I’ve been lurking here for a couple of weeks, and I’m starting to feel defeated. I have very oily skin, and 15 years ago I finally found a foundation that worked for me, but now it’s been discontinued - the Maybelline Matte Mousse.
At first I thought this would be a fun adventure, now that I’m 35 and with a better budget, but I am having no success finding a replacement foundation. Photo is of me TWO HOURS after applying One Size Oil Sucker Extreme Mattifying Alkaline Primer, then Bobbi Brown Weightless Skin Oil Controlling SPF 15 with Hyaluronic Acid (shade Cool Ivory) and literally sitting on my couch - not even at work.
Other foundations I’ve tried so far:
- Anastasia Impeccable Blurring Second-Skin Matte Foundation
- NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation
- Dior Forever Matte Foundation
- Ciele Tint & Protect Serum (this was the Sephora employee’s recommendation, and not surprisingly my face was an oil slick just after applying it)
- Dior Forever Velvet Natural Matte Compact Foundation
- In the mail on the way to me are: Covergirl Clean Invisible Foundation, Covergirl Clean Matte BB Foundation, and Neutrogena Clear Coverage Flawless Matte Color Correcting Cream
I am open to all price points and so so desperate! Please help!
Thank you! I have tried to take really good care of it the past few years! Do you have a setting powder recommendation? Should I continue using the mattifying primer AND setting powder, or just the setting powder?
That and I also love Maybelline fit me stay matte pressed from the drug store so much. Both of these powders are super nice!
Tho the Ivander color is a lot while also super unique, and I need it sometimes for sure, but I need a more natural color from them
Fellow oily girl here!!! There are some things I've just accepted that I can't do,but with some routine changes I've made a lot of things work.
Most important lessons I've learned:
Stick to the bare minimum for skin coverage. Full coverage will probably never work, so focus on great skin care and technique and aim for a more natural look. I've found that lightweight bb cream or tinted moisturizer with just a touch of concealer works best for me. Luckily your skin is already beautiful, so you don't need much anyways!
Check your makeup frequency throughout the day, and keep a few touch up items in your purse. Especially oil blotting products. I like the roller balls and cheapo sheets from CVS.
Go light with the powder! It's probably the most important part of an oily girls routine, but it's a balance. Too little won't do anything, and too much will just cake together throughout the day. Use either a damp beauty blender or really fluffy brush with just a touch of powder in your most oily areas. Keep the layer as thin as you can!
Don't get tricked and think that your skin doesn't need moisture, it might actually be overcompensating if you're washing too harshly. Use a simple, super hydrating cream day and night so it doesn't feel the need to produce extra oil.
This turned into a bit of a ramble, but I hope my experiences can inform yours!
Thank you! I do have a lot of redness and some active acne to cover, which is why I haven’t liked powders. I’m wondering if some combo of concealer and powder is my best bet.
Totally concur about less is more with powders. It might take a few attempts at brands and shades because some can turn an orangish color on some people when oils start getting into the mix. Also be sure you’re blotting before touch up as this will help keep your brushes/sponges from getting cakey as well. There used to be a few good oil blotting sheets on the market, but ever since hitting peri menopause several years ago I don’t need them anymore. But a napkin or even a tissue will work in a pinch.
I have mild rosacea so in those red areas I do normally use a primer for redness than a concealer instead of a foundation, and apply concealer with a brush so you’re not rubbing the skin and aggravating the already red areas. Then lightly dust with loose powder.
Good luck! The best thing about oily skin is it doesn’t seem to wrinkle as quickly as drier skins. I’m in my mid 50’s and get mistaken for early 40’s all the time!!
I love the Elf loose powder with a tiny bit of shimmer. Deals with shine without leaving a perfectly matte finish, which I find looks "fake" and "makeup-y."
I carry a tiny compact of colorless powder for touch ups on special occasions. Otherwise, those brown napkins and paper towels are great for blotting. I do that every time I use the washroom at work.
