2 Editors With Oily Skin Put This $16 Gel Moisturizer From a TikTok-Viral Brand to the Test

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

A little while ago, StyleCaster‘s Associate Shopping Editor, Katie Decker-Jacoby, gave Bubble Skincare’s Level Up Balancing Gel Moisturizer a whirl in the hopes that it’d be lightweight enough for her super oily skin. She was already taken with the brand’s vitamin C Serum (it quickly became a mainstay in her routine since it was able to fade dark spots quickly), so adding the gel moisturizer into her routine seemed like a no brainer. After hearing her thoughts on the product, I myself decided to give the $16 product a go, as I also struggle with finding products for my oily skin.

Before you normal and dry folks click out of this story, we should mention that the brand has a moisturizer for your specific skin types. It’s the Slam Dunk Moisturizer that went viral on TikTok, and you should definitely check it out.

But back to what you came here for. As I mentioned earlier, both us editors deal with oily, acne-prone skin, which means we usually go for lightweight face moisturizers that have gel consistencies (thick, heavy, creamy formulas literally make us run so fast in the opposite direction). The Level Up Moisturizer immediately ticked all the boxes for me, since it doesn’t leave the skin looking greasy or shiny, yet it feels super hydrating as soon as you apply it.

Basically, it sinks into the skin as soon as it touches your face without leaving behind any residue. I sometimes find super creamy moisturizers pill (A.K.A. result in small balls or particles across your skin after application) when confronted with additional products overtop (like foundation or concealer), so I was very happy to find this left nothing of the sort in its wake. Instead, my skin felt super smooth which created the perfect canvas for makeup.

Since I also deal with acne-prone skin (such a fun combo, isn’t it?) I prefer super simple formulations that won’t aggravate my skin further. In this gel moisturizer, Zinc PCA and niacinamide work together to smooth texture, regulate sebum production, and increase radiance. At the same time, yarrow extract repairs and moisturizes, while a superfood protein compound shields your face from blue light damage. Other noteworthy ingredients include glycerin and squalane. I’ve found this blend of ingredients to be an ideal combination for my fickle skin since I’ve never experienced active breakouts from use, which often happens when I add a new product into my regimen.

Our Associate Shopping Editor also noted that she loves this moisturizer’s packaging, “because you don’t have to dip your potentially bacteria-bearing fingers directly into the container. Simply press down to release a flower-shaped dollop of product.” Bubble recommends using one to two pumps, but from our personal experience, one is truly enough to cover everything, which means you’ll make your way through one bottle at a steady pace (even if you use it morning and night like we do).

If you’re like us and have oily skin (or normal or combo), you’re going to want to try this lightweight gel moisturizer from Bubble Skincare. Did I mention it costs only $16? As if you needed another reason to add it to your cart.

Now that we’ve shouted out one of our all time fave Bubble products, why not share three more that the StyleCaster team is hooked on?