Can You Use a Face Oil on Oily or Combination Skin?

Short answer: yes, many people with oily or combination skin use a face oil. The key is choosing a light oil, using only a few drops, and applying it where your skin needs it. Oily skin can still be dehydrated, and stripping it with harsh products often leaves it feeling tight and uncomfortable.

Oily skin vs dehydrated skin

Oily skin makes more sebum. Dehydrated skin is short on water. You can have both at once: shiny by midday but tight or flaky in places. Over-cleansing and very drying products can make skin feel worse, so a balanced routine usually works better than trying to remove every trace of oil.

What to look for in a face oil

• Light, fast-absorbing oils. Jojoba is technically a liquid wax that's similar to the skin's own sebum, and it's a common choice for oily skin. Rosehip and evening primrose are also light.
• A dry or matte finish. If an oil still sits on the surface after a few minutes, it's probably too rich for you or you're using too much.
• Fewer heavy oils. Very rich oils and butters can feel too heavy on oily areas.
• A short ingredient list you can read, so you can spot anything your skin has reacted to before.

How to use a face oil on oily or combination skin

1. Cleanse gently and pat skin almost dry.
2. Start with just 2 or 3 drops. You can always add more.
3. Press it in, focusing on drier areas such as the cheeks. Use less on the T-zone, or skip it there.
4. Wait a minute or two before the next step.
5. In the morning, finish with sunscreen.

Night use is the easiest place to start if you're worried about shine during the day.

Where it goes in your routine

The usual order is thinnest to thickest: cleanser, toner or watery serum, then oil. If you use a moisturiser, apply the oil just before it or mix a drop in. Sunscreen always goes last in the morning.

Can a face oil cause breakouts?

It can, especially if the oil is heavy or you use too much. Introduce it slowly, a few times a week, and watch how your skin responds over a couple of weeks. If you see new breakouts in places you don't usually get them, stop and try a lighter product. Read more in Bakuchiol Side Effects and How to Patch Test.

A bakuchiol oil for oily and combination skin

Our Zenuva Bakuchiol Oil Serum is built on jojoba with rosehip and evening primrose oils, plus bakuchiol, a gentle plant-based retinol alternative. It sinks in to a matte finish in about 90 seconds, so it works under sunscreen and makeup. Three drops is enough for most faces.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have persistent acne or a skin condition, speak to a dermatologist.