The best serums for oily skin,according to dermatologists and skincare experts
The 10 serums that dermatologists and skincare experts rate highest for oily skin, ranked by genuine consensus.
These are the 10 serums that the dermatologists and skincare experts we follow rate most highly for oily skin, ranked purely by how warmly they talk about them in their own reviews. No brand pays to appear, and the order updates as new reviews come in.
Every score is the Guru Index consensus across all the gurus who have weighed in, so a single rave can't crown the list: products need enough independent reviews to count. We surface the picks the gurus flag as a good fit for this skin type, but skin is personal, so anything new is best patch-tested first. A Guru Certified mark means broad agreement across many experts; a Top Pick means a guru explicitly named it best in its category.
The podium
87%Guru ScoreNo.3 Vitamin Concentrated Serum
“I have the Numbuzin No.3 Vitamin Concentrated Serum, and this is an amazing amazing option.”Mad About Skin
86%Guru ScoreHydro Boost Water Gel with Hyaluronic Acid
“This is one of my favorite cleansers from Neutrogena. It's really gentle, great around the eyes. I love using it as a second step in my double cleanse.”Dr Dray
85%Guru ScoreVitamin C Complex Serum
“I love that airtight pump product, and it's probably my favorite product in the Naturium line.”Dr. Daniel Sugai
The rest of the list
- 4
PrequelLucent-C Brightening Vitamin C SerumOily skinCombination skin83%12 gurus - 5
Paula's Choice10% Niacinamide Booster with 2% Mandelic Acid and Lactic AcidOily skinCombination skin72%9 gurus - 6
The OrdinaryNiacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Oily skinAcne-prone skin69%27 gurus - 7
Drunk ElephantT.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night SerumOily skinCombination skin69%11 gurus - 8
Paula's ChoiceNiacinamide 20% TreatmentOily skinAcne-prone skin67%8 gurus - 9
InnisfreeGreen Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid SerumOily skinCombination skin61%6 gurus - 10
AnuaPeach 70% Niacinamide SerumOily skin58%6 gurus
Who's doing the judging
Ranked from the public takes of 33 independent gurus, including 11 dermatologists, 3 makeup artists and 2 doctors.
DoctorlyDermatologist
Dr. Aanchal MDDermatologist
Dr DrayDermatologist
208SkinDocDermatologist
Dr. Sam EllisDermatologist
Dr. Daniel SugaiDermatologist
The Budget DermatologistDermatologist
Dr. Vanita RattanDoctor
Dr. Jenny LiuDermatologist
Lab Muffin Beauty ScienceCosmetic Chemist
Dr. MaminaDermatologist
Dr. Somji SkinCosmetic Surgeon
Dr. Aleksandra BrownDermatologist
Tea with MDDermatologist+19These are independent experts we follow, not an in-house panel. We collect opinions they have already shared publicly on YouTube; they are not connected to The Guru Index and have not endorsed this ranking. "Guru" is our own editorial title for the voices we trust.
You asked
What is the best serum for oily skin?
On the latest data it is Numbuzin No.3 Vitamin Concentrated Serum, with a Guru Score of 87% from 6 gurus. The ranking above lists all 10 that clear our bar, in order.
How is this ranking decided?
We rank by the Guru Index consensus score: the warmth of every independent expert take we have logged for each product, with a minimum number of reviewers required so a single enthusiastic review can't top the list. Nothing here is paid placement.
What does Guru Certified mean?
Guru Certified marks a product that a broad group of experts agree on, not just one fan. It is our breadth stamp, distinct from a Top Pick, which is a single guru crowning a product best in its category.
How often does the list update?
The results refresh every day from the latest expert reviews, so the ranking reflects what the gurus are saying now, not a frozen editor's pick.
How we make money. Some shopping links may earn The Guru Index a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which products rank or how they score.