Nipun Kapur has reviewed a lot of products for oily skin, and her record stands out. Out of more than 50 products, she approved the vast majority, gave a few a mixed take, and skipped only a handful. That is one of the most generous records you will find from any expert in this space. But the skips are pointed, and worth knowing about before you shop.
What does Nipun Kapur recommend for oily skin?
What Nipun keeps praising are formulas that do the job without tipping into irritation. She gave the Prequel Multi-Acid Milk Peel AHA Exfoliating Solution her only ever 10-on-10, saying it earns that for anyone whose skin can handle a 15% acid peel. She calls the Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner uniquely gentle because it is the only BHA toner she knows of that also contains ceramides, which are ingredients that help protect the skin's barrier. She has rated niacinamide serums highly too, naming the Minimalist Niacinamide 10% Serum one of her category winners, and approving picks like the Anua Peach 70% Niacinamide Serum and La Roche-Posay Niacinamide 10 Serum. Her full list of category winners also includes the Tatcha Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer, the Anua Heartleaf Plus Vitamin E Pore Control Cleansing Oil, and the Remedy for Pore Size.
Nipun Kapur's oily skin picks, in her words
"If you are someone who can tolerate something like a 15% multi-acid peel, get it. Otherwise, skip it. You don't want to risk a broken skin barrier, but if you can tolerate it, this is [...] a 10 on 10. And I've never given anything a 10 on 10."
"The brand says it's For Pore Size which is true but I think this also works really well on acne prone skin. It [...] can really help calm and soothe acne prone skin and can reduce the amount of acne you're getting. This is my claim coming from three clients who have used this product who are all three acne prone, one of them has a lot of acne. [...] I give this an 8 on 10. And if you've ever heard my ratings before you know an 8 on 10 is creme de la creme the best of the best."
"I absolutely love it, highly highly recommended, this is the best of 2024"
"I genuinely love this product everything has improved I use this with everything peptides retinol AHAs BHAs transdermal acid"
"This is the only BHA toner on the market that actually has ceramides and it is absolutely skin soothing."
"If you have acne prone skin and it's oily, use a foaming cleanser. You can use the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser. [...] Any cleanser which is foaming would be good."
How many products has Nipun Kapur reviewed for oily skin?
Nipun Kapur has reviewed 70 products for oily skin, for an approval rate of 86%. 60 approved, 1 mixed, and 9 skipped.
What has Nipun Kapur skipped for oily skin?
Where Nipun draws the line is concentration. She gave The Ordinary Vitamin C 23% Suspension a zero, saying anything above 20% vitamin C does more irritating than it does good. That means anyone tempted by a very high-strength formula may want to step down to something gentler first. She also does not recommend The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% in its original formula, noting that more than half the people who use it report irritation. The Tatcha Deep Cleanse Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser left her cold too: she found it felt like a plain face wash and nothing more. And she flagged the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 as too greasy for daytime on oily skin, suggesting it works better in a night routine if at all.
"If you find it greasy, use it in your PM routine."
"La Roche-Posay is a terrible sunscreen. I know it's viral, but it doesn't work with everyone. Please stop using it."
"The only problem with the Timeless serum on my face was within seconds I would start looking darker and very dull"
"This is a texture monster. I don't have large open pores, so it gives me this really soft airbrushed finish, but if you have texture, if you have enlarged pores, if you have oily skin, if you have anything happening, this is not for you. I've recommended this to friends and family and some of them have bought it and they've been like, upon it looks bad on us. I think this is a product which is [...] overhyped. You don't want to bother yourself with it."
What should you take from Nipun Kapur's picks?
Nipun Kapur's overall read on oily-skin care is encouraging. She finds a lot of products genuinely worth using, and her winners span cleansers, serums, and moisturizers. Her main caution, repeated across several skips, is that high concentrations are not a selling point once they cross into irritation territory. If you are building a routine and want to know what she would and would not reach for, her record here is one of the clearest guides available, with an approval rate of 87%.
Watch Nipun Kapur say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Tatcha Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing MoisturizerNamed a winnerWatch at 7:46
- Anua Heartleaf Plus Vitamin E Pore Control Cleansing OilNamed a winnerWatch at 1:56
- Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow MaskNamed a winnerWatch at 5:53
- Remedy For Pore SizeNamed a winnerWatch at 6:30
- Minimalist Niacinamide 10% SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 3:23
- Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40Skipped itWatch at 44:04
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen SPF 60Skipped itWatch at 17:20
- Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid SerumSkipped itWatch at 10:31
- Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless FilterSkipped itWatch at 7:42
- Goodal Green Tangerine Vitamin C Dark Spot Care SerumSkipped itWatch at 8:03
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen SpraySkipped itWatch at 8:25
- Tatcha Deep Cleanse Balancing Exfoliating CleanserSkipped itWatch at 3:53
- The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Skipped itWatch at 13:27
- Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantSkipped itWatch at 4:14
- Prequel Multi-Acid Milk Peel AHA Exfoliating SolutionRated itWatch at 18:16
- Minimalist 2% Salicylic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 11:15
- Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating TonerRated itWatch at 6:44
- CeraVe Foaming Facial CleanserRated itWatch at 17:59
- Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airy Fit Daily Sunscreen SPF 50Rated itWatch at 9:17
- Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ (Korean formula)Rated itWatch at 4:56
- Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 8:43
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 8:02
- The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 13:56
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% SolutionRated itWatch at 7:13
About this expert
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This guide reflects what Nipun Kapur said across her videos about 70 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.