A Simple Korean AM Skincare Routine for Oily Skin
Oily skin isn't about removing as much oil as possible—it's about maintaining balance.
Many people assume that oily skin needs stronger cleansers, drying treatments, or fewer moisturizing products. In reality, stripping the skin can often trigger even more oil production and lead to irritation, congestion, or breakouts.
A well-designed morning routine should help control excess shine, support the skin barrier, and provide lightweight hydration without feeling heavy throughout the day.
The good news? You don't need a complicated 10-step routine. A few well-chosen products can help keep oily skin comfortable, balanced, and protected.
Here's a simple Korean morning skincare routine designed specifically for oily and combination skin types.
Step 1: Gentle Cleanser
Step 2: Hydrating Toner or Essence
Step 3: Serum or Ampoule
Step 4: Moisturizer
Step 5: Sunscreen
Step 1: Gentle Cleanser
While you sleep, your skin accumulates sweat, excess sebum, and dead skin cells. A gentle morning cleanse helps remove overnight buildup without disrupting the skin barrier.
For oily skin, the goal is to cleanse thoroughly without leaving the skin feeling tight or stripped. A balanced cleanser can help maintain healthy oil levels throughout the day while preparing your skin for the rest of your routine.
Product Recommendations
SKIN1004 - Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam
This cleanser helps remove excess oil and daily impurities while maintaining the skin's moisture balance, making it a comfortable option for oily and acne-prone skin. Formulated with Madagascar Centella Asiatica extract, it helps soothe redness, inflammation, and irritated skin.
Isntree – Green Tea Fresh Cleanser
A gentle, low-pH gel cleanser designed to clear impurities and excess sebum while maintaining a healthy oil-water balance. Formulated with green tea leaf, powder, and extract from Jeju Island and Boseong, it provides antioxidant benefits to soothe and protect the skin barrier.
Step 2: Hydrating Toner or Essence
Many people with oily skin skip hydration, assuming it will make their skin even oilier. In reality, dehydrated skin often compensates by producing more oil.
A lightweight toner or essence helps replenish hydration, support the skin barrier, and prepare the skin for the next steps in your routine without adding heaviness.
Product Recommendations
Numbuzin - No.1 Pure-full Calming Herb Toner
This toner features a lightweight, watery, and non-sticky texture that absorbs quickly, providing hydration while helping oily skin feel more balanced. Formulated with soothing botanical extracts, including Heartleaf and Centella Asiatica, it helps calm redness and irritation.
S.NATURE - Aqua Oasis Toner
This toner features a lightweight, water-like consistency that provides refreshing hydration without leaving a sticky residue. Formulated with a gentle enzyme exfoliant and PHA, it helps gently remove dead skin cells to refine skin texture. It also contains soothing ingredients like panthenol and allantoin to maintain the skin's natural moisture balance and calm irritation.
Step 3: Serum or Ampoule
This is the step where you can target specific skin concerns such as excess oil, breakouts, redness, post-acne marks, or uneven tone.
Focus on your primary concern and choose one treatment product that complements the rest of your routine.
Product Recommendations
Anua - Azelaic Acid 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum
A lightweight, non-comedogenic treatment designed to calm irritation, balance oil production, and fade blemishes without drying out the skin.
10% Azelaic Acid helps reduce visible redness, supports clearer pores, and gradually improves the appearance of post-blemish marks.
Zinc PCA helps regulate excess oil production and refine the appearance of pores.
A blend of Centella Asiatica, Green Tea Leaf Water, Aloe Vera, and Blue Tansy Oil helps soothe irritated skin.
Jumiso - Niacinamide 10 Serum
A lightweight, fragrance-free treatment that absorbs quickly and leaves a clean finish.
10% Niacinamide helps regulate sebum production, strengthens the skin barrier, and evens out skin tone and dark spots.
Zinc PCA helps support oil balance and may improve the appearance of excess shine throughout the day.
Succinic Acid gently sweeps away rough texture and helps minimize excess oil production.
Tranexamic Acid works alongside niacinamide to fade hyperpigmentation and dark spots caused by previous acne
Step 4: Moisturizer
Even oily skin needs moisturizer.
Skipping this step can leave the skin dehydrated, which may encourage even more oil production. Lightweight gel creams and lotion textures help maintain hydration without feeling heavy or greasy.
Product Recommendations
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Soothing Cream
It has a light, watery gel-like formula that spreads easily, absorbs quickly, and leaves a fresh, non-greasy finish. It contains a 4-type ceramide complex that helps rebuild and strengthen the skin barrier without clogging pores or feeling heavy.
Formulated with Centella Asiatica extract, it helps soothe visible redness and support a calmer, more comfortable complexion.
Purito SEOUL - Oat-In Calming Gel Cream
This ultra-lightweight, oil-free gel texture absorbs instantly without leaving a greasy residue or clogging pores. It contains Panthenol and Squalane to hydrate the skin and strengthen your natural moisture barrier without triggering excess oil production.
Made with Oat Seed Water, it helps cool, soothe, and reduce redness for easily irritated skin. The vegan formula is free of fragrances and essential oils, making it compatible with sensitive skin.
Eye Cream (optional)
While an eye cream isn't strictly necessary, it makes a great addition to your routine if you want to target dryness, puffiness, or fine lines around the eyes.
Product Recommendations
AXIS-Y Vegan Collagen Eye Serum
This formula is formulated to brighten, hydrate, and plump the delicate under-eye area while helping improve the appearance of fine lines, puffiness, and under-eye fatigue. A 5-Peptide Complex and Vegan Collagen work together to improve skin elasticity. The treatment absorbs quickly without leaving a heavy, sticky, or greasy residue.
JUMISO – Niacinamide 5+ Dark Circle Correcting Eye Cream
This lightweight formula combines 5% niacinamide with caffeine, peptides, and elastin to target the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines.
Step 5: Sunscreen
Sunscreen is arguably the most important step in any morning routine.
Daily SPF helps protect against UV damage, hyperpigmentation, premature aging, and post-acne marks. For oily skin, the key is finding a formula that feels comfortable enough to wear every day.
Tip: You can skip Step 4 (moisturizer) if your sunscreen is hydrating enough.
Product Recommendations
Numbuzin - No.1 Clear Filter Sun Essence SPF 50+ PA++++
This sunscreen features a lightweight, watery essence texture that absorbs quickly without feeling sticky, greasy, or heavy. It sets to a natural, balanced finish with no white cast.
Formulated with soothing, acne-friendly extracts like Heartleaf (Houttuynia Cordata) and Centella Asiatica, it protects the skin barrier while calming redness and irritation..
House of Hur Weightless Sun Fluid SPF 50+ PA++++
Its ultra-light, watery texture absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue or a white cast, and it dries down to a natural, comfortable finish.
The consistency is similar to a gel-serum, meaning it won't add heavy, pore-clogging layers to your face. It is formulated specifically to hold up in humid weather, which is perfect for preventing midday shine.