If you have oily skin, you probably know how frustrating it can be to find the right products for your skincare regimen. We understand this frustration because oily skin can be tricky to navigate. You have to figure out how to control the oil and properly remove it without overdrying or irritating the skin.
Exfoliation is very important for every skin type because it removes dead skin, opens and clears out your pores, and helps keep your skin from looking dull and rough. A good face scrub can do all that and help ensure you look as youthful and healthy as possible.
A facial scrub can be tricky to find because some scrubs may be too abrasive. This can cause irritation and breakouts. For oily skin, floral ingredients work best to open up the pores and provide a gentle scrub. It is also recommended to avoid oil-based scrubs as they contribute to clogging pores.
To help guide you along with choosing a scrub for oily skin, we rounded up the best 18 face scrubs for oily skin that the market has to offer. As we gathered these products, we paid special attention to key details of each scrub such as the type of exfoliation it provides, what ingredients are used, and how safe it is for the skin and the planet.
The best face scrub for oily skin by far is this Blu Atlas Exfoliating Scrub. It will gently exfoliate and remove all dirt and debris from your skin using natural ingredients such as hibiscus, jojoba oil and bamboo extract.
These ingredients offer an array of benefits that will help your skin glow with health and youth. The hibiscus contains antioxidants which are great at preventing aging and skin damage. Jojoba oil is rich in vitamins A, E, and D and fatty acids. It provides ample nutrition and protection by acting similarly to your skin’s sebum. Bamboo makes this scrub special because it is antimicrobial and a natural antibiotic.
Blue Atlas exfoliating scrub not only helps with acne and other redness and irritation, but it’s also great for removing dirt, hydrating and treating the skin, all at once. It is truly the best face scrub for oily skin.
Artistry Studio is known for putting out some amazing skincare products, and this Glow Boss Cleanser + Exfoliater might just be their best product. It is gentle enough to be used as a daily cleanser and still effective enough to remove all the excess dirt and oil. This all-in-one cleanser and exfoliator is formulated with aloe, energy botanicals and bamboo exfoliating grains. The grains are very small and dissolve as you massage it into the skin.
This exfoliator is suitable for all skin types and because it’s oil free and so gentle on the skin, it will suit oily skin as well. The scent is mild but pleasant. The formula is vegan, cruelty-free and free of parabens, sulfates and other skin irritants. It will help your skin look naturally hydrated and not greasy. Best of all, it will improve the complexion of your skin.
InstaNatural’s Brightening Vitamin C Face Scrub is another natural cleansing exfoliator that is great for reducing fine lines, removing blackheads and cleansing the pores. It has a citrus scent and is formulated with key ingredients such as green tea, coconut water, aloe vera and lactic acid.
The scrubbing agents in this face scrub are made of natural quartz crystals, strawberry seeds and jojoba beads. They are very gentle yet effective in removing dead skin and renewing skin cells. This scrub is perfect for improving the overall complexion, tone and texture of the skin.
The vitamin C in this scrub is a great source of antioxidants that provide a defense against aging. It also helps brighten up the skin and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The consistency of this scrub is rather silky; it goes on the skin smoothly and penetrates the pores. It is nourishing but not oily, making it the perfect scrub to use on oily skin. The oily skin will be rightfully pampered, nourished and relieved from excess oil. This scrub is definitely one of the best face scrubs for oily skin.
If you have oily skin, chances are that you may also be prone to breakouts and sensitive to certain irritants. For these issues, we want to direct your attention to this exfoliating face wash by Cetaphil. This is a very well-known brand because Cetaphil is highly recommended by most dermatologists across the United States.
This exfoliator is very gentle on the skin and is safe to use daily. If your skin is prone to breakouts or irritations, this scrub is a great option because it is hypoallergenic and fragrance free. Because the granules of the scrub are micro-fine and non-irritating, it will suit most skin types but is also beneficial for oily skin.
