Dealing with oily skin can often feel like a daily battle, especially when it comes to keeping your makeup in place. The key to a matte and flawless look lies in the first step of your beauty routine: the primer. The right primer not only helps manage the shine but also minimizes the appearance of pores, giving you the perfect canvas for the rest of your makeup.
Makeup artists often emphasize the importance of selecting a primer specifically designed for oily skin. Ingredients that control shine and maintain a matte finish throughout the day are essential. Moreover, a good primer can also provide additional benefits such as smoothing out fine lines and preparing your skin for a seamless makeup application.
Choosing the right primer doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re looking for a high-end option or a budget-friendly pick, there’s a variety of primers designed to meet the needs of oily skin. Imagine a flawless complexion that lasts all day without that dreaded mid-afternoon grease. Let’s explore some top contenders!
Our Top Picks
Understanding your oily skin needs
Combatting shine starts with understanding the unique needs of oily skin. Oily skin produces excess sebum, which can lead to a shiny complexion, enlarged pores, and sometimes, acne. The right primer can work wonders by providing a matte finish and controlling oil production throughout the day.
When selecting a primer, the importance of non-comedogenic formulas cannot be overstated. These formulas are designed to not clog pores, which is crucial for those with oily skin prone to breakouts. A non-comedogenic primer will ensure that your skin can breathe, reducing the risk of acne flare-ups while keeping oil at bay.
Many people with oily skin make the mistake of skipping moisturizer, thinking it will add to the oiliness. However, hydration is key to balancing oil production. Look for primers with hydrating ingredients that moisturize without adding shine or weight to your skin. This can help normalize sebum production and prevent your skin from overcompensating with more oil.
Lastly, considering a primer’s texture is important. A lightweight, oil-free formula that absorbs quickly into the skin is ideal. It should leave a smooth, matte finish without feeling heavy or causing your makeup to slide off. By addressing these needs, you can keep your oily skin looking fresh and matte all day long.
What should you look for in a primer?
When it comes to choosing a primer for oily skin, a mattifying primer is your first line of defense against shine. These primers are specifically formulated to absorb excess oil, leaving your skin with a velvety matte finish. This is crucial for extending the wear of your makeup and preventing that mid-day shine.
Another key feature to look for is a blurring primer. These primers are designed to minimize the appearance of pores, creating a smooth and flawless base for your foundation. The refined texture they provide can significantly enhance the overall look of your makeup, giving you a poreless and polished finish.
The debate between water-based vs. silicone-based primers is a common one. For oily skin, silicone-based primers are more effective to keep oil at bay and maintain a matte finish throughout the day. However, water-based primers are lighter and less likely to clog pores. The choice ultimately depends on your skin’s specific needs and the finish you desire.
Lastly, don’t forget to consider powders. While not a traditional primer, setting powders applied after primer can further help control shine and ensure your makeup stays in place. Look for translucent formulas that won’t add weight or texture but will extend the matte effect throughout the day.
Top primers for oily skin
Credit: Hourglass
The Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is a cult favorite among those with oily skin. Its oil-free formula is designed to control shine, making it the perfect base for any makeup look. Beyond its mattifying effects, this primer offers a range of benefits including reducing redness and minimizing the appearance of pores. Its lightweight texture feels comfortable on the skin, suitable even for sensitive skin types. Plus, it’s vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, free from parabens, fragrance, and sulfates.
Additionally, the primer is infused with hydrating ingredients and anti-aging benefits, providing care for your skin beneath your makeup. Its unique formula helps extend the wear of your foundation, ensuring a flawless finish that lasts throughout the day. For those seeking a primer that offers both cosmetic and skincare benefits, the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is an excellent choice.
Credit: Smashbox
Why choose Smashbox Photo Finish Primer for your oily skin? Renowned for its ability to control shine, this primer ensures a smooth and matte finish. Its formula is specifically designed to adapt to sensitive skin, preventing irritation and redness. The primer’s effectiveness is complemented by its ease of application, gliding onto the skin and creating the perfect canvas for makeup.
What sets this primer apart are its hydrating ingredients and anti-aging benefits. Its vegan formula, free from parabens, phthalates, oil, and fragrance, is enriched with vitamins A and E to nourish your skin. The blend of ingredients like cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone helps create a smooth, matte finish that controls shine all day. For those in search of a primer that balances oil control with skin care, the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer stands out as a superior choice.
Credit: Nars
The Nars Soft Matte Primer is a must-have for anyone looking to achieve a soft matte finish without the weight of heavy makeup. Its innovative water-gel texture transforms to a soft matte finish, ensuring your skin remains non-greasy. The primer’s unique texture provides an invisible barrier that extends makeup wear while maintaining a natural look. Dermatologist tested and non-acnegenic, it won’t clog your pores.
