10 Best Korean Moisturizers For Oily Skin, Recommended By An Expert (2024)

The best Korean moisturizers for oily skin assist in managing sebum production, offering shine control, and nourishing the skin. You may feel tempted to omit moisturizers in your skincare routine if you have oily skin, as you believe they make your skin look oilier and shinier. However, it is a misconception that oily skin doesn’t need to be moisturized or that moisturizers do more harm than good when you have oily skin. On the contrary, not applying moisturizer can cause your skin to produce more sebum and become oilier. So, your skin needs a lightweight cream-based or gel-based moisturizer. Check out our top picks for Korean moisturizers that are ideal for your skin type. Scroll down!

Top 10 Korean Moisturizers For Oily Skin

1. Best Hypoallergenic Formula: Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (With Birch Sap)

4.5

Image: Cosrx

BUY ON AMAZON | $18.1

Product Type: Lotion

This weightless and extremely mild lotion from Cosrx is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Its soothing formula is best suited for oily, acne-prone, and irritated skin. “This lotion is formulated with 70.8% birch sap which effectively soothes irritated skin, adds moisture to deeply hydrate, and restores the right oil-moisture balance. As a result, it will help control excess oil production and breakouts”, adds Catie Wiggy, a licensed esthetician. It is the best Korean moisturizer for combination skin. The brand does not support animal testing for its products. Moreover, a lot of reviews based on the tester’s experiences vouch for the effectiveness of the products to show visible results.

Why We Think It's Worth Buying

A whopping 901 reviews on Amazon make it obvious that users genuinely love this product.

2. Best Fragrance-Free Formula: d’Alba Piedmont Peptide Np-Sebum Repair Cream

4

BUY ON AMAZON | $44.0

Product Type: Cream

If you have oily, acne-prone skin and battle with excess sebum, this moisturizing lotion with a low pH level is an excellent choice. This weightless and extremely mild lotion is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. It is best for oily, acne-prone, and irritated skin. BHAs (to improve skin turnover and remove dead skin cells), white truffle extracts, peptides, and amino acids (to tighten pores and improve skin firmness and elasticity). This nourishing cream repairs skin damage and has a slightly acidic pH (6.5) that restores the balance of your skin and calms it to prevent the breeding of acne-causing bacteria on your skin. It is the best Korean moisturizer for dry skin. Watch this video for a thorough understanding of the product.

Did You Know?

This moisturizer includes BHA which is an exfoliant. It can make your skin photosensitive so don’t forget to use sunscreen.

3. Best Gel Formula: Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel

4.4

Image: Cremorlab

BUY ON AMAZON | $25.0

Product Type: Gel moisturizer

Gel-based moisturizers are best for oily and sensitive skin.Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel gets absorbed into your skin very fast and has a matte finish. It is so light that you can layer it under your makeup. It contains witch hazel that soothes your skin and keeps acne at bay, algae extracts that hydrate it, and green tea extracts that protect it from damage. This green tea extracts-rich moisturizer also contains centella asiatica and camellia sinensis extracts that reduce inflammation and eliminate signs of aging. It also contains Bulgarian rose oil that soothes your skin. It is the best Korean moisturizer for both oily and acne-prone skin.

4. Best Hypoallergenic:LANEIGE Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer

4.6

Image: Laneige

BUY ON AMAZON | $40

The LANEIGE Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic cream locks in moisture and provides long-lasting hydration. “Blue Hyaluronic Acid is a micro-sized hydrating hero, which gets absorbed into the skin faster and better and provides intense hydration”, adds Wiggy. The formula of this light cream spreads smoothly over your skin and gets absorbed quickly. It contains squalene that imparts deep hydration to the skin, improves its elasticity, and strengthens the natural moisture barrier, while delivering toned skin. It is suitable for oily, combination, sensitive, dry, and normal skin.

Pro Tip

Use this hydrating moisturizer for oily skin underneath makeup to get a smooth base for the products to glide on easily.

5. Best Anti-Aging:Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Face Moisturizer

4.5

Image: Glow Recipe

BUY ON AMAZON | $21

The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Face Moisturizer acts as a protective barrier and protects your skin against environmental pollution. The hyaluronic acid in the moisturizer offers long-lasting hydration to dehydrated skin and protects it against free radicals. In addition, it instantly sinks into the skin and hides dark spots. Do perform a patch test before using it on the face to avoid skin irritations.

6. Best Lightweight:Jung Saem Mool Essential Mool Cream

4.3

Image: Jung Saem Mool

BUY ON AMAZON | $53

Jung Saem Mool Essential Mool Cream has a highly-moisturizing formula that nourishes your skin with a dewy finish. The lightweight texture of this formula glides seamlessly on the skin and boosts its radiance. The formula is packed with lecithin to strengthen the skin barrier and squalene to nourish the skin from within. The white flower complex comprising lotus, edelweiss, jasmine, lily, rose, iris, daffodil, and freesia helps refresh your complexion.

7. Best In Natural Extracts: TonyMoly The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream

4.5

Image: Tonymoly

BUY ON AMAZON | $25.0

Product Type: Gel moisturizer

This gel-based moisturizer is formulated with a unique fermented green tea extract (ChungTaeJeon) that is rich in antioxidants. This natural moisturizer not only provides intense hydration to your skin without leaving any sticky residues but also prevents moisture loss. Its hydrating formula is infused with fermented green tea extracts, lemongrass oil, and rosewood oil, which have antibacterial effects. The moisturizer also helps keep the skin plump. This YouTuber’s review will help you get a deeper insight of the product.

Why We Think It's Worth Buying

The product has more than 1,115 reviews and is a top choice all around the world.

