When it comes to finding the best Korean skin care for oily skin, the real secret isn’t simply mattifying—it’s restoring balance. One of the biggest misconceptions about oily skin is that it needs harsh, drying products to stay under control. In reality, stripping your skin only pushes it to produce more oil. Korean skin care has long taken the opposite approach, relying on gentle, pH-balanced cleansers, hydrating toners, and calming ingredients like green tea, Centella asiatica (cica), and fermented extracts to nourish the skin barrier. “By replenishing moisture, the skin doesn’t feel the need to overcompensate with excess oil, and it keeps the skin barrier healthy,” says Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam based in New York City.
Our Top Korean Skin Care for Oily Skin
If you’re constantly battling shine, clogged pores, or makeup that slides off the moment you walk out the door, the goal is to find more support for your skin. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the K-beauty products that keep oily skin smooth, balanced, and breathable all day long.
Best Overall: Then I Met You Bong² Bounce Cream
Then I Met You
Bong² Bounce Cream
Why it’s worth it: Then I Met You isn’t one of those brands that drops a new product every five minutes—they only launch something when it’s truly worth your shelf space. Case in point: Bong² Bounce Cream, which snagged a 2025 Allure Best of Beauty Award. Its name comes from hallabong, a vitamin C-packed Korean citrus that also nods to the brand’s hanbang heritage (the Korean practice of using herbs and botanicals to bring skin back into balance, which is especially key for oily types who often overcompensate for dryness). To get the full scoop, we went straight to the formulator herself: “This moisturizer has a soft, gel-cream texture that instantly melts into the skin, hydrating deeply without heaviness, making it perfect for oily or combination skin,” says Cho. Add in squalane, ceramides, and dual-weight hyaluronic acid, and you get that bouncy, bright, all-day moisture without a sticky shine.
- Key ingredients: citrus reticulata fruit extract (a.k.a. hallabong), squalane, sea buckthorn extract, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen
- Texture: gel-cream
- Fragrance-free: citrus scent; no synthetic fragrance
Best Acne Treatment: Mediheal Madecassoside Blemish Pad
Why it’s worth it: While you won’t find traditional acids like salicylic here, these pads take the classic K-beauty route: gentler, soothing, and barrier-first. Centella asiatica (a.k.a. cica) is one of the star ingredients, and this formula goes all in with multiple forms—including root, leaf, and highly concentrated madecassoside—to calm inflammation and strengthen stressed, breakout-prone skin. From there, niacinamide steps in to help even out tone, and glycerin adds just enough hydration to keep skin happy without pushing oily skin into shiny territory. Allantoin and licorice root bring extra redness relief, while fermented extracts and hydrogenated lecithin keep your barrier strong. There’s also a subtle blend of herbal oils (juniper, mugwort, patchouli, and rosemary) that adds a gentle clarifying boost.
“I have very sensitive, oily skin that can break out if I look at it wrong. Add to that the dozens of new beauty products I’m testing each week, and I’m almost always dealing with some stubborn blackheads, whiteheads, or both. When I first notice signs of a breakout, I always make sure to grab these pads. The pad’s material is very thin and soft (not scratchy like some other pads I’ve tried, which can irritate my skin even more). There’s a lot of product in each box of pads, so they’re always fully saturated, even weeks after I’ve bought them. And I love that each box comes with a pair of clear plastic tweezers hidden underneath the lid, so I can quickly and easily grab a pad without having to stick my fingers inside. The pads apply a thin layer of a clear, watery product that dries quickly and layers easily under the rest of my skin care and makeup. And after a few uses, my skin looks calmer and clearer. These have been a medicine cabinet must-have for me since I first tried them. Madecassoside is the real deal!” —Sarah Fellbin, senior commerce editor
- Key ingredients: niacinamide, glycerin, Centella asiatica
- Count: 100 pads
- Fragrance-free: rosemary and mango scent; no synthetic fragrance
Best Cleanser: Knours 2-in-1 Oil-to-Foam Non-Stripping Facial Cleanser
Why it’s worth it: If you’ve got oily skin, you know the struggle: Taking off your makeup can leave your face feeling squeaky clean, but not in a good way. Enter Knours’ 2-in-1 Oil-to-Foam Cleanser, which starts as a silky oil you massage onto dry skin. “This cleansing oil effortlessly dissolves makeup and excess sebum while feeling luxuriously smooth,” says Cho. Then you add water, and it turns into a soft, comfy foam, so you get the full double-cleanse effect without juggling two products. With gentle surfactants and nourishing olive and jojoba oils, it leaves skin clean, balanced, and never tight.
