Oily skin is the type most often made worse by its own routine, and the mistake is the same regardless of brand: treating oil as something to remove as thoroughly as possible.

What to look for in the range

Light gel-creams and fluids. Texture is the deciding factor. A rich cream on oily skin feels greasy by midday and can congest.

A gentle gel cleanser — effective but not stripping. Anything that leaves skin squeaky is doing damage.

A moisturiser you will actually use twice daily. This is the step people skip, and skipping it is counter-productive.

Current textures are listed in the Faberlic catalogue, which is the reliable source given the range rotates every few weeks.

The step people skip

Moisturiser. Oil is not water, and oily skin can be dehydrated — often is. Dehydrated skin frequently produces more oil to compensate.

A light moisturiser used consistently usually reduces shine over a few weeks. It feels wrong and it works.

What makes oily skin worse

  • Washing more than twice a day
  • Foaming cleansers that leave tightness
  • Alcohol-based toners
  • Over-exfoliating to control texture
  • Layering powder on shine through the day
  • Changing products constantly

Almost every one of these is an attempt to control oil that provokes more of it.

Realistic expectations

Oil production is largely genetic and hormonal. A good routine manages it — less midday shine, fewer clogged pores, comfortable skin. Nothing eliminates it, and any product claiming to is overpromising.

Worth remembering: oily skin ages more slowly. The oil that annoys you now is doing useful work later.

Assessing the range

One product, three to four weeks, nothing else changed. Expect gradual improvement in comfort and shine, not transformation.

When it is medical

Persistent inflamed or cystic acne is not an oily-skin problem to solve with moisturiser. It needs a dermatologist, and delaying treatment risks scarring that is far harder to address afterwards.

For the full oily-skin routine, see the skincare section, and for the rest of the range the reviews section.