Cetaphil Exfoliating Face Wash will scrub away all the impurities and cleanse the skin to look vibrant, clean and soothed. It is also filled with skin conditioners and a combination of vitamins that will nourish the skin and hydrate it, without stripping it of its natural properties. This is one of the best face scrubs for oily skin because it will help provide that needed balance your skin complexion craves.
This Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Pore Refining Cleansing Scrub is one of the best face scrubs for oily skin because it provides a deep cleanse that refines the skin. This product targets two concerns: acne and oily skin. It is not uncommon to see both of these skin challenges present together and that is why a face scrub like this one is a great option.
This is a deep cleansing mask that will remove the buildup of dead skin, dirt and oil. It contains salicylic acid that is used to combat acne and clear your skin. The exfoliating granules in this scrub are made up of natural ingredients like jojoba beads and a fruit acid complex. These ingredients will be instrumental in removing rough looking skin and reviving it to look more refined and nourished.
Charcoal has been all the rage for some time now on social media platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok and Pinterest. It is fairly common to see an influencer trying a charcoal-based product, and that’s because of the beneficial qualities in this ingredient. Charcoal performs extremely well as an exfoliant, especially in this Down + Dirty Detoxifying Charcoal Micro Exfoliant by ClarityRx.
The ingredient combination in this exfoliant is rather impressive. It consists of seaweed, charcoal and green tea. The type of seaweed used in this scrub is wakame, which is rich in potassium and magnesium. These elements help protect the skin from harmful pollutants. Charcoal acts as a gentle exfoliator and removes toxins, dark spots and dead skin. Green tea provides a defense system against aging because of its rich content of antioxidants.
We can see that the ingredients chosen for this exfoliator were picked expertly, with the intention to scrub, clean and nourish the skin effectively. This product is free of sulfates, parabens and is never tested on animals.
This Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub is on the higher end of face scrubs for oily skin. This botanical scrub is a highly rated product, and this isn’t without cause. The ingredients that make this scrub unique and effective are ivory palms seeds from Ecuador, which are incredible at buffing away dead and dull skin. It also contains coconut and green tea and they hydrate, moisturize and provide protection against aging.
This face scrub contains two unique ingredients – ginger and ginkgo. These two ingredients are the ones responsible for delivering a beautiful, radiant and renewed skin complexion.
This face scrub is great for oily skin because it is gentle, yet effective, and will remove all excess oil, unclog the pores and smooth out any rough areas. The aloe in this scrub will feel cooling and refreshing as you wash it off, waking your senses and adding a boost of circulation to your face.
The Menstory Activated Charcoal Face Exfoliator is a face scrub for our male readers. We understand that oily skin is common among men but their skin type often needs a skincare line of its own.
For hydrating and nourishing the skin, this face scrub has aloe vera and collagen. Aloe vera provides that necessary moisture without overhydrating. It also helps soothe the skin from common issues, including post-shave and acne breakouts. The collagen helps replenish the nutrients of the skin to provide that youthful glow and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The exfoliating agents of this scrub are made up of niacinamide and bamboo charcoal. Together, they smooth out the skin and remove impurities, oil and unclog pores.
The combination of these ingredients is very impressive. Whether your skin is irritated after shaving or just in need of a revitalizing treatment, this charcoal face exfoliator is the best face scrub for oily skin for men.
Cerave is another common skincare brand that is highly recommended, and even developed by dermatologists. It is very gentle and is suitable for oily skin. This Nightly Skin Renewing Exfoliating Treatment is a gentle scrub that is unscented and provides great protection against the sun and other pollutants.
This scrub is one of the best scrubs for oily skin because it is formulated with lactic and glycolic acids that provide a gentler, chemical exfoliation that improves the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dullness.
The ceramides that are infused in all Cerave products help keep the skin’s natural barrier nourished and maintained. This helps the skin hold on to its natural complexion without the addition of harmful chemicals.
The ingredients in this face scrub come together to allow your skin to be cleansed, nourished and prepared for a night’s rest. They will work together to improve the look and feel of the skin and you will see improvement after just one week of consistent use.
