Having an oily skin or even an oily T-zone is really cumbersome to deal with. Most likely you have a blotting paper, an oil-free moisturizer, and a very potent face mask in your arsenal. You probably even shy away from facial oils or avoid places that are too hot or too humid. Trust me, I’ve been there, done that. While I’m still on the process of dealing with my own oily-prone skin by trying out different products to control excess sebum, I find that there’s not a lot of products to choose from or that could actually work.

In my latest adventure of trying out products that control oil, I discovered the Olehenriksen Balance It All products. If you’ve read my previous “Samples Of The Week” review, found HERE, you know that I love one of the products in the said oil-control line. So, I decided to purchase the entire set to see if the products could control my oils to a whole new level.

Here’s what I found:

• Find Your Balance, Oil Control Cleanser (2 oz: $10, 5 oz: $25)– Has AHA, Glycolic and Lactic Acid, this cleanser smells like eucalyptus or peppermint candy and a little bit like DEET (you know, the mosquito-repellant) or insecticide, due to the neem oil as its added ingredient. It’s not bad, in fact, the scent is very interesting, if not invigorating. This cleanser really takes off the excess oil in the face and unclogs pores. It has a minty or cooling effect once applied and it leaves your skin thoroughly cleaned and soft. It’s also very foamy and quite exfoliating. I love the overall refreshing feeling whenever I use this, and personally, and I would buy this over and over again.

• Balancing Force, Oil Control Toner (6.5 oz: $26) – Also has BHA, AHA, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic & Lactic Acid, this toner is meant to refine the pores and controls excess oil without stripping the skin. Well, this toner seems a bit too harsh for me, for some reasons. First, it smells really strong, like a strong anti-mosquito or insecticide. Even a lot stronger than the other two products mentioned here. It’s hard to even discern the peppermint scent. Second, it feels really more like an astringent when applied. In fact, whenever I apply this, my face turns red, and it does feel quite a bit harsh. I personally prefer a toner that feels and smells mild, yet packed with very good and non-irritating ingredients.

• Counter Balance, Oil Control Hydrator (1.7 oz: $34) – I first tried this product when I received a sample of it from Sephora. I loved it immediately and is the reason why I decided to purchase the entire Olehenriksen Balance It All Set. This smells minty, like a peppermint candy with a hint of tea tree. It feels very cooling but not harsh on the face. The product gets absorbed by my skin easily and mattifies it. The formula is very lightweight and it didn’t cause any break out. This is a very good moisturizer for us with oily-prone skin, and I honestly think that this is the best product of all the entire Balance It All Set.

Verdict: I definitely like the Olehenriksen Balance It All Set. They do work and each product is more affordable compared to some other cleansers, toners and moisturizers out there. But there’s a few caveats. Whenever I use the entire set of products all at the same time, there seems to be some sort of a rebound effect, wherein my skin gets even more oily in just a few minutes after application. It’s like my skin became extremely dry and it has to produce even more sebum in order to compensate. But, whenever I just use one or two of them, I find that my skin is mattified and it lasts for 4-6 hours. With that being said, I really love just using either the Oil Control Cleanser or Oil Control Hydrator (or even both) for my face and skipping on the Oil Control Toner.

The Olehenriksen Balance It All Set is limited edition and available exclusively at sephora.com

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