The Best Combination Skin Care Routine

People with combination skin types have it rough dealing with an oily T zone, dry patches, controlling excess oil, and more.

If you’re confused about how to treat combination skin, don’t worry! There’s a way to do it all: control excess oil and prevent dryness at the same time.

I created a comprehensive list of awesome products for different skincare concerns below, but here’s a summary of the best:

This article will explain everything you need to know to build a great skincare routine for combination skin.

Best Cleansers for Combination Skin

Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelee

Naturium does pretty much everything well, and this cleansing gel is no exception. Formulated with 3% niacinamide to support oil control and skin barrier function, this gentle cleanser will clear out your oily areas without being too stripping.

Good Molecules Rosewater Daily Cleansing Gel

Good Molecules makes a great affordable cleanser for treating combination skin. Formulated with rosewater and packed with antioxidants, this cleanser will leave you with balanced skin. Plus, it’s suitable to use both morning and night.

La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

La Roche Posay is another great affordable brand for combination skin, especially if you lean on the drier side. It has prebiotic thermal spring water and niacinamide which are suitable for both your dry and oily areas.

Best Serums for Combination Skin

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Dark Spot Serum

If you have acne prone skin or get dark spots, First Aid Beauty makes one of the best products for combo skin types. It’s formulated with licorice root extract and golden kiwi fruit, so it’s packed with antioxidants and will help even out your skin tone.

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum is an awesome product formulated with a bunch of skin loving ingredients like:

• Niacinamide

• Centella asiatica

• Hyaluronic acid

Not only will it help control excess oil production, but it will soothe irritation and even out skin tone thanks to the inclusion of madecassoide, a centella asiatica extract. Finally, the hyaluronic acid complex will help hydrate dry skin and plump fine lines.

CoxRx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid

CosRx BHA is an effective skincare treatment for people with oily skin and combination skin types. Formulated with a few derivatives of salicylic acid, this toner removes dead skin cells and blackheads. Further, it will help improve skin texture.

Finally, panthenol and sodium hyaluronate will help your skin retain moisture.

Best Anti-Aging Treatments for Combination Skin

Naturium Retinaldehyde Cream

Great for a mature skin type, retinaldehyde is more effective than retinol yet still gentle enough for combination skin. This treatment will help:

• Control breakouts in oily areas

• Stimulate collagen production

• Fight fine lines and wrinkles

Retinoids may take some getting used to, so start with 2-3 times per week before working your way up to 5-6 times.

BeautyStat Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C is the second best anti-aging ingredient we have after retinol. BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner is formulated with 20% l ascorbic acid and green tea extract for benefits like:

• Antioxidant protection

• Evening out skin tone

• Building collagen

• Fighting sun damage

Be sure to apply vitamin C as part of your morning routine as it works synergistically with sunscreen to prevent premature aging.

Medik8 Liquid Peptides

Medik8 consistently makes great anti aging products for combination skin. This product helps with reducing expression lines and wrinkles thanks to a few great ingredients:

• Matrixyl 3000

• Matrixyl Synthe’6

• ​​Carnosine

Plus, it has great hydrating ingredients like glycerin to treat those dry patches you get with combination skin.

Best Acne Treatments for Combination Skin

Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2%

Formulated with salicylic acid to help clean out and remove dead skin cells, Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is a great treatment for combination skin types.

Apply this at night a few times per week to help control breakouts. You can also use it to spot treat your t zone for more balanced skin.

Naturium Azelaic Topical Acid 10%

Naturium Azelaic Topical Acid 10 is one of my favorite skincare products for combination skin of all time.

Azelaic acid is awesome for fighting breakouts and redness, and it’s suitable for use in your morning and nighttime routine.

This product is so gentle and it will help remove excess oil without irritating your dry skin patches.

Differin Gel

If you’re dealing with acne, Differin gel is your new best friend.

Suitable for mild to moderate acne, adapalene is a great retinoid treatment to control breakouts.

Start by applying a pea sized amount 2-3 times per week, and slowly work your way up to 5-6. And remember, Differin should only be applied at night, and follow up with moisturizer!

Best Redness Treatments for Combination Skin

Youth to the People Adaptogen Soothe & Hydrate Activated Mist

This soothing mist is ideal for treating redness and irritation thanks to ingredients like:

• Adaptogens

• Hyaluronic acid

• Peptides

You can spray it on before treatments as part of your daily skincare routine or just mist your face a few times per day for a nice refresh.