Unlike other primers, this one incorporates powder in its formula, which further aids in absorbing excess oil throughout the day. This addition ensures that your skin stays matte and smooth, even under challenging conditions. The Anti-Oxidation Complex controls sebum and prevents makeup breakdown.
Credit: Benefit
Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Face Primer is renowned for its pore-minimizing abilities, offering an instant retouch effect that transforms the skin’s texture. Its silky, lightweight formula is designed to target oily areas, effectively controlling shine and providing a smooth base for makeup application. Suitable for sensitive skin, this primer minimizes the risk of irritation while preparing the skin for a flawless makeup look. Key ingredients like cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, and silica ensure a smooth, even makeup application.
Furthermore, the primer is enriched with hydrating ingredients, ensuring that the skin remains moisturized without becoming greasy. Its grip primer technology ensures that makeup stays in place all day, resisting the effects of excess oil. For touch-ups, it’s perfect over makeup, making it ideal for all skin types.
Credit: Milk Makeup
The Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer is an ideal choice for those seeking a hydrating, long-lasting primer that keeps makeup intact for up to 12 hours. This award-winning primer is 94% natural, vegan, and packed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and hemp seed extract. Blue agave extract forms a protective layer, ensuring your makeup stays put without melting or caking. It’s also free from parabens, silicones, and oils.
This primer’s gripping power is ideal for long days, keeping your foundation in place and reducing the need for touch-ups. Its clear formula works with all skin tones and types, offering a smooth canvas for the rest of your makeup application.
Credit: Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer is designed specifically for those with oily skin in mind. Its lightweight formula helps to control oil throughout the day, giving your skin a smooth, matte finish. Its lightweight texture ensures all-day comfort, and the key ingredients like dimethicone and sodium hyaluronate provide a silky texture and moisture retention. It also works well for sensitive skin, minimizing the risk of irritation while refining pores for a flawless makeup application.
Beyond its mattifying effects, this primer enhances the longevity of your foundation, ensuring it looks fresh for hours. Its soft-focus effect blurs imperfections, leaving your skin looking and feeling silky smooth. Fenty Beauty, committed to cruelty-free practices and inclusivity, ensures this primer caters to diverse skin tones and concerns, inspired by Rihanna’s vision for a flawless, soft matte base.
Credit: Glossier
Designed specifically for those with oily and combination skin, Glossier’s Priming Moisturizer Balance offers a lightweight gel-cream formula that quickly absorbs while controlling shine and refining pore appearance. The product controls shine for up to 12 hours and immediately reduces visible shine post-application, making pores appear smaller and skin feel hydrated. Key ingredients like marine extract, niacinamide, and willow bark extract enhance skin texture and balance. Plus, it absorbs quickly, meaning you won’t have to wait long before applying the rest of your products.
Credit: Caliray
For those seeking a soft-focus effect, the Caliray So Blown Clean Blurring Primer is a standout. Its formula is specifically designed to blur imperfections, making it an excellent choice for oily and sensitive skin types. This blurring primer creates a smooth, matte canvas that enhances the longevity of your makeup. Plus, it’s free from harsh chemicals, making it a safe option for those with sensitivities.
It’s lightweight and breathable, ensuring that your skin feels comfortable all day long. This silicone-free primer is perfect for all skin tones and types, offering a velvety, super-filtered look that’s an ideal makeup base. You can use it alone, under skin tint, or mix it with glow drops.
Credit: REFY
You’ll love the REFY Face Primer if you’re seeking a brightening serum that not only primes but also sculpts your face with its built-in facial roller. Its serum-based formula, infused with niacinamide, brightens and smooths your skin over time while providing a tacky texture that grips makeup for up to 8 hours. The roller applicator reduces puffiness and adds definition, making it easy to use.
Fragrance-free, vegan, and cruelty-free, this primer suits all skin types and is dermatologically tested. Users rave about its ease of use and hydration benefits, with 86% agreeing their makeup stayed put for the entire day.
Credit: e.l.f.
If you have oily or combination skin, e.l.f. Matte Putty Primer is your go-to solution for a shine-free, velvety finish. Infused with kaolin and white charcoal, it absorbs oil and smooths imperfections, giving you that perfect matte texture. This lightweight primer glides on effortlessly and enhances makeup grip for longer wear. It’s not just for your face—you can even apply it to your eyelids to lock in eyeshadow.
Apply a thin, even layer to clean, moisturized skin, focusing on oily areas like your forehead and nose. Allow it to set for 30 seconds before adding foundation. For those concerned about ethical practices, e.l.f. products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and made in Fair Trade Certified facilities.