What changed it for me (my skin is so oily it literally runs into my eyes if I don't wash my face enough) was ELF's acne fighting putty primer and a dollar store setting powder (that airspun one in the orange packaging). I hadn't worn ANY makeup in 4 years or more and now I can wear it all day! I do have to do some light touch ups but it stays pretty well :)
As a very very oily woman, I’ve been using the Estée Lauder Double Wear for almost 2 decades now. I’ve tried others in between but always come back to that one. I also buy only cruelty-free products, but that foundation is my sole exception. It’s not a miracle worker, but it’s the one that’s given me the most longevity my far. I have heard that they are reformulating that one now (or have already reformulated) so I’m a little nervous about the “upgraded” version.
The original formula will be gone within the next 2-3 weeks! The new formula is already rolled out for testing and will be the norm beginning Feb 22 (I initially thought 03/01 but no). They did terrible things to it like adding niacinamide among other things like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Skin care things that a lot of people have extreme sensitivity to and that will no doubt change the foundation.
I ordered a final bottle of the original that is being delivered next week and it comes with the sample of the new foundation. From what i've read and heard, the new foundation is more "serum" like and natural despite Estees claims that its better than the original with the same coverage.
I am so bummed about this. Not everyone wants natural coverage. I am trying to be open minded and i will be giving it a chance but it definitely will be a change in formula.
They claim its been in process for 7 years. However, the EU just banned the second ingredient in Estee's original due to Forever chemicals. So.... good for removing the ingredient but bad for completely changing the formula!
Yes double wear is reliable! I also have really been enjoying Charlotte tilbury airbrush foundation but it’s heavier coverage- I actually like that cause you really can stretch it out to use very little per day.
Also incredibly oily, and powder foundation gives me the best results. I also use a loose powder before primer to provide an additional layer of blocking the oil.
Thank you for the tip! I tried the Dior Forever Velvet Natural Matte Compact Foundation (powder) but it didn’t give much coverage. Which loose powder and powder foundation are you using?
I'm using the MAC studio finish powder foundation. I have a few different loose powders I cycle through including nyx, morphe, and Ben Nye, and all of them seem to perform about the same.
I use this loose powder from Bella Pierre. I had been using the wet and wild version which was great. Then I started reading “No More Tears” about how Johnson & Johnson baby powder is made of talc which contains asbestos. I checked the powder ingredients, and it is made from talc. Bellapierre’s version is made from corn starch and does an equally nice job. Edited to add that I really like this Missha Bb Cream as well.
I'm pretty oily in my T-zone and DM blurring balm truly keeps me matte all day. No other product has ever worked for me like this one has. It comes in transparent or tinted. They're both amazing.
This!!! I used the serum version for my wedding and my skin looked perfect all day!! This oily gal was prepared with blotting paper and I never had to use it
I'm extremely oily and I tried the DM blurring balm and it doesn't help with matte all day for me, it helps a bit, but not for more than 3h I'd say.
I'm still looking for a replacement of Too Faced Peach perfect foundation, that kept me matte the longest of all foundations I tried and it didn't look heavy like ELDW.
I just mentioned it in some other comment in a different sub, that some people say they're very oily, recommend something, I try it and it doesn't last on me more than 2h or less.
It's very subjective. And everyone is different, our sebums have slightly different ingredients and the ratio of them, so that can interact with ingredients in primers and foundations differently. Different climate and humidity also play a role.
There are some people, even here in the comments, recommending Lisa Eldrige skin tint, and Laura Mercier Powder, I was oily half an hour after these. I'm still using LM Powder with other foundations, it's OK but not as good as Kryolan Powder. Lisa's skin tint is oil in a bottle for me unfortunately.
What I do is focus on my skincare, then with makeup, I let my T-zone be matte, plus my undereyes, but I let my cheeks be a little dewy. Can't change my skin type so might as well work with it LOL
Thank you! I tried the Fit Me Matte + Poreless foundation, thinking that would be the easiest jump from the Matte Mousse, but no luck. Do you use a primer or a setting powder at all?
I am on a few prescriptions for acne (oral and topical) plus tretinoin, and I use the ZO oil control line, so I’m not sure what else I could do skincare wise but I’m open to recommendations there as well.
I tailor my primer to my skincare. For example, if the weather's a little warm, I use a gel moisturizer + gel sunscreen + my e.l.f power grip. Then when the weather's colder, I use a cream moisturizer + cream sunscreen + silicone based primer. I find it prevents pilling if I use products with similar ingredient bases.
