The Best Makeup Routine for Oily Skin, Tested by a Beauty Editor
Blotting sheets? Don’t know her.
After 20-something years of trying to convince myself that I have combination skin, I’ve come to accept that I am the human equivalent of an oil slick. Because of this realization, I’ve done a complete overhaul of my beauty routine, using products that treat my acne-prone skin while also keeping my excessive oil production at bay. Additionally, my makeup routine has completely changed, and I now use products that are guaranteed to keep my face matte, but not lifeless, for a minimum of eight hours every day.
It’s a balance that has taken some trial and error, but it has proven effective. In fact, on a recent trip to Texas, where it was no less than 85 degrees every day, my entire face was flawless after a night of bachelorette activities. Yes, you read that correctly. Allow me to toot my own horn and proclaim: I’ve cracked the code to makeup that stops greasy skin in its tracks.
Whether you’re a newly minted member of the Oily Skin Club or a cardholder since birth, the products below are tried-and-true formulas that keep my face looking flawless, hot weather be damned.
Good Makeup Starts With Great Skincare
This is something I’ve discovered over the years, but is now solidified over the last few months—you don’t have to pile on mattifying skincare products when you have oily skin. In fact, I found the opposite to be true; an overdose of moisture has actually helped my skin look less greasy and achieve that enviable “glass skin” effect.
Even as an acne-prone girl with textured skin, I’ve noticed a massive difference in how glowy my skin looks since I’ve incorporated this facial spray into my skin care routine. Ingredients like glycerin drench the skin in a flood of moisture, working hand-in-hand with other humectants and emollients, such as 1,2-Hexanediol, which enhances skin hydration.
Another product that has been keeping my skin intact is this essence from French beauty powerhouse Caudalíe. Lighter than the traditional milky toner that I’ve been using, this essence sinks into the skin within minutes, and leaves behind a glassy shine, perfectly doubling as both skincare and skin prep. (Yes, those are two completely different things.)
Set the Foundation
Once my skincare routine is done, my face is typically glimmering like a star in the night. This is when I move onto my complexion makeup.
If I want a little more slip to my face, I’ll add the Tatcha Dewy Milk Moisturizer. The little sister to my beloved Dew Skin Cream, this version is less viscous and a little more runny, a perfect formula for people with oily skin to get the shine of a 10-step skincare routine, without the weight.
This is the most crucial product in this entire routine, and it is a non-negotiable for anyone with oily skin. Danessa Myricks’s Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder is the makeup product for banishing any excess greasiness. It's beloved by celebrities like Angel Reese and comes in 22 shades. It can also be worn on its own as a foundation or as a primer under a traditional cream complexion product. The magic is in its primary ingredient, upsalite, which is lauded for its ability to continuously absorb moisture throughout the day and provide a blurring effect to the skin. In short, it’s like magic for my pores.
There are times when I feel like my skin is shinier than others, and when I’ve had one too many days in a row looking like I dipped my face into a cup of oil, I bring out this gem. Enantia chlorantha bark extract and milk thistle stem cell–derived ingredients help to control excess oil, which keeps my face matte, plus it feels like skincare is going on my face. One product pulling double duty? Yes, please.
Complexion Is King
While my five-minute face usually involves a bit of concealer and powder, my full beat in the summer uses lightweight, breathable, glowy cream formulas.
Another summer complexion hero for me has been the e.l.f. Halo Glow Skin Tint Mineral SPF 50. Not only is it a sunscreen, which is imperative now that New York City has been reclassified as having a subtropical climate, but it also offers light, buildable coverage that leaves my skin looking dewy and healthy.
I have been wearing this skin tint for the past few months, and when combined with the aforementioned primers, I feel unstoppable. Not only is the color match immaculate (color 11 is my skin tone in a tube), but it also contains blue agave extract, the key ingredient in the brand’s famous Hydrogrip primer. It allows the product to adhere to the face, enhancing its long-wear properties.
Powder Princess
As anyone with oily skin will tell you, a good face powder is a nonnegotiable. My favorites help to blur texture, keep my makeup in place, and don't make my skin look skeletally dry in the process.
No matter how many new products I try, I always come back to this setting powder from Laura Mercier. The shade Honey is the perfect shade for a natural-looking highlight, and the massive tub lasts an insane amount of time. I can't sing its praises enough if I tried.
Regardless of the skin tint I’m using, I’m always topping off my makeup with a few swipes of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder. It offers a glow to the face without forcing me to commit to a traditional cream highlighter formula, and it never fails to make my skin look ridiculously radiant.
Stay Cheeky
Blush and bronzer are the crux of any makeup routine, and I fully stand by that. The products below tie my look together and mattify my skin.
This Chanel blush has that quintessential putty texture that cream-to-powder formulas tend to, but it doesn’t lean too far into either category—which is perfect if you want the blurring, mattifying effects of a traditional cheek color formula, with the maleability of a cream. If I want my cheeks to be extra matte, I'll sometimes add my new favorite bronzer for an extra hint of a sunkissed glow.
Not many brands understand bronzer as well as Bobbi Brown does, and this little compact is proof. It has the perfect neutral-golden undertone that makes my skin look naturally bronzed, especially when I lightly swipe some over my blush.
2016 Lips Are Back
Banishing the oils in my skin has also made me want to get back into my matte lip era like it’s 2016 again. As such, I’ve revisited some of my favorite brands like MAC Cosmetics to give me lips that would’ve made college-age me proud.
M.A.C.’s Honeylove lipstick is one of my favorites of all time. A light beige-toned rose, it’s perfect to brighten up my base color and makes my lips look pouty and delicious.
Black Radiance’s Perfect Tone Matte Lip Crème in the shade Hollywood Hot is one of the most perfect peachy-nude lipsticks that I own. A light brown, with an almost mousse-like finish, it’s matte, easy to apply, and stays put for hours on end.
Finish Strong
The final part of my makeup routine for oily skin? A setting spray that keeps even Beyonce’s makeup on in the middle of a rainstorm—another underrated gem.
The aptly-named On ‘TIl Dawn Setting Spray from One Size Beauty is beloved by editors, makeup artists, influencers, and everyday makeup lovers alike. It’s kind of like hairspray for the face, but it keeps my makeup on and locked in, so I’m not complaining.
Another favorite is this Soft Focus Setting Spray from Hourglass. Not only does it keep my makeup in place for hours on end, but the actual spray is such a pleasure to use. It dispenses a fine mist of liquid that feels more like a spa treatment than an actual makeup product.
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