“I don’t usually classify my skin as oily, but on days when I’ve been wearing a ton of makeup or leave the gym feeling shiny and slick, I need something that really clears the excess oil off my T-zone in particular. This cleanser feels incredibly gentle as it removes even my waterproof makeup, and the foam feels like it whisks everything away without irritating my sensitive skin.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
- Key ingredients: olive oil, jojoba oil, glycerin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Sunscreen: Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Daily Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++
Why it’s worth it: K-beauty has sky-high standards for sunscreen—lightweight textures, zero white cast, and never a hint of greasiness are basically non-negotiable—and Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Daily Sunscreen understands the assignment. This silky, fast-absorbing, and oil-free SPF wears like a moisturizer but feels weightless on oily or combination skin, blending in instantly without adding shine. Antioxidant-rich black rice infused oil nourishes and brightens without heaviness, while niacinamide brightens dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Adenosine softens fine lines, ceramides reinforce your barrier, and propanediol adds hydration without overwhelming pores. With PA++++ (the highest rating in K-beauty for UVA protection), you’re covered against long-term sun damage.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I didn’t even know I needed a sunscreen like this until I tried it. It just…disappears into my oily skin. It doesn’t leave it dewy, but also not particularly matte. The velvety texture just sinks in and becomes undetectable—which is pretty much all I want from my sunscreen.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
- Sunscreen type: chemical
- Key ingredients: rice bran oil/extract, glycerin, niacinamide, ceramide NP, heartleaf
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Toner: I’m From Rice Toner
Why it’s worth it: The rice in I’m From Rice Toner isn’t just your typical kind; it comes from Yeoju, a region in Korea known for its unusually fertile soil, clean water sources, and ideal temperature swings for rice cultivation. All of this leads to grains that are dense, nutrient-rich, and naturally packed with antioxidants, and you can feel that quality in this formula. “It has a milky, slightly cushiony texture that glides over skin and instantly softens. It also brightens and hydrates without heaviness, which is ideal for oil control and skin that can’t handle thick, occlusive layers,” says Cho. The experience is soothing and glow-boosting—offering oily skin a gentle reset.
“A hydrating toner or essence is a non-negotiable step of my daytime and nighttime routines. I’m From Rice Toner instantly plumps my skin, giving it a brighter, refreshed look and prepping it for the serums, moisturizers, and sunscreens to follow. It’s also more lightweight than other milky toners I’ve tried, so I’ll often layer up twice or thrice for an extra boost, especially during the colder months. Now that we’re in the office four days a week, I can’t be bothered to wear makeup every day—but at least my skin looks nice and glowy.” —Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: rice bran extract, vitamin E, niacinamide, ferulic acid
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Mask: Innisfree Super Volcanic AHA Pore Clearing Clay Mask
Why it’s worth it: The star ingredient of this mask is volcanic ash sourced from Jeju Island—a mineral-rich, volcanic environment in Korea where hardened lava “clusters” naturally form. “These volcanic clusters are especially good at drawing out excess oil and impurities deep from pores,” says Dr. Kim. The bentonite and kaolin clay base helps refine pores and reduce blackheads, while lactic acid gives the formula a mild exfoliating boost to “smooth texture and ‘tighten’ the appearance of pores,” she says. While clay masks often get a bad rap for drying out skin, the added glycerin helps counteract that by balancing moisture levels.
“I’m not a hydration girlie. Instead, I look for masks that can suck the gunk out of my pores with abandon, and this mask does exactly that. What makes it great isn’t just the combo of bentonite and kaolin clays, but the addition of volcanic ash and lactic acid for dual exfoliation. I liked that I got a little scrubbing action as I was rinsing it off—and my skin looked way more even and radiant after just one use.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
- Key ingredients: volcanic ash, bentonite, kaolin clay, lactic acid
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Moisturizer: Belif True Cream Aqua Bomb
Belif
True Cream Aqua Bomb
Why it’s worth it: We might be hitting you over the head with this by now, but oily skin is usually thirsty skin. So, while something called a “water bomb” might initially sound like it would be too much moisture, it’s actually exactly what oily and combination skin crave. Belif’s The True Cream Aqua Bomb is a lightweight gel-cream that “delivers deep hydration without heaviness,” says Hee Jin Kim, MD, a board-certified internal medicine physician and medical director, based in Fort Lee, NJ. “It also absorbs quickly with a fresh, non-greasy finish.” Hyaluronic acid instantly plumps, niacinamide evens tone, and panthenol soothes, while squalane adds another hit of moisture without clogging pores. It even has that cool, refreshing feel—like splashing your face with cold water—making it ideal for oily skin that’s easily stressed or prone to redness.
