Makeup for Oily Skin: Our Top Product Picks for Your Beauty Routine
Cakey foundation or makeup that slips and slides throughout the day can feel like a beauty faux pas – but it’s not you.
In fact, it probably means your makeup isn’t tailored to your skin type.
When your skin has natural oils in abundance, it’s important to find beauty products that are going to work with your oily skin – not against it. So, whether you’re on the hunt for a mattifying foundation for oily skin or a primer to give your makeup some serious hold, we’ve got you covered.
Read on for our curated guide to makeup for oily skin, including our top product picks and how to apply them.
The challenges of makeup for oily skin
While oily skin does have its advantages – like an inherent glow and lots of natural moisture – it does present a few challenges when it comes to makeup application and longevity. If you have oily skin, you might relate to some of these makeup pain points:
• Excess shine and a greasy appearance – especially around the T-zone
• A cakey finish, with makeup settling into texture
• Pores that feel clogged
• Makeup slipping, sliding or rolling
• Products breaking down on the skin, leading to separation and patchiness
How to find the right makeup for oily skin
When searching for the perfect oily skin foundation, primer, or any other base product, it all comes down to formulas. Our advice? Seek out products that mattify and blur the skin.
This will help control unwanted shine and smooth out the appearance of textural concerns – like enlarged pores – often associated with oily skin. Try to prioritise oil-free and non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) formulas to avoid adding extra oils to the skin.
Now, read on for a breakdown of our favourite Maybelline makeup for oily skin: including primer, foundation, concealer, and blush, plus setting powder and spray.
Primer for oily skin
Using a primer for oily skin is essential for makeup longevity – and for creating a smooth, refined base for foundation. We recommend the Poreless Jelly™ Up To 24hr Hydrating Blur Primer , an oily skin primer that’s formulated with 2% niacinamide, water break gel, and pore-minimising polymers to deliver a weightless feel and instant skin-like blur.
Its non-comedogenic formula is perfect for oily skin types, while the water jelly technology ensures the skin surface stays hydrated and balanced.
How to apply: After your skincare and SPF, apply the Poreless Jelly™ Hydrating Blur Primer evenly all over your face. Allow the primer to dry and wait at least 30 seconds before applying your oily skin foundation.
Foundation for oily skin
When it comes to foundation, oily skin types should seek out mattifying, non-comedogenic formulas that let the skin breathe while providing seamless coverage.
Oily skin foundation has the tricky task of controlling shine and lasting all day. But thankfully, we have the formula that’s up to the task: Fit Me® Matte + Poreless Foundation. This non-comedogenic liquid foundation is formulated with micro-powders to mattify the skin, refine the look of pores, and minimise shine. When you want to opt for a look that’s part matte, part glowy, we recommend the Superstay Lumi Matte Luminous Matte Foundation.
How to apply: We recommend applying liquid foundation with either a makeup brush or a damp beauty blender (your fingers may introduce more oil). But remember, always keep your beauty tools clean! Apply your oily skin foundation in thin layers: gently buffing into the skin and building up coverage as you go.
Concealer for oily skin
Like your other makeup for oily skin, we suggest seeking out an oil-free concealer that’s going to be compatible with your skin’s needs. Try the Fit Me® Concealer – an oil-free, non-comedogenic concealer that expertly covers redness, blemishes, and other visible concerns.
How to apply: Use your concealer to target specific areas, as over-applying can contribute to a cakey finish. You may choose to blend lightly with the tip of your finger, or with a small brush or beauty sponge.
Blush for oily skin
You can opt for a powder blush for oily skin, but if you’re loyal to liquid blushes, you’ll love the Sunkisser Hazy Matte Blush . With a highly pigmented, melt-to-skin formula, you can build and intensify colour as desired for a year-long sun-kissed look. (It’s in the name, after all!) This blush is also sweat- and transfer-resistant, making it ideal for oily skin types.
How to apply: Once you’ve chosen a blush for your skin tone, apply it with a plush dot applicator. For a sculpted look, place two dots on the highpoints of your cheek bones. For a softer, more rounded look, focus on the apples of the cheeks instead.
Setting spray and setting powder for oily skin
We like to think of setting powder as the cherry on top of all makeup routines. But for oily skin types, this step is particularly important – as it holds the key to sweat-proof makeup.
Whether you opt for a setting spray or a setting powder for oily skin is entirely up to you. However, if you do struggle with an overly oily T-zone, a dusting of Fit Me® Loose Finishing Powder is ideal for mattifying unwanted sheen. To lock in your look for up to 16 hours, opt for the Facestudio® Lasting Fix Makeup Spray, Matte Finish.
How to apply: Take a fluffy powder brush, swirl it into the Fit Me® Loose Finishing Powder, then lightly dust over your forehead, nose, and chin. Next, shake your bottle of Facestudio® Lasting Fix Makeup Spray well, and hold the bottle about 20 centimetres from your face. Close your eyes and spritz four to six times around your face.
If an oily skin foundation is at the top of your wish list, explore our guide on how to choose a foundation colour that matches your undertone.