A daily scrub is typically safe and even recommended for those who have an oily skin type. This purifying facial detox scrub by DERMA E has all the ingredients needed to achieve a clean and revived skin complexion on a daily basis. This product is one of the most affordable options on our list, but it doesn’t fail to offer many benefits.
This face scrub is good for oily skin because it is a composition of activated charcoal, marine algae extract (seaweed) and aloe vera. These ingredients are gentle enough for daily use and provide the benefits of cleansing the skin of air pollutants, oil and other impurities. The charcoal acts like a detox treatment for the skin to give it a healthy, clean glow.
The formulation is natural, 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and free of other harmful ingredients containing sulfates, parabens, soy, minerals and lanolin.
Sometimes a good facial peel is just what the doctor ordered. This facial peel by Vivo Per Lei is great because it works well with oily skin, and it stands out from the crowd from all the rest of the facial scrubs because it contains dead sea minerals and nut shell powder.
Dead sea minerals have long been adopted as a beneficial ingredient in many skincare products. In this facial peel, it does the hard but gentle work of removing dead skin, oil, dirt and all other impurities. It also helps smooth and soften the skin to once again be youthful and radiant.
This facial scrub is also good for preserving the skin from aging by firming it and reducing the signs of aging skin. The combination of the Dead Sea minerals and nut shell powder also clear out blackheads and other dark spots on the face. It does all this without causing the skin any harm or irritation. All in all, we highly recommend this Dead Sea mineral-based facial peeling gel by Vivo Per Lei.
Clean & Clear is a classic, affordable brand that offers a great variety of skincare. This blackhead eraser facial scrub is formulated specifically to suit oily and acne-prone skin. It is free of oil and harsh ingredients that can strip the skin of its natural minerals, making this scrub a good choice for those with oily and acne-prone skin. It will exfoliate and cleanse the skin and is safe to use daily.
Clean & Clear utilizes salicylic acid in this scrub to help treat and prevent acne. The exfoliating beads in this scrub are derivatives of jojoba beads. This is fairly impressive because jojoba is also used in many high-end skincare products. For its relatively low price, Clean & Clear delivers an impressive facial scrub for oily and acne-prone skin.
This face scrub from Neutrogena exfoliates, deep cleans and soothes oily skin to make it vibrant, clean and healthy. The active ingredients in this scrub are salicylic acid and glycolic acid, which combine to provide chemical exfoliation and prevent acne. It is formulated to purify the skin of impurities, remove excess oil and hydrate the skin without causing irritation or increasing the amount of oil on the skin.
One of the first things reviewers love about this product is the cooling effect the gel provides. It is refreshing but also very soothing to those irritated, red or inflamed spots on the face. The cooling gel makes this scrub especially nice to use in the mornings when you need that extra boost to wake you up. For best results, Neutrogena recommends using this facial, cooling gel scrub twice a day.
This exfoliator from Bioré has been formulated with oily and acne prone skin. Though it is relatively inexpensive in comparison to some of the higher-end products we’ve reviewed, it still offers a variety of benefits for oily skin.
Because oily skin also tends to be acne prone, this scrub is geared towards treating and preventing acne with the active ingredient, salicylic acid. The other ingredient that really gets us excited is witch hazel because of the many benefits it offers to the skin. It is a very effective ingredient for removing excess oil. It is also good at relieving inflammation and reducing acne.
This is both a face wash and face scrub in one product. It washes away all dirt and soothes the skin. It is free of oil and gentle enough on the skin to safely use as a daily face wash and exfoliator.
St. Ives is a very popular skincare brand because of their commitment to using only 100% natural ingredients in all of their products. This apricot scrub provides a deep exfoliation and will clear out the pores that are clogged with excess oil. This prevents acne and makes the skin smooth, soft, hydrated and not as oily.