Benton Fermentation Essence

If you love ferments and their anti-aging benefits, this essence is a great choice for you. Formulated with skin loving ingredients like Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate and cermides, Benton Fermentation Essence is ideal for dry and oily areas alike. Plus, it will help fight signs of aging and leave you with healthy skin.

Paula’s Choice Redness Relief Toner

If you’re looking to add a toner to your skincare routine, look no further, Paula’s Choice Redness Relief Toner has a great fluid texture that absorbs into skin easily and helps reinforce your skin barrier. If you’re using any harsh active ingredients like retinol serum or lactic acid for example, you may benefit from adding this to your skin care routine.

Best Eye Creams for Combination Skin

NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate

Generally, I love everything that NIOD makes. This eye serum in particularly has some awesome skincare technology behind it in the form of:

• Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

• Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

• Methylglucoside Phosphate

• Copper Lysinate/Prolinate

• Superoxide Dismutase

While these may sound like “scary chemicals”, I assure you they are not. These different complexes are effective to:

• Reduce expression lines

• Boost collagen production

• Reduce dark circles

It’s suitable for any skin type and easily fits into a routine for combination skin.

Dermalogica Awaken Peptide Eye Gel

Peptides and caffeiene make this sleeper hit from Dermatologica a great choice. Specific key ingredients include

• Caffeine: fights puffiness and dark circles

• Tetrapeptide blend: improves skin firmness and fights signs of aging

• Rosemary leaf extract: fights puffiness and refreshes skin

You can use this eye cream morning or night before your moisturizer.

SkinCeuticals AGE Eye Complex

If you’re looking for a luxury experience with great results, SkinCeuticals is your go-to. AGE Eye Complex is a phenomenal products for combination skin. Formulated with peptides, blueberry extract, and proxylane, this eye cream will leave you glowing.

Best Moisturizers for Combination Skin

If you have combination skin, make sure you don’t skip moisturizer. Pick one of these below to develop your best skin care routine yet.

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors

Your combination skin will love this moisturizer thanks to a unique amino acid blend and humectants like hyaluronic acid. Plus, the formula mimics your skin’s natural barrier and will soothe any dry patches without leaving you feeling greasy.

Dieux Instant Angel

Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer is a an incredible, fragrance free skin barrier repair moisturizer suitable for combination skin.

Formulated with tons of skin loving ingredients like a bioactive moisture complex and amino acids, this moisturizer works double duty to fight skin dryness and signs of skin aging.

Stratia Liquid Gold

Stratia Liquid Gold moisturizer is an amazing product for combination skin, and there’s a good reason it has a cult following.

Formulated with key ingredients like ceramides, Liquid Gold mimics your skin’s natural barrier. Plus, it’s a nice lightweight moisturizer that will work well even if you have an oily t zone.

Liquid Gold is suitable for combo skin and can be used twice per day.

Best Sunscreens for Combination Skin

The right skin care routine for combination skin includes a great sunscreen to protect skin from excess UV exposure and sun damage.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost SPF 50

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Sunscreen SPF 50 is one of my favorite chemical sunscreens.

With a watery, oil free texture, this Neutrogena broad spectrum SPF blends in immediately to your skin without leaving any white cast. It’s non-irritating and water resistant too.

La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60

Anthelios has a wonderful, lightweight texture that blends into skin easily. This product is hydrating without leaving you with a heavy, greasy feeling which is perfect for combination skin.

Eucerin Oil Control SPF 50

If you need a mattifying product to finish off your skin care routine, Eucerin is a great option.

Even people with normal skin may find that their skin gets greasy and shiny by the end of the day, so the added oil control in this broad spectrum sunscreen is ideal.

What is combo skin?

Combination skin types are characterized by an oily T zone but otherwise dry skin. You may experience issues with skin texture or flaking as certain skincare products may clog your pores but others won’t be moisturizing enough.

To effectively treat combination skin, you have to target dry and oily patches simultaneously.

Combination Skin Concerns

People with combination skin often experience unique skin concerns such as:

• Dullness from dead skin cells

• Dark spots and acne scars

• Clogged pores

• Excess oil production

• Uneven skin tone

For skin concerns like these, options from the skin care routine for combination skin listed above can help.