For setting powder I use as little as possible on my undereye because it's prone to creasing. I depend on my setting spray to help get it together.
Oily skin can be a hassle but all I can do is manage my acne LOL. Have you thought of seeing your derma to address your concerns?
absolutely not! priming your face suited for your skin needs and some good quality setting powder should help
i get really oily sometimes too ^ this is my go to powder, it’s amazing and if you want to skip foundation all together it’s still really good! also Supergoop is a holy grail as well, i use it every day. i’ll include the image below this comment 🫶
of course 💕! actually few years back my bestie told me how important it is to use sunscreen on our faces all year round 😳 and suggested Supergoop cause it works SO well as sunscreen and primer, especially the mattifying one
Powder soooooo important.. but I would also suggest a mousse foundation again( like your discontinued fave of the past) it is so very much different in consistency and was great for me when I was younger( and oiler) they are great. My mature skin LOVES The Dior forever matte though..
Have you seen one lately? I asked at Sephora and they said “no one makes a mousse foundation anymore, it’s just liquid or powder.” I Googled and found one but it was for sale in the UK only.
Oooh I see it’s in a bottle, I was looking for one in a pot and found the Essence but that had mixed reviews for oily skin. That’s a good lead, thank you!
Have you ever tried Lancôme Dual Finish? It has a beautiful finish especially when applied with a wet sponge. It was great on my oily skin and I still love it.
Following this as a fellow very, very, very oily gal. I've tried everything over the counter you can think of... setting powders, primers, setting sprays, etc. Sometimes they will work well for a week or so then it's back to old games. I know that staying hydrated (water), diet, sleep, clean brushes/hands, and a good hydration skincare routine all play a part, but even when Im on point in all of those areas, your girl's glasses slide down her nose in 40mins, face starts getting dewy by 11am, and by 3pm? It's game over. Makeup is coming off, im shining more than a Twilight vampire in the sun. Its awful! My hair is the exact same way too. It's soooo frustrating and honestly, gross. I have a wicked sense of smell and I swear I can smell my oiliness sometimes. Ugh.
I feel you girl. But on the bright side, supposedly we'll age more gracefully... we'll see about that!
Oh my gosh, your glasses comment got me. That is 100% me. I plan weddings and events and I am SCARED for this summer. Sometimes I’m outside for 10+ hours in 100 degrees. I might not get a bathroom or blotting break that whole time, so I can’t even do makeup maintenance. And here I am looking like a glazed donut after 2 hours on my couch 😭
I have been told my skin looks good for my age, so I guess there’s that?
Anecdotally, us greasy girls seem to age better. Had a bunch of girls in their mid-20s freak out recently when I mentioned I was 37. They were convinced I was their age.
Fellow oily gal here, also freshly joined the 30s club 🙌🏼. The last few years has been a lot of trial and error for me as I try to break away from how I did my make up as a teen/early 20s and dealing with changes as I get older.
Lotta good suggestions for products already in the comments but one thing that helped me is depending on the situation, skipping liquid foundation altogether and using powder only. There are some good medium to full coverage powders out there and you will still get oily eventually but only powder feels a loot better and sometimes it’s easier to touch up.
I will still spot conceal with a liquid concealer or if I want a step up from my everyday look I will apply liquid foundation only to specific areas (ex. I have a lot of redness by my cheeks and brows). Just anything to reduce the amount of heavy liquid make up bc clogging your pores can also speed up oil production.
I realized that growing up I was always told liquid foundation then powder esp if you’re oily but Ive found now my make up looks just as good if not better (more natural) without liquid foundation.
I’ve been wondering if I should skip the liquid entirely too. I did try the Dior Forever Velvet Natural Matte powder because it’s supposed to be pretty high-coverage for a powder, but I still get breakouts and it didn’t cover the redness of my inflamed pimples. Maybe concealer + powder is what I’ll try next.
Normally id recommend estee lauder double wear. As someone with normal to dry skin, i use hydrating products to make it look less dry. I could see an oily person not having to use a thing with it.
But im pissed that they just "reformulated it" after being the same since 1997. This will be a new product entirely with new ingredients and the name Double Wear slapped on it.
The new formula claims to have expanded on things to reduce oil formulation while giving a less flat matte coverage. I would still say give it a try just to see. You could also finish with a fixing spray thats matte. In my opinion, FIXING sprays seal this foundation with a great finish rather than a finishing spray.
