Properly cleaning your face morning and night is one of the most important steps in your skincare routine, and the best cleansers can help with that. Nowadays there are plenty of products to suit all skin types, and if you want to know what are the best cleansers for oily skin, we're here to help.
We've put plenty of formulas to the test to find out which are really worth your money, including ones from brands such as Garnier, No7, Sarah Chapman and Caudalie. We wanted a cleanser that thoroughly cleaned our face (of course) but that also helped to balance shine and control breakouts – and all without leaving skin feeling dry or 'squeaky clean'.
Oily skin typically suits a cleanser that's a gel or cream consistency rather than an oil or balm formulation, which can be too rich and heavy for skin that's overproducing oil. Look out as well for ingredients such as salicylic acid or charcoal in the formula, which can help to mattify the skin and keep pores clear.
Want to know more? Read on for our pick of cleansers to buy now – with something for all budgets...
Best cleansers for oily skin in 2024
Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser
* Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser, £20 from LookFantastic
Consistently clocking up five-star reviews online, this combines salicylic acid, essentials oils and Caudalie's famous grape water into a refreshing gel.
OK! beauty editor Laura Mulley says: "This is the cleanser that's currently in my shower, and my boyfriend and I both love it for a morning cleanse. It feels refreshing but not stripping, and it's nice to find a blemish-busting product that still looks and feels luxe."
Garnier PureActive Purifying Cleanser
* Garnier PureActive Purifying Cleanser, £6.39 from Boots (was £7.99)
This contains a double whammy of effective ingredients: BHA to minimise blackheads and breakouts, and charcoal to soak up shine for up to 24 hours. In tests, 100% agreed skin looks purified, while 98% agree blemishes were visibly reduced.
Laura says: "With its black packaging, black-coloured gel and a slightly medicinal smell, this isn't the most glamorous product you'll have in your bathroom, but it is effective. It's one for those at the oilier end of the skin type category, or for those with mild-to-medium breakouts."
Clinique Take The Day Off Facial Cleansing Mousse
* Clinique Take The Day Off Facial Cleansing Mousse, £27 from LookFantastic
If you've always found Clinique's iconic Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm to be too rich for your oily skin, this latest addition to the line-up might be better suited. Containing glycerin and hyaluronic acid, it's a foaming cleanser that won't dry out your skin.
Laura says: "I'm a big fan of the cleansing balm, so I was excited to try this. To be, it plays a different role in my skincare routine; it's not a make-up remover, but instead a great second or morning cleanse. It lathers up into really creamy bubbles that leave skin feeling hydrated."
No7 Derm Solutions Deep Clean Calming Gel Cleanser
* No7 Derm Solutions Deep Clean Calming Gel Cleanser, £14.95 at Boots
No7's Derm Solutions line launched last year, and aims to provide simple skincare advice to create healthy skin. This gel cleanser is aimed at oily and spot-prone skin but also sensitive complexions and contains ceramides, niacinamide and adaptogens to balance oil production.
Laura says: "For a no-frills solution that simply works, this tube of great. I like how I can trust that it will help to balance my combination skin without irritating it. It's a big bottle at a good price, too."
Tatcha The Matcha Cleanse
* Tatcha The Matcha Cleanse, £42 at Space NK
The product in Tatcha's cleanser line-up aimed at oily and combination skin, this contains green matcha tea to minimise inflammation, along with antioxidant-rich Japanese mugwort and coix seed.
Laura says: "I've yet to meet a Tatcha product I didn't like, and this is no exception. The lather somehow feels really luxurious, and I feel like it helps to control my face's usual midday shine, too. It's the only matcha tea I've ever liked."
Sarah Chapman Skinesis Rapid Radiance Cleanse
* Sarah Chapman Skinesis Rapid Radiance Cleanse, £43 from LookFantastic
This two-in-one product can be rinsed off immediately to be used as a cleanser, or left on for a few minutes to get to work as a detoxifying mask. It contains lightly exfoliating lactic and salicylic acids, plus vitamin C for additional glow.
Laura says: "I've been lucky enough to have had a Sarah Chapman facial, and this is the nearest thing to getting those results at home. It's a very light cream that washes cleanly away to leave skin feeling soft and smooth – just don't rub it vigorously into your eyes, due to the acids in the ingredients list. It smells amazing, too."
Stella by Stella McCartney Reset Cleanser
* Stella by Stella McCartney Reset Cleanser, £50 from Space NK
Both of your cleansers in one, this will remove make-up and also properly cleanse the skin underneath (it can't to use it twice in a row though, just to make sure). Like all products from Stella McCartney's beauty line, it's vegan, made with a high percentage (99%) of natural ingredients, and made from recycled materials.
Laura says: "This is lovely; it's lightly conditioning on the skin but doesn't leave a film, doesn't sting eyes, and looks great in your bathroom. It does remove light make-up, but stubborn mascara might need something a little stronger. It's expensive, but cheaper refills are available."
Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis + Amino Acid Purifying Cleansing Gel
* Institut Esthederm Intensive Propolis + Amino Acid Purifying Cleansing Gel, £33 from LookFantastic
There's some smart ingredients in this, including Institut Esthederm's 'cellular water patent', salicylic acid and sodium PCA. This result is a formula that improves the look of blemishes and minimises pores.
Laura says: "This does leave skin feeling deeply clean, and I like it as a way of getting a touch of pore-purifying salicylic acid on my skin without having it in a toner or serum. My one tiny niggle is that it does stick a bit to the skin, and requires a bit of help from a face cloth to be completely removed."
