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Among the many truths I’ve accepted about life, one of them is my super-oily skin. The earth is round, the sun rises in the east, and my face resembles an oil spill by midafternoon. My greasiness is partly genetics—my dad’s side of the family has acne-prone skin—and partly prescription tretinoin use, which yes, helps eliminate breakouts but also dries out my face and causes my skin to overcompensate with excess oil production.
As an oily-skinned person, shopping for moisturizers can be tricky. I need something that deeply hydrates my skin and gets rid of flakes and dry spots, but isn’t super greasy or heavy. It also has to wear well under makeup—some moisturizers can block products like concealer and foundation from melting into skin, which causes makeup to pill or slide off. Most importantly, it has to regulate my oiliness, with ingredients to help mattify and control afternoon grease attacks.
I’ve heard about the magic of Augustinus Bader’s The Cream since its debut. It’s celeb-loved and Glamour, so I was excited to try it once I got my hands on it. While I loved the smoothing benefits and instant glow I got from The Cream, I found the formula to be too heavy for my oily skin. But it seems the experts at Augustinus Bader have heard my (and probably many others’) prayers. The brand just came out with a new version of its cult-favorite moisturizer—The Light Cream—and it’s made specifically for people with oily skin.
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As the name suggests, The Light Cream is a more lightweight version of The Cream, but delivers the same deep hydration and anti-aging results. It contains Augustinus Bader’s signature Trigger Factor Complex 8 (TFC8) technology, a proprietary cocktail of more than 40 different ingredients, packed with vitamins and amino acids. But what sets The Light Cream apart is the addition of powerful botanicals like rice bran oil, baobab leaf extract, and Australian lemon myrtle extract, which help control sebum and oil. It’s also completely vegan and free of gluten, parabens, fragrance, and sulfates.
When I first tried The Light Cream, I immediately noticed the difference in the two formulas’ textures. Unlike The Cream, which is thick and opaque, The Light Cream is a moisturizer-serum hybrid, with a more liquid-like consistency. Once I applied it to my face, my skin literally drank the product up. I was shocked by how deeply moisturized my skin felt, eliminating dry patches and flakes but leaving no trace of greasiness or excess oil. My skin looked matte and glowing, but still felt plump and hydrated.
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The next test was putting on makeup. My foundation blended out pretty seamlessly, without any product sliding off. I use Dior’s Forever Matte Foundation (another must-have for oily skin, in my book) which makes my skin shine-free after application, so I knew any grease would start to show by midday. At 2 p.m. I checked my makeup in the mirror and saw a considerable amount less grease than I usually get by this time of day. I had a bit of shine on my chin, but my T-zone held up pretty well and stayed mostly matte. Overall, my makeup looked fresher with The Light Cream underneath, and I had even skipped using a setting powder to get rid of extra shine.
At $175, The Light Cream is definitely an investment, but for people with oily skin, it’s a game-changing product. It’s one of the few skin-care products that deliver an immediate payoff, which is important, since you’re spending a considerable amount of money on it. If you’re able to drop a chunk of change, you won’t be disappointed.
Ariana Yaptangco is the senior beauty editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @arianayap.
