OILY SKIN
Support oily skin with botanical skincare that balances rather than strips. Our gentle Scottish formulations help clarify the complexion, reduce excess oil and maintain essential hydration, leaving skin feeling fresh, comfortable and naturally healthy while supporting a resilient skin barrier.
FAQ
What causes oily skin?
Oily skin occurs when the sebaceous glands produce more sebum than the skin needs. Genetics, hormones, age, climate and other factors can all influence how much oil your skin produces.
Sebum isn't inherently a bad thing. It forms part of the skin's natural protective environment and helps keep its surface soft and flexible. At Raven, we're much more interested in helping oily skin find balance than trying to remove every trace of oil from it.
The goal is comfortable, healthy skin, not a permanently matte face.
Can oily skin be dehydrated?
Yes. Oily skin can absolutely be dehydrated because oil and water are two different things. Sebum is the oil produced by your skin, while dehydration refers to a lack of water.
This explains why oily skin can feel tight after cleansing but become shiny again a few hours later. Rather than avoiding hydration, look for lightweight humectants such as hyaluronic acid, which help attract and retain water without adding heaviness.
It's one of skincare's slightly annoying contradictions: plenty of oil doesn't necessarily mean plenty of moisture.
What are the best skincare ingredients for oily skin?
The best ingredients for oily skin aren't necessarily those that remove the most oil. We look for ingredients that help support balance, hydration and a healthy skin barrier without overwhelming the skin.
This thinking is behind our Rescue Serum. We combine hemp and blackcurrant seed oils with nettle, papaya and marine algae in a lightweight botanical formula created for skin that can feel oily, congested or out of balance.
Hemp and blackcurrant were chosen for their naturally occurring fatty acid profiles, while nettle has a long history of traditional botanical use. Papaya provides gentle enzymatic action, while marine algae brings additional skin conditioning benefits.
For us, skincare for oily skin isn't about finding one ingredient to ‘fix’ sebum. It's about understanding the skin and choosing ingredients that work well together to regulate it.
Is niacinamide good for oily skin?
Yes. Niacinamide is particularly useful for oily skin because it can help regulate sebum production while supporting normal skin barrier function. It can also help improve the appearance of enlarged pores and uneven texture.
We use niacinamide in Ultra Hydrating Serum alongside hyaluronic acid, squalane and borage. We particularly recommend it when oily skin is also feeling dehydrated, giving the skin water based hydration without a heavy texture.
Think of Ultra Hydrating Serum as the hydration support, while Rescue Serum provides the more targeted botanical treatment for skin that feels oily or out of balance.
Should you use facial oil on oily skin?
Yes, oily skin can use facial oils. Having oily skin doesn't mean you need to avoid every oil-based skincare product.
We formulate extensively with botanical oils at Raven because different plant oils have very different fatty acid profiles and characteristics. The formulation, the oils chosen and how much you apply matter far more than simply seeing the word ‘oil’ on an ingredient list.
Rescue Serum is a good example. Despite being oil based, it has a lightweight feel and combines carefully selected botanical oils and extracts for skin that can be oily, congested or unpredictable.
The question isn't really ‘can oily skin use oil?’ It's whether you've chosen the right oils for your skin.
Which Raven products are best for oily skin?
Rescue Serum is our hero treatment for oily and combination skin, created to nourish and support balance without the heavy feel people often associate with facial oils.
Its botanical formula combines hemp, blackcurrant, nettle, papaya and marine algae, bringing together ingredients selected for skin that can feel oily, congested or simply a little unpredictable.
Pair it with 24 Carat Oil to Milk Cleanser for effective cleansing without that stripped, squeaky feeling. Its papaya enzymes provide gentle enzymatic action while the oil to milk formula removes makeup, SPF, excess sebum and daily impurities.
If your oily skin is also dehydrated, add Ultra Hydrating Serum. Hyaluronic acid provides lightweight hydration while niacinamide helps support the skin barrier and regulate sebum.
Our approach is deliberately simple: cleanse without stripping, hydrate when needed and let Rescue provide targeted botanical nourishment.