Index / What Works / CYoung on oily skin

CYoung's Guide to Oily Skin: What She Rates, What She Skipped

Across 37 oily-skin products, she approved just over half, named 5 category winners, and skipped nearly a third, often because they stripped too hard or simply did not do what they promised.

CYoung · 37 products reviewed · 119 mentions analyzed · Last reviewed 27 September 2026
57%Approval rate
21 Yay5 Mixed11 Nay

CYoung has reviewed 37 products for oily skin, and her record gives you a quick sense of how tough she is to impress. She approved 21, gave mixed takes on 5, and rejected 11, for an approval rate of 57%. When she does say yes, it means something.

What does CYoung recommend for oily skin?

The thing that runs through nearly all her approvals is lightweight texture that actually sinks in. She pushed her top sunscreens, including the TOCOBO Bio Watery Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++, the Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream, and the Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++, into her highest tier because they absorbed fast, sat well under makeup, and stayed comfortable in humid heat. That last part matters more than it sounds: a sunscreen that feels sticky is one people skip on the days they need it most. The same idea carries into her moisturiser picks. She rates the Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Gel Cream because it hydrates through a full summer without feeling heavy, and she liked the tube packaging over a jar since nothing goes to waste. She gave the Numbuzin No.1 Purple Complex Soothing Moisture Cream high marks because it kept skin moisturised after application instead of drying it back out, which she said is a real problem with some gel creams. She also cared about coverage that does not turn shiny over time. She praised the NARS Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation for settling to a semi-matte finish rather than making pores look shiny as the day wears on, and she has bought it twice.

In her words

"This goes to my S tier. It rubs in so fast, one, two, three and it's gone. This is the sunscreen I've been looking for, because I always wear makeup, so the makeup pairing has to be amazing, and even living somewhere tropical and humid, it's still not sticky. It's just so lightweight and easy. This is the ideal sunscreen."
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"This is my second bottle, which means a lot because I use so many different products, usually cushions, but I love this one so much. I always recommend it to my students because compared to other glow foundations it has a lot more coverage, this actually feels like a foundation instead of a tinted moisturizer. It's semi matte, so as time goes by it settles down instead of making the pores shiny, which makes it feel like a more universal, amazing, well made foundation. I will definitely repurchase it."
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"This one goes to my S tier. It has a little green color, but whenever you apply it, it just disappears. It's a brand new sunscreen that's a lot lighter and easier to absorb than Round Lab and Beauty of Joseon. This new version of sunscreen is one I actually really prefer, so please try it out."
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"This one I'd put between an S and an A, but I'll just give it an S, Isntree does pretty good with hyaluronic acid. With gel creams, what I don't like is that a lot of them are just like water in a big jar and it's gone fast, but this one you can definitely use as your everyday moisturizer if you have oily or combo skin, and for me even in really humid summer it still makes my skin hydrated, and I love it. It's easy to apply, a tube type not a jar, and the price is pretty good, so why not."
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"This takes a little longer to sink in than usual Korean products, but the cooling effect lasts forever. Even oily and combo skin pros are obsessed with it. Price be damned, if your skin gets hot easily this is your new holy grail. I'm picking this deep cooling cream because it's unique."
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"Some gel creams dry out the face more as the moisture evaporates after application, but this one was still moisturizing after a while. It's great for oily combo skin for all seasons. My husband, who hates sticky products, also liked it. Dry skin can use it in summer too. It's similar to the famous Dr G red blemish cream, but this one absorbs faster than that."
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How many products has CYoung reviewed for oily skin?

CYoung has reviewed 37 products for oily skin, for an approval rate of 57%. 21 approved, 5 mixed, and 11 skipped.

What has CYoung skipped for oily skin?

She skipped products that over-promised or over-stripped. The Medicube Zero Pore Mask was her hardest rejection: she found it so drying that it visibly hardened on her face and left skin tight after rinsing off. She said the AHA and BHA in the formula were a small upside that did not come close to making up for it. The Senka Perfect Whip Cleansing Foam got a C from her, not because of price but because she said it strips too much oil and, with continued use, starts to damage the skin barrier. She also skipped the Skin1004 Pore Minimizing Deep Cleansing Foam for weak lather and a slightly alkaline pH. That is not stripping enough to cause a crisis, but she saw no reason to use it when better cleansers exist. Products that leaned on pore-minimising claims without backing them up drew her scepticism too. She said the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Pore Minimizing Capsule Ampule was too watery to work as a standalone serum and gave no clear reason to choose it over something simpler.

What should you take from CYoung's picks?

CYoung is a useful guide for oily skin because she is not easy to impress. She is most enthusiastic about sunscreens that wear well under makeup in real heat, and moisturisers that stay hydrating without adding weight. She is most critical of anything that strips the barrier or leans on a claim the formula cannot back up. Her 57% approval rate across these 37 products reflects a standard worth trusting.

Watch CYoung say it

Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.

About this expert

CYoung

See everything CYoung has reviewed

Related guides

CYoung on sensitive skinCYoung on dry skinCYoung on MoisturizersDr Dray on sensitive skin

This guide reflects what CYoung said across her videos about 37 products for oily skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.