I Tested 5 Moisturizers for Oily Skin—Here’s the One I’m Repurchasing

Why Did I Really Need Three Weeks to Find the Right Cream?

I had one of those moments last April. I’d just picked up my daughter from daycare and was passing through the beauty counter at our local department store when I caught my reflection in a mirror. My face was absolutely shiny. Like, noticeably shiny. By afternoon, my forehead and the bridge of my nose were getting oily—something that wasn’t happening a few years ago when I was in my early thirties. I wasn’t sure if my skin had gotten more sensitive as I hit 32, or if my old moisturizer just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

So I decided to do a real test. For three weeks straight, I rotated through five popular moisturizers designed for oily skin. Morning cream A, evening cream B—that kind of thing. I couldn’t trust blog reviews and app ratings alone; I needed to actually feel how each one performed on my skin. That meant applying it, checking the oil levels two hours later, and examining my makeup at the end of the day to see if it held up.

Left: Torriden Dive-In Soothing Cream · Right: Dr. Jart+ Red Blemish Cica Cream

The First One Out: Too Light to Actually Work

EsNature Gel Cream has a super lightweight formula—basically aloe gel consistency—and gets tons of reviews saying it’s gentle and airy. I was hopeful, but honest? It felt too thin for my skin. About five minutes after applying it, my skin felt tight, like the moisture had already evaporated. It might be fine for summer mornings, but in an air-conditioned office, the hydration just doesn’t last.

I asked a few other moms with oily skin what they thought, and most said they only use it in their twenties or save it for summer. If you’re in your mid-thirties like me and dealing with that tricky combo of oily surface and parched underneath, this one will disappoint you.

The App Favorite: Torriden Dive-In Soothing Cream

Torriden Dive-In ranks high on beauty app lists for oily skin products. I bought it on reputation alone. At around $12 for 2.7 oz, it felt like a safe bet.

The texture is a thin gel-cream—it has just enough body that it doesn’t run off your hand, but when you spread it across your face, it feels cool and refreshing. Not exactly a cooling sensation, but the kind of lightweight chill you get from a cool product. After you apply it, your skin feels hydrated but not sticky, which makes it ideal before makeup in the morning.

Honestly, it’s not a bad product at all. I used it alone for one of my testing weeks and liked it fine. But by mid-afternoon—around 3 p.m.—I’d get a little shine creeping back on my nose and forehead. It wasn’t really solving my dry-underneath-oily-on-top problem. So it didn’t make my repurchase list.

Dr. Jart+ Red Blemish Cica Cream—The Breakout Soother

Dr. Jart+ Red Blemish Soothing Cream gets praised for calming sensitive skin with a cooling sensation and real soothing power, plus a fresh finish that works even in summer. That’s exactly what drew me in. Honestly, parenting exhaustion hits me in the chin—I’ll get a random pimple or two whenever I’m sleep-deprived.

This cream hits differently. The moment you apply it, you feel that cooling effect. It’s not menthol or anything like that—just a genuinely cool formula. If I applied it generously to a breakout before bed, I’d wake up the next morning and notice real improvement. As a spot treatment for trouble days, it’s genuinely excellent.

But for everyday use? The moisture just isn’t there for me. My skin is oily, but it’s also dry underneath, and this cream feels like it only addresses the surface. It’s refreshing but doesn’t fill in that deeper thirst. So I’m keeping it as a problem-solver, not a daily staple.

Kiehl’s Oil-Free Gel Cream—Good Product, Tough Price

Kiehl’s Oil-Free Gel Cream has that unique texture—gel-like but with a subtle tacky finish—and delivers that cooling sensation without menthol. I’d read you could grab it cheaper at the beauty retailer than the official site, so I made the trip.

The texture is genuinely unusual. It’s somewhere between a gel and a cream—when you spread it on, it lays down like a thin protective layer but never feels heavy. Your skin feels protected without being coated. The hydration lasts all day, and by afternoon, I wasn’t getting that uncomfortable shine.