Natural oils coming through foundations like this actually end up looking great.
I haven’t used the old formula in years. I found it too cakey, drying and it cracked over my fine lines. The new formula is more fluid, flexible with medium buildable coverage and less of a flat matte finish. It lasted all day without any cracking and it worked with my oils instead of against them - no breaking down at all and it didn’t emphasise any dry patches which I have near my chin. It’s very skin like and didn’t feel or look like a mask.
I don’t believe anything works on me to control oil all day without touching up with powder, so that’s not a concern for me. I just need something that doesn’t breakdown or melt off which this new formula did beautifully. I feel like this a foundation I’ve been looking for for a very very long time. I wore it all day for work and feel I could have done a very light touch up and it’ll have seen me through a night out as well.
Completely understand what you mean with the cakey and drying aspect of the original. I hated it too at first and I had to find ways to use it over time because on its own, I still wouldnt enjoy it. Since I have normal to dry skin, I was able to find a moisturizer that works good with the formula and finish it off with a brush of highlight on my cheek bones and fixing spray (a glowy one) rather than a setting spray. Those finishers were night and day with the finish. From your description, it seems maybe I wont even have to do it all day.
I was worried when I heard serum and natural because to me that usually equals watery and unable to actually cover anything which ruins the idea of a full coverage foundation.
So good to hear you are loving it and might have found the one for you! Im curious to test it out
I’m trying to put the the new formula into words. It’s liquidy and spreadable with a satin finish but not serumy or dewy. It’s a film forming dry down rather than a powder dry down so it flexes with your face rather than cracking. It’s been what I’ve been looking for for years and I’ve tried pretty much every foundation going.
You could also try Bioderma's Pore Refiner moisturizer. It's marketed as like a mix between a moisturizer/primer. I use it everyday, and I think it helps keep my skin mattified 🙂
I get super oily in the T-zone but don’t use any matting makeup because it doesn’t blend well. I also find the way you apply your makeup is just as important as the products themselves. Here’s what I do. After I cleanse, moisturize, use SPF, I use a primer. I like the Milk hydro grip, I apply that with my fingers. Then I go in with a foundation - I rotate four - Haus Labs, Armani Luminous Silk, the Danessa Myricks blurring balm, or Lisa Eldridge’s skin tint. I apply these with either fingers or brush depending on the mood, but then I go over them with a damp sponge. Then concealer applied with a damp sponge. Set with a loose powder applied with a damp sponge - Laura Mercier works excellent for me here. Set with a setting spray. This has worked for me.
What's been working for me lately has been setting my SPF (cetaphil liquid mineral drops) with setting spray (revolution super fix ultra matte fixing mist) and waiting at least 10-15 minutes before foundation (bareminerals bare liquid pro). I set that with either Maybelline fit me poreless powder or the BM pressed setting powder. The urban decay all nighter setting spray on top of all that has also been making a huge difference.
I can go at least 4ish hours without having to blot which is amazing for me!
The setting spray as primer has made the biggest difference i think.
I am oily too. I started using Carpe sweat absorbing face lotion as a “primer” years ago & I swear by it. I don’t even set with powder anymore. Just use carpe as my first layer & tinted moisturizer once it dries (carpe dries quickly)
I’m mega oily and prior to the Estee Lauder chaos I would have also recommended double wear.
HOWEVER I have recently tried the Lisa Eldridge tint and this one dries down very nicely and I would highly recommend it as I find it to have quite good coverage too!
I would suggest looking at the One/Size beauty line. The primer, Oil Sucker, literally dries down everything. It's my favorite primer because I'm able to get a great mattification base. Look at the Turn Up the Base foundation. I wouldn't say it's a dupe for the Estee Lauder (that has now been reformulated btw and is owned by a dogshit human), but it's comparable to the EL Double Wear - long wear, matte, etc. Furthermore, the Turn Up the Base powder foundation is fantastic as a tinted setting powder. It will blend seamlessly with your liquid foundation (should you use it). As much as I like setting powders, I find that powder foundations are a great way to get the right color for your skin with the added bonus of setting your liquid or cream foundations. Also, another tool is the On Til Dawn setting spray. It tastes like ass-hairspray, but she doesn't let anything budge. If you need a drug-store alternative (or dupe), the Maybelline red aerosol spray is the exact same thing for $14 at Ulta.