The exfoliant in this scrub is a finely milled walnut shell powder that is gentle on the skin but effective at smoothing out the skin and removing oil and dirt. The second main ingredient is the apricot fruit extract. Aside from providing a pleasant smell, apricot helps improve the skin tone and nourish it. It is also great for fighting against signs of aging skin like fine lines and wrinkles.
Being free of oil, sulfates and parabens, St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub provides an array of lasting benefits and is the best face scrub for oily skin.
Another one of our favorite scrubs is this DRMTLGY Microdermabrasion Scrub. Although it is suitable for most skin types, we especially love it and recommend it for those with oily skin. This scrub is non-abrasive, gentle and free of those radicals that can damage the skin.
The active ingredients in this scrub are minimal and effective. The sugar cane extract that is present here is naturally composed of glycolic acid, which will perform a chemical exfoliation and remove dead skin, dirt and excess oil. There is also apple and green tea extract. These two ingredients are rich in antioxidants and vitamins that fight against aging. Lastly, this facial scrub also has lemon fruit extract which brightens the skin and gives it a smooth, soft finish.
The benefits offered by this DRMTLGY Microdermabrasion Scrub are bountiful, and as a result, it is recommended by many dermatologists. It is also cruelty-free, paraben and sulfate-free, and is an ideal product for oily skin.
Face Theory is committed to delivering vegan, cruelty-free, affordable skincare. This commitment is evident in all their products, including this glycolic face scrub. It is formulated specifically for combination or oily skin with glycolic acid, salicylic acid and jojoba beads.
With the naturally derived ingredients, this scrub cleanses the skin to remove excess dirt and unclog pores that contain too much oil. The gentle exfoliation of jojoba beads remove dead skin, redness and contribute to a healthy and soft skin complexion. This scrub is mandarin scented but is also available in an unscented version if that is preferred.
This product is safe and effective for oily and acne-prone skin. However, the brand does recommend applying sunscreen while using this product because the scrub will make the skin more sensitive to sunburns. It is also recommended that you do not use this product if you are allergic to aspirin, are under the age of 18 or are pregnant.
As we wrap up our list of the best face scrubs for oily skin, we would like to also tell you about this Antioxidant Exfoliating Facial Scrub by Earth’s Cure. This scrub is not as affordable as some of the other options we discussed earlier, but what drew us to this particular scrub is that it is effective enough to use as a facial and body scrub.
The ingredients are non-toxic, vegan, and free of harsh chemicals. They include aloe, jojoba beads, and antioxidants derived from citrus oil, flowers, and bamboo. This natural approach to skincare gives Earth’s Cure an advantage in producing a scrub that has the perfect balance of exfoliation and nourishment, while removing all the dead skin, impurities and excess oil. It is also perfectly balanced to be gentle enough to use on the skin and still effective to use on the rest of the body.
The floral ingredients of this scrub will open up your pores, and the jojoba bead will gently clear them out of all excess oil. The antioxidants and bamboo will effectively clean the skin, releasing its vibrant look and smoothing out any rough areas. This facial scrub is natural, effective and is one of the best scrubs for oily skin.
We would like to suggest some basic tips to guide you along your skincare journey and maximize the effectiveness of the products you use on your skin, whether or not you use makeup or just want your skin to look healthy and renewed.
To remove excess oil, sweat, and dirt, washing your face daily is imperative. Most face washes are safe to use in the morning and evening.
This step is necessary to remove remaining particles of dirt and makeup. It also helps soothe the skin after a scrub and reduce inflammation and redness. Most toners are very useful in controlling oil as well.
With oily skin, you may be tempted to skip the moisturizer, but doing so could make things worse. If your skin isn’t adequately moisturized, it will prompt your body to produce even more oil to make up for lack of hydration. This will then clog up the pores and eventually lead to breakouts.
Oily skin benefits greatly from a mask because masks tend to draw out all the excess oil and control the oil for a couple of days. Masks that have honey, clay or oatmeal are all beneficial for oily skin. They will mattify, sooth and cleanse the skin and provide a glow that is devoid of extra oil.
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