Here’s the thing, though: it costs around $32 for 1.7 oz. That’s the priciest of all five. The ingredients and results are solid, but for everyday use? That’s a hard sell for my budget. I’m holding onto it for special occasions when I want my skin to look premium.

Illiyoon Hyaluronic Plus Moisture Cream—This Was the One

Illiyoon Hyaluronic Plus Moisture Cream is known for a non-sticky feel that works year-round, plays well with all skin types, and uses hyaluronic acid to pull moisture into your skin and keep it plump. I’ll be honest: I didn’t have high expectations at first. Drugstore brand usually means I’m not expecting miracles.

But this absolutely blew me away. The texture is slightly thicker than Torriden, but it spreads easily and feels light. One minute after applying, when I touch my cheeks, they’re soft and dewy with zero stickiness. Here’s the kicker—I’d check my skin at 4 p.m. in the mirror and see no oil buildup on my forehead or nose. That never happened with any of the others.

In the morning, it doesn’t interfere with makeup application at all, and by evening, my skin still feels hydrated. I tested this for a full week and was honestly stunned. I even recommended it to a few mom friends, and three out of four said they loved it. At around $9 for 3.4 oz, it’s the most affordable option here.

“I knew I’d found my match when my daughter said, ‘Mom, your face is glowing!’ on the last day of testing.”

Side-by-Side Comparison: What You Need to Know

Product	Price Range	Best For	My Honest Take
EsNature Gel Cream	~$9	Summer mornings, early twenties	Too light; doesn’t solve dry patches
Torriden Dive-In Soothing Cream	~$12	Oily skin, cooling preference	Afternoon shine returns
Dr. Jart+ Red Blemish Cica	~$13	Breakouts and sensitivity	Great for spot-treating, not daily
Kiehl’s Oil-Free Gel Cream	~$32	Splurge days, special occasions	Results are solid; price is steep
Illiyoon Hyaluronic Plus Moisture	~$9	Dry-underneath-oily-on-top skin, daily use	Repurchasing—best value and results

What Three Weeks Really Taught Me

The biggest lesson? You can’t know what works for your skin by reading reviews alone. Torriden and Dr. Jart+ are amazing products that tons of people swear by, but for me, Illiyoon was the clear winner. And it happens to be the cheapest option on this list.

Not all oily skin is the same. I have the kind where my T-zone gets shiny but my cheeks feel tight by afternoon. For that specific combination, a medium-weight formula works better than anything super lightweight. But if you’re pure-oily with frequent breakouts, you might actually prefer Dr. Jart+ or EsNature instead.

Was it tedious rotating through five products for three weeks? Absolutely. But finding the one that actually matches my skin? 100% worth it. I’m ordering Illiyoon in the bigger size and stocking up.

Your Questions, Answered

Q: Does oily skin even need a cream?

Yes. When oily skin is dehydrated, it overproduces sebum to compensate. A lightweight hydrating cream addresses the root cause and actually reduces shine.

Q: Can you use Illiyoon in summer?

From my experience, yes. The texture is light enough for summer mornings, and it doesn’t feel heavy or sticky. That said, if you’re outdoors all day in peak heat, you might prefer something even more minimal.

Q: Which feels more hydrating—Torriden or Illiyoon?

Illiyoon, hands down. It’s thicker and the hydration lasts longer. Torriden feels great when you apply it, but after 4–5 hours, there’s a slight tightness.

Q: Why not use Dr. Jart+ as a daily cream?

The soothing effect is undeniable, but the moisture is too light for everyday use. I save it for when my skin is actually inflamed or breaking out.

Q: If you had to pick just one, which would it be?

Illiyoon, no question. If you’re oily with dryness underneath, start there. For pure oily skin that runs hot in summer, try Torriden or EsNature. For breakout-prone skin, Dr. Jart+ is your answer.

Next up, I’m testing sunscreens that actually don’t cause makeup to slip. If you’ve got questions about any of these creams, drop them in the comments—I’d love to help!

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Personal experience-based. Product, policy, and price details may change over time — verify with the source before purchase.