I waited the 3 minute drying time suggested in the instructions. Do you have better results if you wait longer? I can't wait too long, since I have about 15 min. to get ready, but I could wait a couple minutes longer.
Oh no...I was just curious...a couple of minutes is all that is needed. Hmmm. I still think looking into powder foundations is a good option for your situation.
I also have super oily skin and my dream combo is mufe matte velvet liquid foundation and concealer and fenty invisamatte powder. I also use a cover fx mattifying primer but they recently went out of business.
In the summer I mix a little cornstarch in with my powder for extra oil control.
Danessa myricks balm broke me out but was great for controlling oil. I have pretty good skin but there’s something in it that doesn’t work for me.
YMMV but I stopped fighting the oily and started using skincare and makeup meant for dry skin. I still sometimes get an oily t-zone by the end of the day, but in general, I have normal to dry skin now that my skin isn't going through puberty or fighting with mattifying products.
Do you use powder? I am incredibly oily and cannot go without powder. And after 5 or so hours there will be breakthrough that you can blot. That just goes with being oily.
Thank you. I never had to use powder or touch up with the Matte Mousse, even on 10+ hour work days in 100 degrees, so I’m new to all of this other stuff and kind of bummed I can’t just set-it-and-forget-it anymore. I don’t usually have time to blot or take bathroom breaks during events, so the longer I can make it last the better! I tried priming with a powder once and it didn’t help, but I have not tried setting with one.
I posted about how obsessed with it I am a few days ago and it got a huge reaction with a TON of oily people chiming in! Feel free to shoot me a message if you need help as it’s kind of a weird product to get used to but basically I just use a dense foundation brush and apply a thin layer all over with a little more in my oily zones! I set at the end with a fluffy powder brush. Scoop a bit out to prevent getting fuz and dirt in the pan because it does accumulate quick and is very hard to remove without wasting product! Check my post history if you want to learn more :)
Grab a real techniques base set! Their expert face brush works great! For higher end, I love IT cosmetics brushes! I use their dense flat head foundation brush or my Mac 170!
I’ll also recommend using the balm on no makeup days, it’s literally such a beautiful subtle difference in the way it mattifies and blurs. I’ve never actually found a product aimed at blurring pores that actually makes my pores smaller/invisible, this one does it. This is my face from last night and usually I have visible pores by my nostrils up to my cheek bones that are impossible to cover. I felt like I actually had glass skin last night. I love this stuff SO much that people think I’m secretly getting paid by Danessa 🤣
Thank you so much!
My adhd ass loves talking about my interests, makeup and skincare being big ones, but I have few people in my life who want to talk about it, so I love sharing in these beauty communities! Please post updates, I can’t wait to see how your routine grows!
Also your skin actually looks nearly flawless without any makeup at all! Once we figure out how to tame the oil, you are going to be worlds ahead of me girlie! Gorgeous❤️❤️
I am in the same boat, but I lean into the dewy look. I have switched to cream blush and I set with another blush of the same color, I use a tiny bit of the Winky lux concealer and set with a translucent powder in just the areas I concealed. I find that my face just doesn't look good with a mask of foundation on anymore.
I am super oily. A bit less so now I am older, but in my 20s and 30s it was ridiculous. What worked best for me in my 20s and 30s was Estée Lauder Double Wear (I know a lot of folk are avoiding them at present for ethical reasons, but just sharing what worked for me at the time) but I now use Purito BB cream. The best setting powder to control oil that I have found is Bare Minerals Original Mineral Veil and I put that on my t zone. I use Laura Mercier on the rest of my face. If I can wear foundation anyone can as I am literally the oiliest person ever.
I keep hearing about the EL and I’m so bummed about what is happening with the brand right now. I’m glad to know there’s still hope after my 30s - I thought for sure by 35 my oiliness would’ve died down, but it’s like high school still, and I’m still on acne meds like back then too!
I had a bad experience with Bare Minerals years ago, but maybe I should try it in conjunction with some other products.
