Makeup artists and beauty experts had a secret that they kept for years. And this secret is that makeup looks better when a primer is applied underneath it. Sure, foundation and concealer do a decent job of providing a nice surface, but if you have oily skin, then you are going to want a little something more. You are going to want to use a primer for oily skin.
If you tend to have an oily complexion, then nothing is going to work other than an oily skin primer. That’s why we’ve decided to do some research and find the ten best products for oily skin currently available. And we’ve put these ten products of best primers for oily skin into a convenient list so you can choose one that’s right for you.
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks for the Best Primers For Oily Skin
InstaNatural Organic Rose Water
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A product doesn’t come along very often that is not only good for multiple skin types but can also be used for multiple purposes, but it would appear that this combination of toner and primer is such a product. It helps to tone and prepare the skin for moisturizers and serums and can also be used as a base product to use before applying makeup. It can be used for all skin types, including oily, dry, and combination skin types, and is made with all-natural ingredients. It contains no fillers, no chemicals, and no artificial fragrances. Users can even add it to their bath water to add hydration to all of their body’s skin.
Aritaum Pore Master Sebum Control
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As a sebum control primer, this product conveys a number of great benefits to the user’s skin. It’s formulated as a mineral polymer gel that not only covers pores and conceals uneven skin but also allows the skin to breathe easily. This prevents the clogged pores that some other products may cause, which then results in the opposite intended effect: increased oil production. This product also prevents skin irritation, another critical factor in the overproduction of sebum, using a green tea extract that works to calm the skin and soothe it. It’s a fine micro-powder that provides excellent results every single time it’s used.
Touch in Sol No Pore Blem
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Several things make this oil-control primer different from most of the other ones currently available. For one, it’s a gel-type primer that has just a hint of pink color that adds a little bit of a healthy highlight to the skin. Two, it leaves a silky texture that covers large pores, uneven skin tones, and wrinkles. And that leaves nothing but a smooth skin surface. Three, it’s a powder that absorbs sebum and keeps skin from developing an oily appearance. Instead, the user’s skin is transformed to a velvety texture that’s extremely light, allows the skin to breathe, and helps prevent clogged pores which can result in increased oil production in the first place.
NYX Professional Makeup Setting Spray
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Oily skin presents unique challenges to just about any woman, and no one knows this better than NYX Professional Makeup, which is probably why they created this setup spray. Designed to go on easily and to provide a shine-free matte finish that makes a great base for just about any application of makeup, this product is ideal for anyone fighting an oily complexion. It not only provides a decent base but also helps to set up make so that it resists color fade and helps the makeup stay where it belongs all day long. This results in a smooth and flawless complexion that’s suitable for all-day wear or a night out on the town.
E.L.F Mineral Infused Face Primer
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This face primer is designed to give the user’s skin a silky look and protect it against excess oil, enlarged pores, and fine lines. When applied to clean and moisturized skin, this product will give the user’s skin a smooth appearance and provide an adequate base for just about any makeup. This product is easy-to-use, cruelty-free, and made from Vegan ingredients, so the wearer can always feel good about using it. Another great thing about this product is that it can not only be used by individuals with oily skin but can be used by just about anyone and has complexion-redefining properties.
Rimmel Stay Matte Primer
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Providing up to 8-hours of shine relief and getting rid of large pores without clogging them, this product is suitable for anyone who needs oil control on their face. It also goes a long way in getting rid of oily patches that always seem to peek out from behind most makeup applications. This product goes on incredibly light and uses an oil-free formula that doesn’t leave the user’s skin feeling heavy or greasy. This makes it suitable for use under makeup and can be used on a daily basis with great results. All of this results in the user’s skin looking even and smooth all day long.
Philosophy The Present Skin Perfector
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This product helps the wearer achieve better-looking skin when it’s used as a primer that goes underneath makeup. While it’s marketed as being suitable for all skin types and isn’t specifically described as a primer for oily skin, it does a wonderful job in that regard. It offers natural antibacterial benefits to the user’s skin, which can result in a reduction of the bacteria that causes acne. It also reduces skin irritation, which helps prevent the skin from overproducing sebum due to inflammation. This product is recommended for casual wear and is designed to leave the user with an airbrushed finish to their face.
Maybelline Makeup Baby Skin
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Not only does this product work to arrest oily skin immediately but is also noncomedogenic so it won’t clog up pores, which can lead to excess oil production. When applied, this product immediately blurs pores and leaves the wearer’s face with a matte finish that’s as smooth and polished as a baby’s skin. It can be used as a base for foundation and will help the user’s makeup last longer during the day. This oily skin primer can be applied easily using just fingertips and helps to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles as well. All of these helps this product to give the wearer flawless-looking skin.
Paula’s Choice Shine Stopper
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This shine stopper formulation is designed to immediately minimize how big pores look and to arrest the wearer’s natural oils. It does this using an innovation called Microsponge Technology, which dries quickly and leaves a powder-like matte finish that helps to minimize imperfections in the skin. This product immediately begins to absorb extra oils from the skin and can be used underneath makeup or reapplied throughout the day to fight any shine that may crop up later in the day. This product can become an important tool in any oily skin regimen and belongs alongside serums, toners, and cleansers used to combat oily skin problems.
