Best Serums for Oily Skin

Ranked by 152 mentions across Reddit · Updated October 2026

Top picks· 53

Reddit’s top pick

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

The Ordinary35 mentions

from $6

The why

Forehead shine stays in check through the day or night, making it a go-to for persistent oil.

“I have found The Ordinary's Niacinamide works reaaally well when I'm about to have a breakout”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction

One minus

10% concentration stings, burns, or flushes reactive skin

Good forOily Skin, Combination Skin, Dry Skin

Compare the top 5

	1 The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%	2 Anua Azelaic Acid Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum	3 iUNIK Beta-Glucan Power Moisture Serum	4 Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule	5 Torriden DIVE-IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum
	Top pick	Compare with #1 →	Compare with #1 →	Compare with #1 →	Compare with #1 →
Reddit mentions	35	10	9	8	8
Price	from $6	from $18	from $15	from $6	from $19
Better for	Texture/Pores	Hyperpigmentation	—	Redness/Irritation	—
Key ingredients	Niacinamide, Zinc	Azelaic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid	Beta-Glucan	Centella/Cica	Hyaluronic Acid

Community take

For oily skin, Redditors most often recommend niacinamide serums, especially The Ordinary’s, for managing excess oil, breakouts, and pores. Some also report improvements in post-acne marks and overall skin appearance.

What works

Niacinamide is praised for reducing excess oil and sebum.
Users report calmer breakouts and improvements in post-acne marks.
Some find it affordable and fairly nonirritating.

Watch out for

Some users report stinging and irritation from niacinamide.
Other users complain about niacinamide without specifying why.

The full ranking

Madagascar Centella Poremizing Fresh Ampoule
Skin10046 mentions
Under makeup, it stays beautiful through the day without feeling greasy.
“Pink bottle is Poremizing Fresh Ampoule which tightening pores.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $11
Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum
Anua5 mentions
Morning use alongside SPF kept me hydrated without getting oily.
“between that and ny spf (also BoJ) Ive found I have stayed hydrated without getting oily”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $12
Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented
Purito4 mentions
After shaving, it helps with irritation without feeling greasy, a useful fit for oily-combo routines.
“I also use the purito centella unscented serum around my eyes and after I shave bc it helps with irritation for me but isn’t greasy like the barrier creams I’ve tried.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $12
Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide
Beauty of Joseon3 mentions
T-zone oil control gets top-tier praise, with one user saying their pores are “non existent.”.
“My pores are non existent and the oil control is top tier.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $11
The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum
COSRX3 mentions
Under moisturizer, people reach for it to help with texture and balancing oil.
“to use under the moisturizer it’s great for helping texture and balancing oil!”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction
from $17
No.3 Skin Softening Serum
numbuzin3 mentions
Winter toner pairing is praised for its synergy effect, with users also reporting softer skin.
“I love NO.3serum so much in the winter! It has a great synergy effect when used with toner!!”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $19
Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule
Skin10043 mentions
On retinoids, acne-prone users say it supports their barrier without triggering breakouts.
“maybe it gives me more hydration which is the main goal I have right now”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction
from $6
20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum
Timeless3 mentions
Morning pumps leave you way less oily throughout the day.
“I use 1-2 pumps daily every morning and my skin is way less oily throughout the day”
— Reddit, r/30PlusSkinCare
from $25
Healer Turnover Ampoule
Rejuran3 mentions
Five bottles later, an acne-prone sensitive user still calls it a holy grail for oily skin.
“I’ve gone through 5 bottles - it’s my holy grail for my acne prone sensitive oily skin.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $52
B-Bomb 10% Niacinamide Serum
Geek & Gorgeous2 mentions
Calming oil production is the specific draw, with one commenter saying it helped theirs settle down.
“Geek and gorgeous b bomb serum really helped my oil production calm down”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $8

Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
The Ordinary2 mentions
Caffeine helps keep sebum down without irritation, according to one user.
“I've found that caffeine helps to maintain my face free of sebum and it doesn't irritate me”
— Reddit, r/eczema
from $17
Niacinamide Serum
Good Molecules2 mentions
By day's end, one user reports smoother skin and less oiliness.
“So far it seems to be working. My skin feels smoother and gets less oily through out they day.”
— Reddit, r/40plusskincare
from $5
Green Tomato Pore Lifting Ampoule+
Sungboon Editor2 mentions
Pore-minimising results are the draw, with one user noting less oil and smoother skin.
“He escuchado harto sobre la ampolla de esta misma marca”
— Reddit, r/AsianBeauty
from $28
Real Hyaluronic Blue 100 Ampoule
Wellage2 mentions
No heavy feel, even on oily skin, while it still feels very hydrating.
“i have oily skin, and it doesn't feel heavy at all while still being very hydrating.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $10
No.5 Vitamin Concentrated Serum
numbuzin2 mentions
By bottle six, one combination-type user notices help with PIE and overall brightness.
“Numbuzin No. 5+ Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Serum — apply a thin layer to your face, avoiding the immediate eye area.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $6
Oil La La Breakout Balancing Serum
Krave Beauty2 mentions
Layered over moisturizer, it helps decrease oil production while keeping skin hydrated.
“you could try oil la la from krave beauty, it helps with decreasing oil production”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
PDRN Pink Peptide Serum
Medicube2 mentions
Barrier recovery gets a direct mention from an oily-skin user who says it helped theirs.
“I have oily skin and these have helped me a lot to recover my barrier”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $18
The Vita-A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster 0.1% Retinal
celimax2 mentions
Nose-focused use brings smaller sebaceous filaments and a small reduction in oil.
“the one i use now is the Celimax retinal shot.”
— Reddit, r/AsianBeauty
from $14
Madagascar Centella Tea-Trica Relief Ampoule
Skin10042 mentions
T-zone oil reduction is the standout, though one user reports it does next to nothing for acne.
“I (17F) have oily, sensitive acne prone skin.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $6
Azelaic Acid 12% Serum
TIRTIR1 mention
Twelve-percent azelaic acid is rare in US serums, though one user says its tackiness and heaviness trigger breakouts.
“I loved the formula and being a 12% per being very rare to find an above 10% in the US in a serum... the tackiness and heaviness never goes away so breaks ne out every single time.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $20
Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule
Skin10041 mention
Eczema-prone users say it feels gentle, even on very sensitive skin.
“Nice! You should also try their Azelaic Acid 10% ampoule.”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $7
Bakuchiol Serum
Benton1 mention
Watery, residue-free layers leave room for other products, while niacinamide targets oil production.
“2.5% bakuchiol (retinol alternative), very watery and absorbs fast without any residue so I can add other things over it.”
— Reddit, r/30PlusSkinCare
from $19
Resurfacing Retinol Serum
CeraVe1 mention
First-time retinol users stick with it for half a year and say they love it.
“I’ve been using the Cerave Resurfing Retinol for half and a year and I love it.”
— Reddit, r/30PlusSkinCare
from $16
Tranexamic Acid Niacinamide Serum
Cos De BAHA1 mention
PIH-fading comes with some oil control and a slippy, hydrating feel for daytime use.
“Cos De Baha Tranexamic Acid Niacinamide serum: fades PIH so well with some oil control”
— Reddit, r/AsianBeauty
from $11
Tranexamic Acid 10% Serum
Cos De BAHA1 mention
Day-end stickiness leaves wearers feeling congested, with occasional pilling under other products.
“it kind of strips my skin ... and makes it sticky, especially for pollution. i always felt very congested at the end of the day wearing it, and it even was pilling sometimes under some other products.”
— Reddit, r/AsianBeauty
from $11
Deep Water Surge Hydrating Serum 30
Arencia1 mention
Elbows, neck, hands, and knees get repeat applications, with one user already on their third tub.
“im on my third tub already because I apply it to my elbows, neck, hands, and knees”
— Reddit, r/koreanskincare
from $18