Nighttime Skincare Routine for Oily Skin

The ideal skincare routine order for oily skin looks pretty similar in the morning and night, though the products you’ll want to use in the evening differ slightly. Here’s how to care for your oily skin before hitting the sheets.

Step 1: Wash your face

As in the morning, at night you’ll want to wash for face to remove dirt, oil, and other debris that can lead to clogged pores. The CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser is a nice choice for nighttime use because it helps remove makeup and SPF in addition to dirt and excess oil. If you’re wearing any waterproof makeup, such as mascara, remove your makeup first with a cleansing balm or micellar water before lathering up with your foaming cleanser. This technique is known as double cleansing, and is a great way to ensure a thorough clean.

Step 2: Tone

Toning your skin after you cleanse is essential at night, too. Reach for the one you used in the morning to help remove any leftover residue from your cleanser and prep your skin for the remainder of your evening routine. If you’d like something that offers a bit more hydration, try the Thayers Hydrating Face Toner with Snow Mushroom and Hyaluronic Acid.

Step 3: Smooth on a clay mask

Incorporating a clay face mask into your routine once a week can be a great way to bolster your oily skin routine, especially if you’re dealing with clogged pores or blackheads. While there’s no shortage of clay masks to choose from, we’re big fans of the Mario Badescu Clay Face Mask. It’s made to clean pores without drying. Tightens and firms skin.. To use it, smooth the formula onto clean, dry skin, then let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once time’s up, rinse your face thoroughly with lukewarm water, then pat your skin dry with a clean face towel or cloth.

Step 4: Apply retinol

After cleansing, toning, and applying your mask (if it’s a masking night), we suggest reaching for a retinol serum. While retinol is commonly used to help address the visible signs of aging, it also provides mild exfoliation, which can be beneficial for those with oily skin. If you’re new to retinol, it’s best to start off slow to help limit irritation. The CeraVe Anti Aging Retinol Serum For Face is amongst our top picks for beginners, as it’s formulated for all skin types and is suitable for first-time retinol users. We suggest using it nightly to help minimize the appearance of pores and refine skin texture tone.

Step 5: Hydrate your skin

While a mattifying, lightweight moisturizer can be great for daytime use, in the evening, we suggest reaching for something a bit richer deeply moisturize your skin. Note that rich doesn’t have to mean greasy—the Youth to the People Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream, for example, provides up to 48 hours of hydration and helps strengthen the skin barrier without leaving behind a heavy or greasy feel. The lightweight gel formula is non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog your pores, and it helps balance, smooth, and refine the skin.

Step 6: Apply eye cream

When wrapping up your evening skincare routine, don’t forget to hydrate your delicate eye area with a nourishing cream before calling it a night. We like the Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream because it provides intense hydration while helping to improve the appearance of under-eye skin texture. You can also layer it over eye serum for an extra dose of lightweight hydration, if desired.

The ideal skincare routine order for oily skin looks pretty similar in the morning and night, though the products you’ll want to use in the evening differ slightly.