”Before my K-beauty collection really exploded—and trust, it has—Belif Aqua Bomb was my go-to, and it’s still a regular in my rotation all these years later. It’s the kind of lightweight yet intensely hydrating formulas my combo skin slurps up. Seriously, it disappears that quickly but leaves my skin feeling so soft and plush. And, whether it’s the dog days of summer or I’m feeling extra sleepy in the a.m. (always!!), the cooling texture is always chef’s kiss.” —Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, panthenol
- Texture: gel-cream
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Eye Cream: Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Eye Cream Unscented
Purito
Wonder Releaf Centella Eye Cream Unscented
Why it’s worth it: We’re not surprised we’re seeing cica again, and this time, it’s showing up in the delicate eye area. Purito’s Wonder Releaf Centella Eye Cream Unscented has a light gel-cream texture that “absorbs quickly without leaving heaviness or residue,” says Cho. That makes it great for oily skin, which still needs moisture around the eyes but can’t handle rich, occlusive formulas. The high concentration of Centella asiatica extract helps soothe irritation and strengthen the barrier, while lightweight hydrators like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate keep the area plump without added shine. Peptides support firmness, and a touch of meadowfoam and argan oils soften without feeling greasy. “I love applying it for a cooling, calming effect that refreshes tired eyes while keeping the area plump and soft,” Cho adds.
- Key ingredients: Centella asiatica, peptides, sodium hyaluronate
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Exfoliator: Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine
Neogen
Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine
Why it’s worth it: We always love a swipe-and-go moment, but these aren’t your ordinary exfoliating pads. Neogen’s Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine delivers dual-action exfoliation: The textured gauze side provides a satisfying physical buff, while wine-derived AHAs gently exfoliate to smooth texture and clear congestion. “The pads leave skin smooth and refined without over-drying, perfect for oily skin prone to congestion,” says Cho. The clever pocket design makes them easy to control—swipe with the gauze, then flip to the softer side to pat in the antioxidant-rich serum for added hydration. While they’re certainly not as intense as an at-home peel, these pre-soaked pas offer a similar brightening boost in a much gentler, effortless way.
- Key ingredients: red wine, resveratrol
- Count: 30 pads
- Frangrace-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Korean moisturizer is best for oily skin?
When it comes to the best Korean moisturizer for oily skin, gel-cream formulas are the clear winners. “They’re typically packed with humectants like hyaluronic acid and soothing ingredients like Centella asiatica or green tea,” says Cho. These lightweight textures provide deep hydration without the heaviness of traditional creams, keeping skin plump, balanced, and less likely to overproduce oil. The right gel-cream not only minimizes midday shine but also helps strengthen the moisture barrier—one of the keys to keeping oily skin calm, clear, and consistently hydrated.
How is Korean skin care for oily skin different from Western skin care?
Korean skin-care products for oily skin differ from Western approaches in one major way: “K-beauty focuses on calming and hydrating the skin rather than stripping it,” says Cho. While Western routines sometimes lean on harsh, drying cleansers or strong acne treatments to cut oil, K-beauty takes a gentler approach—using lightweight, water-based layers to keep the barrier healthy and balanced. This prevents the rebound oiliness caused by dehydration. K-beauty also favors non-irritating solutions like gentle exfoliants and pimple patches, which “keep acne away from bacteria and protect the wound from moisture,” helping breakouts heal cleanly without causing more irritation, says Cho.
Do oily skin types really need the full multi-step Korean routine, or can you keep it simple?
You definitely don’t need a 10-step Korean skin-care routine to show oily skin TLC. “The Korean beauty philosophy is about customizing to your needs, not hitting a magic number of steps,” says Cho. For oily skin, a well-rounded routine can be as simple as “a gentle oil-based cleanser to remove excess sebum and sunscreen, followed by a hydrating toner and a lightweight moisturizer or sunscreen,” she says. Those few steps can deliver the same balanced, healthy-skin results you’d get from a longer routine without overwhelming oily skin.
Meet the experts
- Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam based in New York City
- Hee Jin Kim, MD, a board-certified internal medicine physician and medical director of Pureen MD based in Fort Lee, NJ
