Myths
Five Things About Oily Skin That Are Not True
Oily skin gets the worst advice of any skin type, and most of it makes the oil worse.
Nijer Jotno · 5 min read · 6 Jun 2026
1. “Oily skin does not need moisturiser”
The most repeated and the most counterproductive. Oil and water are different things. Skin that is stripped and left tight tends to produce more oil, not less.
What to do instead: use a light moisturiser — a gel-cream or a lotion — rather than none.
2. “Wash more often and it will dry up”
Washing removes surface oil for about an hour. What it also removes is the lipid layer that holds water in, and skin responds to that by producing more oil.
Twice a day with something gentle is the ceiling. More than that is the problem, not the solution.
3. “Alcohol-based toners control oil”
They degrease on contact, which feels decisive, and that is the entire appeal. High-alcohol astringents are a reliable way to end up with skin that is oily and irritated at the same time.
Check the ingredient list for alcohol denat. in the first five ingredients. Fatty alcohols — cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl — are a completely different class and are fine.
4. “Oily skin does not age”
There is a grain of truth buried here — sebum offers some surface protection, and oilier skin tends to show fine lines slightly later. It does nothing for pigmentation, and it is not a reason to skip sunscreen. Sun exposure is the main driver of visible change either way.
5. “Tight and shiny means oily”
This one matters most, because the fix is the opposite of what people try. Skin that feels tight but still looks shiny is usually dehydrated — short of water, not oil — and often producing extra oil in response.
Treating it as oily, with stronger cleansers and no moisturiser, makes it worse. It needs water: a humectant on damp skin, sealed with something light.
What actually helps
- A gentle low-pH cleanser, twice a day
- A light gel-cream moisturiser, every day
- Niacinamide around 5%, which may help with oil and the look of pores
- A BHA two or three nights a week, once your skin is used to a routine
- Sunscreen, which is not optional for any skin type
That is a complete routine. It is also boring, and that is the point.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Skincare products are not medicines. Speak to a dermatologist about persistent or worsening skin conditions.