Best (SPF) Moisturizer for Oily and Combination Skin

Like trying to find the perfect eyeliner for my oily eyelids, it's difficult finding the perfect moisturizer (both with SPF and without) that doesn't 1) break me out 2) irritate my skin 3) make me super oily 4) cost an arm and a leg.

After some intense searching, I found the holy grail moisturizer with SPF. It was the Biore SkinPreservation SPF Moisturizer. It was a drugstore product, it was inexpensive, it didn't break me out, and it didn't make me super oily, but notice how I described the product in past tense. Unfortunately, this entire Biore line has been discontinued! I was so devastated when I found out. So, the search continued and I'll share with you what I've found so far. I'll update this hub if/when I find a better product.

Although I prefer to use gel creams or lotions, this Shiseido SPF moisturizer is surprisingly light. It doesn't break me out and the price is reasonable. With a SPF of 38, it's 2 fl. oz/50 ml and sells for $32 USD or around $40 CAD. This has received good reviews from most websites and users and despite it being a cream formula, it does help to keep oil and shine at bay. It also has a nice light fragrance too! Until I can find something better, this is my preferred SPF moisturizer.

PROS:

• fairly reasonable price
• moisturizing
• helps to control oil better than some other SPF moisturizers I've tried
• nice fragrance
• good for travel, will not spill
• does not break me out

CONS:

• for those that don't like fragrance, there is one!
• not a drugstore product
• it's a cream, so it may not be as good if you're not used to having something a bit heavier on your face

This is the SPF moisturizer that I'm currently using. It's actually a pretty good moisturizer, except for the following disadvantages:

CONS:

• expensive! It's $50 CAD for 38 mL/1.2 fl. oz. which I think is outrageous
• bad for travel - there is no cap on top of the pump
• the fragrance is too strong

PROS:

• it's a lotion and it's quite light
• it does not break me out
• high SPF (30)

And this is my current night time moisturizer. As you can see in the bottom picture, it's a gel moisturizer. It's extremely light, but moisturizing enough for spring and summer use. In the winter, my cheeks and forehead gets a bit dry so I slap on some Vaseline before putting on this moisturizer. Skoah is a skincare line/spa in Vancouver, BC. It's in a few other provinces in Canada and they recently opened a location in Boston, but otherwise, this is not a widely available product, but they do ship via their website. If you are lucky enough to be in the area where there is a Skoah spa, I highly recommend getting a facial there and trying a few of their products. I also use their toning lotion and facial cleanser! They do have a SPF moisturizer, but it's a bit too thick for my liking.

PROS:

• very light
• does not break me out
• beneficial ingredients such as hyaluronic acid
• reasonable price - $40 for 50 mL or 1.7 fl. oz
• oil-free
• good for travel - pump has a cap on it

CONS:

• not moisturizing enough for combination skin in the winter and fall months
• no SPF