15 Ways To Deal With An Oily T-Zone

Kick oily T-zones in the butt with these tips and tricks.

1. Switch up your usual methods and try the Korean skincare routine. This routine suggests double cleansing with an oil-based cleanser, then with a water-based cleanser to help control oily skin.

Zoë Burnett / BuzzFeed

Read about this BuzzFeed editor's experience with following a Korean skin care routine for a month.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil: ($25.17 on Amazon) has 2,004 positive reviews on Amazon and is made with olive oil, rosemary leaf oil, and vitamin E. It works to remove makeup without any residue.

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Water: ($5.12 on Amazon) is made with triple-filtered water and is infused with vitamins B3 and C. It gets rid of makeup and dirt, all while unclogging your pores AND hydrating your skin.

2. Show oily pores the door with a deep-cleaning facial mask. This Aztec Secret Indian healing clay mask has over 13,650 five-star reviews on Amazon and literally sucks the oil out of your pores.

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For the best results, be sure to mix with apple cider vinegar or water!

Check out more about this mask for some more satisfying before-and-after pictures.

Promising review: "This mask is INCREDIBLE. I have combination skin so I only apply it to my whole face once in a blue moon to avoid drying out my already-dry patches. When I apply this mask to my T-zone and where my glasses sit on my cheeks, it sucks the oil and grossness out without drying my skin out. It also leaves my giant pores noticeably smaller. Seriously, it’s magic." —Teddy

Get it from Amazon for $10.95.

3. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturizing is still necessary even if you have oily skin. Try this moisturizer made with aloe vera, manuka honey, coconut oil, and other natural ingredients to have your skin feeling hydrated without a greasy finish.

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Promising review: "I love this cream. I bought it to use after my vitamin C serum and the difference in my skin was almost immediate. This cream goes on soft, absorbs completely, and leaves zero grease or residue. It feels amazing going on and leaves my skin feeling like silk. I noticed that my makeup stays on better during the day when I use this product and my T-zone is far less shiny. I haven't forgotten it often, but I can absolutely tell when I do. I've been using this for about two months now and am almost halfway through the larger-sized jar. I can't imagine trying to go back to the overpriced creams carried by high-end retailers." –Shelbel

Get it from Amazon for $17.59 (available in two sizes).

4. Remove your makeup before bed every night and focus especially on your forehead, nose, and chin. Makeup can clog pores, which can throw your sebum production into overdrive. Try makeup removal products that don't leave a heavy residue behind like this Garnier micellar cleansing water. It removes makeup and dirt while leaving oily skin with a matte finish. Goodbye, shine!

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Plus, it is oil-free, fragrance-free, and can be used as facial cleanser in the morning.

Promising review: "I’m on my second bottle of this cleanser and I just love it! It’s really good at removing makeup even mascara and eyeliner. I use it every day—even when I don't have on makeup—just because I like how it makes my skin feel fresh after using it. It doesn’t leave your skin feeling oily afterwards that most of the other makeup removers do. Plus, the price is much cheaper than the others. I’ll definitely keeping using it!" —Larissa Garrido

Get it from Amazon for $6.48.

Check out why a BuzzFeed editor now lives by Garnier Micellar water (#5 in the post)! AND! The original formula won best makeup remover in the lowest price category on BuzzFeed Reviews!

5. Educate yourself on which oils work best for your skin. I know adding oil to already greasy skin sounds counterproductive, but certain types can actually help control your sebum production. This argan oil with almost 800 positive reviews on Amazon will help decrease your sebum production without making your skin feel too dry.

Loryn Brantz/ BuzzFeed

Plus, it's paraben-free and cruelty-free!

Need a little guidance? Check out this BuzzFeed writer's experience with how oils helped her acne.

Promising review: "I use argan oil on my face. It works great. I was a little skeptical, because I have an oily T-zone and it didn't seem right putting oil on it. However, after applying a very small amount and rubbing it in, my skin doesn't appear oily. Instead, I see better skin and my pores appear smaller." —Barbara

Get it from Amazon for $8.64 (available in six formulas).

6. Use oil blotting sheets to get rid of shine in a pinch. Blotting sheets absorb any visible oil to have you looking picture-perfect in no time. These bamboo charcoal oil blotting sheets have hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon, are gentle on the skin, and make the perfect travel companions.

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Check out our closer look on why people swear by these blotting sheets.

Promising review: "I've been searching for something as effective as this for a long time. I have extremely oily skin. I live in the Caribbean and regardless if I wear foundation, my face is covered in oil very early in the day. The oil is usually over my T-zone, causing it to look shiny. I tried this and it's excellent. It picks up the oil quickly, leaving my face with a natural matte-finish for hours. I like that the sheets are lightweight. The pack fits perfectly in my purse and in my jean pockets. I have no complaints. I'll stock up on them." –Melisa

Get a pack of 100 from Amazon for $6.60.

7. Feed your skin! This microdermabrasion sugar scrub made with manuka honey and walnut exfoliates and unclogs pores, leaving you with cleaner and softer skin.

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Promising review: "I think this product is made by magical fairies or by using some kind of witchcraft. This face scrub is quite magical and feels nice on my skin while scrubbing it. There isn't an overload of coarse, gritty ingredients. It is just coarse enough to not irritate your skin if you scrub for the one to two minutes like the label suggests. There's no dryness, irritation, and there are NO CLOGGED PORES. That all was after ONE use. " —aMarinesSis

Get it from Amazon for $16.87.