Credit: NYX Professional
NYX Professional Makeup Shine Killer Primer, infused with oil-absorbing charcoal, is perfect for those with oily skin seeking a matte finish. This vegan formula controls shine, prepping your skin for makeup application without clogging pores. It applies easily and dries down to a translucent finish, ensuring your makeup stays put throughout the day.
To maximize its benefits, follow NYX’s primer mapping technique: Start by blurring pores with a pore filler primer on your cheeks. Next, press the Shine Killer Primer on your forehead, nose, and chin to mattify these areas. Finally, hydrate the perimeter of your face with a hydrating primer. This method ensures a balanced, long-lasting makeup look.
Credit: Wet n wild
The Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Matte Face Primer is designed to prepare your skin for a photo-ready finish. Its matte formulation controls oil without drying out the skin, ensuring that your makeup application is smooth and long-lasting. The primer also helps to minimize the appearance of pores, giving you a flawless base to work with.
Its key ingredient, white sapphire, gives you a crystal-clear complexion, while Aloe Vera and Vitamin E provide weightless hydration. This cruelty-free, vegan, fragrance-free, and paraben-free primer prevents foundation caking and enhances brightness. It keeps shine at bay, ensuring your makeup stays polished longer, reducing fading and creasing.
How to apply primer like a pro
To apply primer, start with a clean, moisturized face. Take a pea-sized amount of your chosen primer and warm it between your fingers. This helps it to spread evenly. Gently press the primer into your skin, focusing on areas prone to oiliness like the T-zone. Avoid rubbing or dragging the primer, as this can cause uneven coverage.
Wait a few minutes for the primer to set before applying foundation. This step is crucial for creating a seamless base that enhances your makeup’s longevity. Remember, a little goes a long way with primer, so use sparingly to avoid a heavy, cakey look.
To control oil effectively, choose a primer that’s specifically designed for oily skin. This will help to maintain a matte finish throughout the day, reducing the need for touch-ups. Avoid common mistakes like applying too much product or skipping moisturizer, as both can negatively affect your makeup’s appearance and wear.
Questions you may have
Which type of primer should be used for oily skin?
For those grappling with oily skin, selecting the right primer is crucial. Mattifying primers are your best bet as they are specifically designed to tackle shine and control oil production throughout the day. Unlike regular makeup primers, mattifying formulas work to absorb excess oil, ensuring your skin stays matte and fresh. They also help in minimizing the appearance of pores, providing a smooth canvas for the rest of your makeup.
When shopping for a primer, look for keywords like “oil-free,” “pore-minimizing,” and “long-lasting.” These types of primers are formulated to address the concerns of oily skin, preventing makeup from sliding off or becoming patchy. Moreover, a good primer for oily skin will not only prime your face for makeup but also improve skin texture over time.
Is face primer necessary for oily skin?
Indeed, a face primer is essential for those with oily skin. It serves as a barrier between your skin and makeup, helping to manage oil production and maintain a matte finish throughout the day. Without a primer, makeup tends to break down quickly on oily skin, leading to a shiny complexion and visible pores. A primer specifically designed for oily skin types can significantly extend the wear of your makeup.
Additionally, primers for oily skin often contain ingredients like salicylic acid, which helps in controlling breakouts by keeping pores clear of blockages. Using a primer can also minimize the need for frequent touch-ups, allowing your makeup to look fresh and flawless for longer periods. Therefore, incorporating a suitable primer into your routine is a step you shouldn’t skip.
Do you put moisturizer before primer on oily skin?
Yes, even if you have oily skin, applying a moisturizer before your primer is a crucial step. Opt for a lightweight, water-based moisturizer to hydrate your skin without adding extra oil. After moisturizing, apply a matte primer to control oil and blur imperfections, creating a perfect canvas for makeup.
Choosing between water-based primers and silicone-based primers depends on your preference and skin’s needs. Water-based primers feel lighter on the skin and are great for everyday use, while silicone-based primers might offer a smoother finish. Remember, the goal is to prime your skin for makeup application, ensuring your foundation looks flawless and lasts longer.
Can I just use primer without foundation?
Absolutely, you can use a primer without foundation to achieve a natural, polished look. Primers for oily skin are designed to absorb excess oil and minimize the appearance of pores, making them ideal for days when you want to wear minimal makeup. Choose a primer with mattifying ingredients or a primer with salicylic acid to keep oil production in check and your skin nourished.
By applying a primer, you can target problem areas, even out skin tones, and give your skin a healthy, dewy glow or a matte finish, depending on your preference. This is especially useful for achieving a flawless look while minimizing pores and keeping your skin’s health in top condition. Remember to cleanse and moisturize your skin before applying the primer to maximize its benefits, even if you’re skipping the foundation.
