and smooth the skin for a calmer, more even radiance. It can also be used to spot treat blemishes overnight.
Kayla Blanton
Kayla Blanton is a freelance writer-editor who covers health, nutrition, and lifestyle topics for various publications including Prevention, Everyday Health, SELF, People, and more. She’s always open to conversations about fueling up with flavorful dishes, busting beauty standards, and finding new, gentle ways to care for our bodies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University with specializations in women, gender, and sexuality studies and public health, and is a born-and-raised midwesterner living in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and two spoiled kitties.