The best cleansers for oily skin,according to dermatologists and skincare experts
The 12 cleansers that dermatologists and skincare experts rate highest for oily skin, ranked by genuine consensus.
These are the 12 cleansers 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.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser leads with a Guru Score of 88% from 9 gurus. If price matters, the top budget buy is The INKEY List 2% Salicylic Acid Cleanser at number 3, with a Guru Score of 83%, and the top splurge is Kate Somerville Eradicate 3% Daily Foaming Cleanser at number 7, with a Guru Score of 76%. Of the 12 we hold a full ingredient list for, 12 skip drying alcohol, 7 are fragrance-free, 6 contain salicylic acid and 5 contain ceramides.
Under each pick is what the experts liked about it and, where we hold one, a line a guru actually said about it. A Guru Certified mark means broad agreement across many experts. Skin is personal, so anything new is best patch-tested first.
The experts' top picks at a glance
The podium
88%Guru ScoreEffaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser
“It's literally the best that I have used. It is perfect in my opinion. I use it after I have used the Effaclar micellar water now.”Dimma Umeh
What the gurus liked: Cleans pores and reduces oiliness; Helps with blackheads and whiteheads
The catch: Menthol may trigger fragrance allergies
Contains: Salicylic acid.
86%Guru ScoreToleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser
“My ultimate favorite has to be the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser. That one's so good, I love it. It has niacinamide and a really nice blue bottle that lasts forever.”Dr. Daniel Sugai
What the gurus liked: Removes oil and makeup without stripping; Lightweight, silky finish
Contains: Niacinamide, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
83%Guru Score2% Salicylic Acid Cleanser
“For oily, breakout or acne prone skin, or those wanting to maintain well-maintained pores, I think you will love the INKEY List salicylic acid cleanser.”James Welsh
What the gurus liked: Oil-control zinc compound; Affordable salicylic acid cleanser
Contains: Salicylic acid. Fragrance-free.
The rest of the list
- 4
CeraVeAcne Control Cleanser with 2% Salicylic AcidOily skinAcne-prone skinBudget buy82%10 gurus“I love that one. I will say though if you do have a damaged moisture barrier because that one has salicylic acid it might be a little bit too intense on the skin.”Hyram
What the gurus liked: 2% salicylic acid reaches deep into pores; Fragrance-free with ceramides and niacinamide
The catch: Can be drying around the eyes
Contains: Niacinamide, Hyaluronic acid, Salicylic acid. Fragrance-free.
- 5
CeraVeFoaming Facial CleanserOily skinNormal skinBudget buy79%23 gurus“This is one of my favorite facial cleansers to have in the shower as the second step in my double cleanse. Great for pretty much any skin type.”Dr Dray
What the gurus liked: Removes excess oil effectively; Gentle foaming formula
The catch: Needs additional tools for stubborn makeup
Contains: Hyaluronic acid, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
- 6
RemedyRich Cream to Foam CleanserOily skinNormal skinBudget buy78%6 gurus“This is a beautiful cleanser which I particularly would recommend for people that have a very oily skin type that want to remove some of that excess oil but not completely strip and dry the skin.”Mad About Skin
What the gurus liked: Creamy texture that foams up; Leaves skin matte, not shiny
Contains: Hyaluronic acid, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
- 7
Kate SomervilleEradicate 3% Daily Foaming CleanserOily skinAcne-prone skinSplurge76%7 gurus“One cleanser that I actually really love because sulfur-based cleansers are actually hard to find is the Kate Somerville Eradicate 3% Daily Foaming Cleanser.”Dr. Jenny Liu
What the gurus liked: Can be left on as a mask; Cosmetically elegant texture
The catch: Less effective than benzoyl peroxide cleansers
Contains: Peptides.
- 8
CeraVeRenewing SA CleanserOily skinAcne-prone skinBudget buy75%23 gurus“CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, I love that one. I've recommended it on my channel for so many years.”Hyram
What the gurus liked: Hydrating despite exfoliation; Fragrance and alcohol-free
The catch: Not strong enough for all acne
Contains: Niacinamide, Hyaluronic acid, Salicylic acid. Fragrance-free.
- 9
AnuaHeartleaf Plus Vitamin E Pore Control Cleansing OilOily skinBudget buy62%13 gurus“I have to admit I do really like this, it's a perfect in between cleansing oil texture, some of them are very light, some are more heavy, this is exactly in the middle.”AliceintheRabbitHole
What the gurus liked: Removes makeup and sunscreen effectively; Lightweight texture suitable for oily skin
The catch: Skin irritation and burning sensation
- 10
NeutrogenaOil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit CleanserOily skinAcne-prone skinBudget buy62%9 gurus“Neutrogena, their oil-free cleanser in that orange bottle, that iconic one, those are all great and fairly affordable options.”Dr. Jenny Liu
What the gurus liked: Affordable cleanser option; Silky, smooth lather
The catch: Contains denat alcohol, may trigger more acne
Contains: Salicylic acid.
- 11
COSRXLow pH Good Morning Gel CleanserOily skinCombination skinBudget buy61%9 gurus“My personal favorite from COSRX is the Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser. I think this is really nice, at least for me, like a great gentle cleanser to use in the morning.”Dr. Jenny Liu
What the gurus liked: Gentle enough for morning use without stripping; Low pH respects the skin barrier
The catch: Strong artificial chemical scent
Contains: Salicylic acid.
- 12
Drunk ElephantBeste No. 9 Jelly CleanserOily skinCombination skinSplurge59%8 gurus“I finished a little tiny sample of the Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser which was just a perfect size for the cabin.”No BS Beauty
What the gurus liked: Gentle enough for daily use without stripping; Small size lasts many trips
The catch: May not remove all eye makeup despite claims
Fragrance-free.
Who's doing the judging
Ranked from the public takes of 36 independent gurus, including 13 dermatologists, 4 makeup artists and 2 beauty journalists.
DoctorlyDermatologist
Dr. Aanchal MDDermatologist
Dr. Shereene IdrissDermatologist
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 Alexis StephensDermatologist+22These 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 cleanser for oily skin?
On the latest data it is La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser, with a Guru Score of 88% from 9 gurus. The ranking above lists all 12 that clear our bar, in order.
What cleanser for oily skin do dermatologists recommend?
Of the 13 dermatologists whose reviews feed this ranking, more approve of CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser than any other pick: 11 of them. It holds a Guru Score of 75%, at number 8 on the list. Next comes CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, with 9.
Which brand makes the best cleanser for oily skin?
CeraVe has the most picks on this list, 3 of the 12, led by CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser with 2% Salicylic Acid at number 4 with a Guru Score of 82%. The list is ranked product by product, though, so the best pick for you may come from another brand.
What is the best budget cleanser for oily skin?
The INKEY List 2% Salicylic Acid Cleanser, at number 3 on the list, with a Guru Score of 83% from 14 gurus.
Which cleanser for oily skin has been reviewed by the most experts?
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser and CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser are tied, with 23 gurus each. The ranking above puts them in order by Guru Score.
What do the top cleansers for oily skin have in common?
Of the 12 we hold a full ingredient list for, 12 skip drying alcohol, 7 are fragrance-free, 6 contain salicylic acid and 5 contain ceramides. That is a pattern in what the experts rate, not a rule: the ranking itself is by their verdicts.
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.
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.