8. Wear the right primer for *your* skin to keep your makeup in place AND keep your oily T-zone in check. This face primer with over 1,700 positive Amazon reviews is waterproof, long-lasting, and ∼mattifying∼. Plus, it minimizes pores!

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Promising review: "I love, love, love this face primer! I have an oily T-zone. This primer goes on smooth, is colorless, and controls the oil all day and into the night. I will definitely reorder this item in the future." —sharon robidere

Get it from Amazon for $15.

9. Pull all that shine-causing gunk from your nose and face with Bioré deep-cleansing pore strips. Within 10-15 minutes, these strips work like magnets to pull blackheads, dirt, and oil from your pores, resulting in a shine-free look.

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Check out a BuzzFeed writer's closer look at how effective these pore strips can be.

Promising review: "These pore strips are great. I have dry skin and get blackheads on my nose. Before using these strips, I wash my face and pat it dry. Next, I make sure my nose is wet so the strip will stick to it. This isn't a miracle product that will eliminate all your blackheads. However, as you can see from the strip, it gets a lot of sebum and dead cells 'plugs' out of your face. I sure feel better after using these! I finish by rinsing my face and then using a toner to help close any open pores." —SunnyGirl70

Get a pack of 24 from Amazon for $13.75.

10. Apply translucent powder on your T-zone to keep shine away all day long. This setting powder has already won over thousands of Amazon customers with its all-day oil control and matte-finish. Not sure where to apply the powder? Follow the chart below to help you improve your shine coverage.

Keith Morrison / Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

Need a little more convincing? Check out our post on why people love this powder.

Promising review: "I love this product, especially for the price! If you have oily skin, I highly recommend it! My t-zone gets oily throughout the day and when I use this it doesn't." —Leran Rangel

Get it from Amazon for $5.69.

11. Wash away unwanted shine from your face with a daily cleanser designed specifically to combat oily skin. This La Roche-Posay foaming gel cleanser is oil-free, alcohol-free, AND paraben-free.

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Promising review: "I discovered this cleanser in a small drugstore in Monaco and now I can't live without it! I am in my 30's, have an oily T-zone, am prone to zits, and have dry, sensitive cheeks that are prone to hives. I have tried everything and nothing beats Effaclar. I highly recommend this to anyone with sensitive, oily, or combination skin." —lmrpsp

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

12. Get a toner that won't leave your skin high and dry. Thayer's witch hazel toner has earned a cult following among its 3,100+ happy reviewers. This toner has witch hazel, which works as an astringent to shrink pores, rose water to control excess oil, and aloe vera to keep your skin hydrated. Plus, it's alcohol-free. Get yourself this toner that does it all!

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Check out a BuzzFeed writer's ~glowing~ review of this toner.

Promising review: "Many of the toners I previously used to keep my oily t-zone under control had alcohol in them which made my face dry and red. I have very sensitive skin. I was intrigued by this toner since it's alcohol-free so I bought it. After two weeks of use, it has kept my face from getting oily throughout the day and it also didn't cause any breakouts or reactions. Plus, it smells wonderful! I highly recommend it if you're looking for a more natural alternative to other harsh toners." —Maren

Get it from Amazon for $8.54 (available in three formulas).

Want to consider other toner options? See what won in the best toners category on BuzzFeed Reviews.

13. Drink water! It won't solely solve your problem of an oily T-zone, but drinking water keeps your skin hydrated so it may not feel the need to grease-out. Get an insulated water bottle to help you get your daily amount of H2O.

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Promising review: "I love my Hydroflask. I bought the 32 oz bottle and I fill it up at least three times a day. It is perfect for my everyday hydration. I love the mint color. The straw feature really makes it easy to drink from. I have noticed that I drink more water and am excited to do so!" —Ashley Bishop

Get it from Amazon for $36.94+ (available in nine colors).

Worried about cleaning your water bottle? Try a 12-pack of these chlorine-free and odor-free cleaning tablets from Amazon for $7.99.

14. Protect your T-zone from UV rays with a product that doesn't leave your skin feeling like a total grease trap. Neutrogena's sunscreen for acne-prone skin is oil-free, non-comedogenic (doesn't clog pores), and leaves your skin with a matte finish.

Amazon

This sunscreen is available in SPF 30 and SPF 55.

Promising review: "I'm a greaseball and I'm so tired of slimey or too-dry and irritating sunscreen. This sunscreen is excellent for mineral makeup as it's dry and actually collects your T-zone oil all day long." —Smelly Stain

Get it from Amazon for $7.19+ (available in two formulas).

15. Remember, less is more when it comes to certain beauty products. Using too much of certain products leaves a layer of product on the surface of your skin that will not be properly absorbed, resulting in that dreaded T-zone shine.

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Instead, use products that won't just sit on top of you skin like this Burt's Bees night cream that'll hydrate your skin without the oily residue.

Learn more about how much beauty product you really need here.

Promising review: "I bought this item when I ran out of the very expensive night cream I generally use. Boy, have I been wasting money. This cream is magnificent! This is the best night cream I have ever used. Every day I wake up with my skin feeling smooth and supple. There is no dryness, oiliness, or shininess. This cream is pure luxury AND it is affordable. What more can you ask for? This is the only night cream you will ever need."—Michel-Ange Chevry

Get it from Amazon for $9.02.

Never again will you have to ask...

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Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Not done stocking up on beauty? NEVER! We've got you covered:

*15 Moisturizers That Actually Help Control Oily Skin

*21 Of The Best Products For Oily Skin You Can Get On Amazon

*26 Of The Best Moisturizers For Oily Skin

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