James Welsh has reviewed at least 50 products aimed at oily skin. He approved nearly three in five, gave a handful a mixed take, and skipped about a quarter. That gives him an approval rate of 58% here, which is honest rather than glowing. His picks show a clear pattern, though, and if oily skin is your concern, his reasoning is worth following.
What does James Welsh recommend for oily skin?
James comes back to the same things again and again across his approvals. He wants cleansers that feel thorough without stripping the skin bare. He praised Remedy Gel-to-Foam Cleanser with Salicylic Acid for hitting that balance, calling it the cleanser to reach for after a hot, sweaty, oily-skinned day. He loves niacinamide for keeping oil in check without drying things out, and both Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3% and Sungboon Editor Green Tomato Pore Lifting Ampoule win him over partly for that reason. Lightweight texture matters to him too. He flagged Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 as one of the brand's best because, unlike a lot of clear sunscreens, it does not sit greasy or oily on the skin.
James Welsh's oily skin picks, in his words
"If you follow me on TikTok, you know how much I have used and repurchased this product this year. Green tomato is rich in antioxidants and tannins that help support firmness, but [...] it's more the other ingredients in here that hydrate and collagen for plumper looking skin. We have PHA in here, a very gentle exfoliant that you can use daily with this serum with no irritation whatsoever, just a nice more even looking texture to the skin."
"It's just such a nice cleanser. [...] It's quite a unique cleanser in the sense that the texture is a little bit different. There are a few other similar cleansers, but as far as how it then interacts on the skin, how it then foams up, how it then leaves your skin, is fairly unique. [...] The thing about this that just feels a lot more nourishing and moisturizing than any other cleanser I've used."
"One of their best and I would say most iconic products is their unseen sunscreen, purely because everyone can use it, it works great as a sunscreen, a lot of clear sunscreens can be very greasy and oily looking, this one isn't, in my opinion, and it doesn't sting my eyes."
"This is like the weirdest mix of like an oil and gel that I've ever used. You use it like a body wash, obviously, but it feels like you've just oiled up your skin. It feels like you've moisturized. You step out the shower almost feeling like you don't need to use a lotion, and sometimes I don't after this. It's got 50% glycerin in it, which is probably why it feels so hydrating. Linoleic rich oils as well, so it's not stripping. Just feel so, so soft after using this."
"If you want a really good deep thorough cleanse for your oily skin without stripping the out of your skin, this is the cleanser to go for. Gives you that satisfaction of almost like a deep purge without destroying your skin barrier, without voiding your face of all moisture. Salicylic acid, of course, is going to gently exfoliate. [...] Balance with like ceramides and glycerin, so it doesn't feel stripping."
"SkinCeuticals is one of the many brands owned by L'Oreal. [...] The patented technology they used in the SkinCeuticals serum was used to stabilize ascorbic acid in combination with ferulic acid and vitamin E to enhance its photoprotective and anti-aging properties. Whatever new technology they'd used, it seemed to be working as the CE Ferulic serum was widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best type of product of its type on the market."
How many products has James Welsh reviewed for oily skin?
James Welsh has reviewed 65 products for oily skin, for an approval rate of 60%. 39 approved, 8 mixed, and 18 skipped.
What has James Welsh skipped for oily skin?
Where James skips a product, there is usually a real reason. He gave Ultra Violette Lean Screen Mattifying SPF 50 Zinc Sunscreen a hard pass after independent lab tests returned an SPF of just four or five rather than the promised 50 plus. That means anyone relying on it for sun protection was not getting it. He also skipped Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser after certain batches were found to contain an unlisted preservative that can irritate sensitive skin. And he was blunt about Supergoop Resetting 100% Mineral Powder SPF 35, saying you simply cannot apply enough of it to count as real sun protection without looking cakey and powdery.
"Despite being marketed as having an SPF rating of 50 plus, Choice revealed that their test returned an SPF rating of just four. This rating was so low that Choice actually sent a sample to another lab in Germany just to double-check the results, [...] and that came back with an SPF rating for Lean Screen of five. So slightly better, I guess, but not the rating they promised. [...] A drop from a rating of 50 plus to just four or five would be bad enough for any sunscreen product."
"It's a very refreshing spray, if you want to call it that. I find it absolutely horrific. It's minty. It's like spraying a cold mint all over your face, and you get a tingle, which is mostly from peppermint and alcohol. You can feel that evaporation, not from anything really improving your skin or refreshing your skin. And in fact, for sensitive skin, that combination of fragrance and essential oils in here is going to be more irritating than beneficial."
"The jelly cleanser, certain batches contain a preservative not listed on the product ingredient list. And whilst this preservative is found commonly in skincare products, especially those clean beauty ones, this preservative, like many paraben alternatives, can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals, especially at higher levels."
"I've tried it so many times. I wanted to give it a really fair chance, but every time I use it, I end up like squinting. My eyes are burning. I end up having to wash it off. It's irritating. My rosacea flares up. For me, it's just one of those like cult favorites that I just cannot get to work no matter how hard I try."
What should you take from James Welsh's picks?
James's named winner for oily skin is Sungboon Editor Green Tomato Pore Lifting Ampoule, a product he says he repurchased repeatedly. He calls it great for very oily skin while gentle enough not to dry out anyone who is not. His wider record says: look for lightweight textures, trust niacinamide to balance oil without stripping, and do not assume a sunscreen works just because a brand says it does.
Watch James Welsh say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 11:57
- Sungboon Editor Green Tomato Pore Lifting AmpouleNamed a winnerWatch at 16:57
- Ultra Violette Lean Screen Mattifying SPF 50 Zinc SunscreenSkipped itWatch at 30:36
- Caudalie Beauty ElixirSkipped itWatch at 17:16
- Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly CleanserSkipped itWatch at 8:40
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 SPF 50+Skipped itWatch at 29:01
- CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% Benzoyl PeroxideSkipped itWatch at 26:35
- Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen FoundationSkipped itWatch at 2:17
- Isntree Green Tea Fresh SerumSkipped itWatch at 11:02
- Clinique Clarifying Lotion OneSkipped itWatch at 3:38
- Tower 28 SOS Rescue SerumSkipped itWatch at 34:43
- Murad Rapid Relief Blemish Spot TreatmentSkipped itWatch at 2:30
- Foreo Kiwi Blackhead Pore VacuumSkipped itWatch at 2:45
- CeraVe Renewing SA CleanserSkipped itWatch at 7:59
- First Aid Beauty Coconut Water CreamSkipped itWatch at 11:27
- Youth to the People Kale and Green Tea Spinach Vitamin Superfood CleanserSkipped itWatch at 18:30
- The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling SolutionSkipped itWatch at 8:11
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% SolutionSkipped itWatch at 2:48
- The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Skipped itWatch at 8:07
- Tatcha Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing MoisturizerSkipped itWatch at 9:21
- Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40Rated itWatch at 45:26
- Naturium Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body WashRated itWatch at 22:19
- Remedy Gel-to-Foam Cleanser with Salicylic AcidRated itWatch at 21:31
- SkinCeuticals C E FerulicRated itWatch at 3:36
About this expert
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This guide reflects what James Welsh said across his videos about 65 products for oily skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products he approved. It is general information, not medical advice.