7 balancing serums that prove they *do* work on oily skin

One of the biggest concerns for anyone oily? The way pores practically shout 'hey, look at me, I'm huge'. A daily dose of this serum will work wonders for both the appearance of pores and what's lurking within them. It heroes glycolic acid to ensure skin stays clear and clean, but also features a hit of hyaluronic acid that'll stop skin from drying out and overproducing oil all over again.

$52 at Sephora

Say your skin sits toward the 'acne-prone' side of the oily spectrum. This congestion-controlling serum is up to the challenge of ensuring 'excess oil' doesn't turn into 'full-fledged breakout'. It's ultra-light in texture but pretty potent when it comes to power, harnessing a high concentration of natural salicylic acid to purify pores and purge excess oil/bacteria.

$67 at Sephora

If your skin type is oily, but your skin concern is dehydration (hey, it happens), try this. It's a serum that doesn't feel too, well, serum-y. It basically nourishes skin like an oil without actually feeling like one; in fact, it's a water-light texture that sinks in in seconds, leaving zero shine in its wake. As for its efficacy, expect dewy, soft, and plumped skin that feels adequately hydrated but not greasy or grimy.

$92 at Sephora

Seeing visible reduction in pore size and oil levels upon application is a pretty serious promise, but this targeted pore-tightening serum delivers on it. With a whopping six per cent salicylic acid in the mix, it's certainly not messing around when it comes to restoring balance. Your face will look instantly more matte and even stay that way for several hours; it's practically powder in serum form. If powder was also devoted to decongestion, that is!

$34 at Sephora

Oily skin types have been shown to have lower levels of skin health-aiding antioxidants, so a top-up is more than welcome. This serum serves them up on a silver platter, or rather in a lemon yellow liquid-gel hybrid. Don't panic at the sight of the word 'liquid'; the formula is featherlight, and couldn't feel less greasy if it tried. Niacinamide also nabs a spot on the ingredient list, and its presence is a gift to any unruly-looking pores.

$59 at Paula's Choice

This all-natural option may be a pro at purifying and de-slicking the skin (congestion is number one on its hit list), but it also has talents on top of that. Exciting news, we know: now you can nix oil and actually combat the skin concerns that lay beneath the shine. Lactic acid gets right to work on texture (smoothing and exfoliating the skin's surface), while liquorice root handles tone, targeting pigmentation and enhancing overall brightness. Long story short, prepare to swap grease for glow.

$60 at Sephora

A superfood skin serum highlighting an array of Aussie botanical extracts (Kakadu plum strikes again), this buy is determined to dial brightness up and bacteria down. It's another formula that understands hyaluronic acid is a hydrating friend to oily skin as long as it's coupled with something that handles shine (and the excess oil that causes it). In this serum's case, said 'something' is snow mushroom extract, an ingredient that specialises in restoring balance and stopping oil overproduction in its tracks.

$59 at Sephora

If you're still hesitant to layer on anything that feels even remotely rich, this toner-serum hybrid is a great option for letting your complexion compromise. Not only does it feature a sweet cherry scent (always worth noting), but it tightens the look of pores, absorbs instantly, and even helps to fade shine, all without stripping the skin.

$45 at Sephora