8. Best Dye-Free Option: Belif The True Cream – Aqua Bomb

4.7

Image: Belif

BUY ON AMAZON | $38.0

Product Type: Gel-cream

This oil-free gel-cream contains a powerful blend of apothecary herbs. This pore-minimizing moisturizer contains Lady’s mantle which is rich in antioxidants and prevents damage caused by free radicals. It offers intense hydration to the skin, maintaining its natural moisture level, and keeps it looking healthy and smooth.

9. Best Affordable:Neogen Dermalogy Probiotics Relief Toning Pad

4.1

Image: Neogenlab

BUY ON AMAZON | $33

The Neogen Dermalogy Probiotics Relief Toning Pad provides skin hydration and firmness to get smoothe uneven textures. Combining super probiotics and hydrating ingredients, it strengthens the skin barrier and effectively reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It makes skin visibly healthier after just a few days of use!

Quick Tip

This moisturizer works best when topped off with a lightweight and soothing cream. The end result is well-nourished skin that looks healthy and fresh.

10. Best Paraben-Free:Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream

4.5

Image: Dearklairs

BUY ON AMAZON | $25.96

The Klairs Rich Moist Soothing cream restores the hydration balance while battling dry skin effectively throughout all seasons. It enhances the skin’s ability to repair skin cells and strengthen the protective layer of sensitive skin. The quick-absorbing formula calms and comforts hypersensitive skin. This cream is a one-stop solution for all skin issues, including redness of the skin.

Korean moisturizers are deemed to be most sought-after for flawless skin and tackling almost all regular skin concerns. To help you pick the best Korean face moisturizers for oily skin you need to consider some key factors. Check them out below!

How To Select The Best Korean Moisturizers For Oily Skin

•  Ingredients

Look for key ingredients like dimethicone, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamins B5 and B3, retinol, alpha hydroxy acid, and salicylic acid in a moisturizer for oily skin. These help in sloughing off old skin cells, reducing pore size, and minimizing excess oil production. Remember that not all oil-based ingredients are harmful for oily skin. Tea tree oil, rosehip oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, and hemp seed oil can soothe, cleanse, and hydrate the skin without clogging your pores. They are lightweight and will help to moisturize and nourish skin with no stickiness or greasiness.

Avoid ingredients like silicones, lanolin, coconut oil, castor oil, alcohol, parabens, sulfates, siloxane, stearates, mineral oils, petroleum, paraffin, and beeswax. These may clog your pores and aggravate acne breakouts.

• Formulation

Heavy moisturizers on oily skin are generally pore-clogging and leave skin feeling oilier than before. It is therefore best to pick non-greasy, lightweight moisturizers that are water or gel-based creams or lotions. Choose a non-comedogenic, pore-refining, hypoallergenic, and oil-free moisturizer that contains antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. You can go for an organic moisturizer that contains scientifically-formulated ingredients that protect your skin from the damaging effects of harmful chemicals and revitalizes your skin naturally.

•  Other Skin Concerns

Choose an oil-absorbing moisturizer that also caters to other skin concerns like acne, sensitivity, hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, redness and dull skin tone. An antioxidant-rich formula protects your skin from pollutants, heat, and free-radical damage.

Infographic: DOs And DON’Ts Of Using A Moisturizer On Oily Skin

People often think that oily skin does not need a moisturizer. However, that is not the case. On the contrary, oily skin needs a moisturizer to regulate excess oil production. Check out the infographic below to learn a few dos and don’ts of applying a moisturizer on oily skin without turning it greasy.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Korean skin care products good for oily skin?

Yes, Korean skin care products are good for oily skin. The excess sebum in oily skin can be controlled using water-based K-beauty products that are effective on clogged pores.

What moisturizer do K-pop idols use?

Different K-pop idols have different choices of moisturizers. However, they use moisturizers with ingredients that are gentle and hydrating.

Do Koreans use moisturizers?

Yes, Koreans use moisturizers to keep their skin soft and supple. However, they mostly couple a moisturizer with sunscreen to keep their skin tan-free and flawless.

Can I skip moisturizer if I have oily skin?

Yes, you can skip moisturizer if you have oily skin. But a lightweight moisturizer especially made for your skin type can help keep your skin hydrated and supple.

Why is Korean skin care different?

Korean skin care puts essential nutrients back into your skin. It does not take the harder approach of applying expensive exfoliators, rather, it plumps your skin with its unique and innovative skin care products.

Why Trust StyleCraze?

Shiboli Chakraborti, the author of this article, is a certified skin care coach and provides research-backed articles to her readers. She believes that moisturizers are an essential skin care product, even for oily skin. Therefore, she browsed several products and their reviews to provide you with the best Korean moisturizers for oily skin. These moisturizers are chemical-free, lightweight, and non-greasy.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Catie WiggyLicensed Esthetician

   

Catie Wiggy has over 15 years of experience as a Licensed Master Esthetician and natural product formulator. She is the founder of Creative Beauty Collective and has worked behind the scenes with a wide variety of brands throughout her career as an executive-level marketer and innovator, developing an array of award-winning skin care lines.

Read full bio of Catie Wiggy

Shiboli ChakrabortiCommerce Editor

 

Shiboli has a master’s degree in English literature from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and is a certified skincare coach with four years of experience. As a commerce editor, she guides her team members on the best practices to create crisp and authentic content.

Read full bio of Shiboli Chakraborti

Aditi NaskarAssociate Commerce Editor

Aditi Naskar has a postgraduate degree in English literature from Presidency University, Kolkata, a bachelor’s degree in education from WBUTTEPA, Kolkata, and a diploma in health and wellness. She is an associate commerce editor with 5 years of experience and specializes in reviewing fitness and health products.

Read full bio of Aditi Naskar

Arshiya SyedaCo-Editor-in-Chief

Arshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.

Read full bio of Arshiya Syeda