Nipun Kapur has reviewed a lot of products for oily skin, and her record stands out. Out of more than 60 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, the Drunk Elephant Bouncy Bright Facial Brightening Mask, 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."
"It is a product I have recommended over and over again in the last four years it has to be the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cream."
"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 61 products for oily skin, for an approval rate of 87%. 53 approved, 3 mixed, and 5 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.
"A serum that you guys made me buy and I really tried using it for about two three weeks and I gave up and that is again by the brand Goodal the same brand it is the vita dark spot serum, I don't think it's worth it"
"Neutrogena and largely have all spray out and oil based formula which is great if you are reapplying it on your body."
"It just feels like a regular face wash. I don't know, it has these little mini beads and maybe that's why they call it exfoliating, and it is exfoliating but like it doesn't feel anything special."
"I've got the Ilia skin tint but like it's not ideal for this technique."
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, masks, 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
- Remedy For Pore SizeNamed a winnerWatch at 6:30
- Minimalist Niacinamide 10% SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 3:23
- 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
- ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40Skipped itWatch at 4:13
- The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Skipped itWatch at 13:27
- Prequel Multi-Acid Milk Peel AHA Exfoliating SolutionRated itWatch at 18:16
- Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel CreamRated itWatch at 1:20
- 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
- CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing LotionRated itWatch at 4:17
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice Plus B5Rated itWatch at 8:02
- The INKEY List Omega Water CreamRated itWatch at 12:11
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% SolutionRated itWatch at 7:13
- VT Reedle Shot PDRN Capsule CreamRated itWatch at 4:40
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari BabyfacialRated itWatch at 62:43
- Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster with 2% Mandelic Acid and Lactic AcidRated itWatch at 7:53
- COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel CleanserRated itWatch at 6:06
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% MaskRated itWatch at 7:06
About this expert
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This guide reflects what Nipun Kapur said across her videos about 61 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.