Concept Skin Oil Control
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This product is designed to deal with oily skin and acne problems in ways that other products aren’t. It’s a natural face cream that contains a unique blend of natural ingredients and has the lowest formulation of salicylic acid and lactic acid. It contains just enough of those two ingredients to make it effective. Other ingredients found in this formulation include tea tree oil, lemon peel, Aloe Vera, St. John’s Wort, and chamomile. These ingredients work together to help control oily spots but do it without drying out the skin or causing irritation. It’s a product suitable for anyone looking for healthier and more blemish-free skin.
Making Makeup Last With an Oily Complexion
Makeup can be a particular sticking point for people with an oily complexion. Either it’s difficult to apply the makeup at the first point due to the amount of oil present on your skin in the first place, or it can be difficult to keep the makeup on your face all day. And this can result, as you probably already know, in quite a bit of anxiety when it comes time to apply makeup.
You may think that these challenges are insurmountable, but that isn’t the case. There are steps that you can take to ensure that your makeup is not only easier to apply but allows your face to say made all day long. It just takes a few moments of your time and the willingness to make a few changes to your makeup routine to arrest oily complexion problems. Below are some steps to take if you have an oily complexion and want to apply makeup.
Wash Your Face With an Effective Cleanser
The first step to dealing with an oily complexion when you’re trying to apply makeup is to make sure that you wash your face with an effective cleanser. And there are several different products that are good for this part of the process. One of those is often just plain soap, which can dry out the skin. However, this isn’t often considered a suitable product by people who feel that it’s too harsh, so I’ll move on to two other products that really work well to cleanse the skin.
Facial toner is a good product to cleanse the face. Look for products that have antioxidants in them, including Vitamin A and Vitamin C. You should choose toners specifically made for oily skin, and these products usually contain ingredients such as citrus extracts, witch hazel, Aloe Vera, and other such ingredients.
Another product that works well as a facial toner is Milk of Magnesia. Yes, the product that is often used to treat constipation also makes a great facial toner. Why does it work so well? It works well because it treats the oil on your skin on several levels. It acts as a clay mask and absorbs extra oil; it kills bacteria thanks to the zinc that’s in it, it strips away blackheads, and it reduces pore size. The main drawback of using this product, however, is that it can cause flakiness or dry out the skin too much, so be sure to use it only once or twice a week.
Use a Primer For Oily Skin
Without a doubt, a primer for oily skin is one of the most important things you can do before you apply makeup to your face. That’s because a good oily skin primer helps makeup stay where it belongs. However, just because you’ve bought a primer for oily skin, it doesn’t mean that you have to apply it to your entire face.
While some people do need to apply primer to their entire face, other people may only need to apply it to the oiliest parts of their face. This is usually the forehead, around the nose, and around the chin. Apply this product according to the product’s instructions and decide for yourself whether you need to apply it to your entire face.
Properly Prepare Your Eyelids
Eye makeup is especially susceptible to creasing when you have oily skin, and that’s why many women prep their eyelids before they apply their makeup. Do this by using a primer that’s made especially for eyelids. And yes, there are eyelid primers for oily skin, so choose one if you need extra help. The one product you shouldn’t use to prime your eyelids, however, is concealer. I understand that a lot of women who have eye redness or who have dark circles use concealer to prime their eyelids, but this can irritate the pores and lead to increased oil production. Which kind of defeats the purpose.
Keep Face Powder to a Minimum
Yes, when you have an oily complexion, you often resort to using extra powder to try to push back against the oil, but this can result in increased oil production. For best results, use a matte translucent formula and only apply it to the areas that are really shiny. If it’s possible, try not to apply it to your entire face. However, if you do need to apply powder to your entire face, then be sure to not over-apply it.
Use Oil-Free Makeup
Another thing that you can do is to use makeup that’s made with an oil-free formula. While these kinds of products weren’t always very good in the past, there have been some really great products that have since entered the market. When choosing one of these makeup products, be sure to choose formulas that are not only oil-free but are also non-comedogenic.
Use The Right Applicator
Foundation should always be applied with a foundation brush because it allows you to cover your face better and helps to make the makeup application last longer. You should avoid using makeup sponges to cover dark spots. Instead, you should use your finger to apply makeup to these areas. Powdered eyeshadows should also be used instead of cream eyeshadows, and a brush should be used to apply this product to the area around the eyelids.
Use a Weekly Treatment Mask
While you can’t use a treatment mask on a daily basis, you can use a mask once or twice a week to help deal with an oily complexion. Many of these masks are made with some kind of clay which acts as a sponge to pull extra oil and impurities from the skin. These masks also help to reduce inflammation, which can result in increased oil production if left unchecked. While you should always follow the directions on the mask, most of them can be used in the following way: apply a quarter-sized amount of product to your face, leave it on for 15-minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.