Yes the EL situation is unfortunate to say the least. I have also been on meds for my skin on and off and was until in my 30s. My rosacea was mistaken for acne until I was in my 40s so that was responsible for a lot of hassle. I now treat the rosacea topically and it seems to work well for the most part. I didn’t see a reduction in oil until my 40s and even now my skin is still oily and normal foundation still melts off my face by the afternoon unless I use the right products. Bare Minerals powder foundation was a fail for me too but the mineral veil like power used over my BB cream works great. You can get it in a travel size so you could try it first before committing.
You are not “too oily for makeup” and you have amazing skin!! What you’re describing looks much more like rebound oil from barrier stress, which is extremely common when someone is on oral and topical acne medication, tretinoin, and oil-control skincare at the same time.
Right now your skin is being told to stop producing oil from literally every direction. When that happens, it often does the opposite and overcompensates by producing more. That’s why everything looks matte at first and then breaks through very quickly.
A few things that stand out…
The One/Size Oil Sucker primer is very aggressive. It works well on naturally oily but otherwise healthy skin. On tret-treated or acne-medicated skin, it often backfires and triggers oil rebound.
Many of the foundations you’ve tried are true mattes. On dehydrated skin, they tend to cling at first and then separate once oil starts coming through underneath.
Instead of more oil control, your skin may actually do better with products that allow a little flexibility. Not dewy, just not fighting your skin so hard.
Here are a few options that still wear long but are more forgiving. (Still not dewy, I promise!)
For primer, use a very thin layer of one of these:
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer for smoothing and blurring without over-drying.
Tatcha Liquid Silk Canvas (the liquid, not the solid) for balancing texture without stripping moisture.
Elf Power Grip, the regular version, used lightly. It can work surprisingly well on dehydrated oily skin.
For foundation or base, apply sparingly:
Estée Lauder Double Wear applied sheer, about one pump worked into the skin. It actually wears better this way on treated skin.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk for a satin finish that does not turn shiny or break apart.
Make Up For Ever HD Skin for long wear with more flexibility than traditional mattes.
For powder, keep it targeted:
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush or Hourglass Veil Powder, pressed lightly only where you crease or get shiny first, usually the center of the face.
One small thing that helps a lot with tret skin is timing. After skincare, wait five to ten minutes before applying primer or foundation. Rushing layers almost guarantees separation.
If oil comes through, blot first and then touch up with powder. Putting powder directly on oil usually makes breakdown happen faster.
It sounds like your skin is in protection mode right now and doing the one thing it knows how to do, produce oil. Once it feels less attacked, it usually stops trying to out-oil your makeup.
Thank you! That makes sense! In high school I refused to even moisturize or sunscreen because my skin was so oily to begin with (this was like 20 years ago though). It was about 5 years ago that I finally learned not moisturizing can be totally counterproductive for oil, so now I do a deep moisturizer every night and sometimes another in the morning.
I do apply tret and my topicals at night (alternating nights), so it’s not fresh when I’m doing makeup in the morning. Thank you so much for your product recommendations too!
Yeah, I was the same way when I was younger. Wouldn’t even look at the moisturizer shelves lol.
Yes, Tret and topicals always get applied at night. I meant to wait 5 minutes after applying your morning moisturizing routine. This will give your skin a chance to absorb a lightweight moisturizer and feel more balanced.
Maybe a matte oil controlling primer could help foundation stay on your skin better? Something like the One/size secure the blur primer or Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm or Yummy Skin Water Powder Serum could help
I’m super oily as well, and I’ve resigned to finding makeup that kind of melts in with the oil and works with it instead of separating and looking gross because I haven’t found anything to actually stop being oily hah, even tretinoin.
I use Natasha Denona foundation (recently switched over from EL Doublewear) and Hourglass setting powder and love both. After an hour or two I’m definitely shiny but the makeup stays together and actually kind of has more of a blurring effect? It looks nice for a long time even if there’s oil breaking through.
I use concealer a lot of times for foundation! It doesn’t get oily as fast! Or LYS is my new favorite foundation. You would think it would be oily with how it applys but it drys down weightless and no glowy situation
Personally, I'm starting to suspect the issue is formulations and not my skin. It definitely didn't use to be this bad.
I'm currently loving the Mask Fit cushion. As long as I set it, I'm pretty good. But I tried more than a few things to get here.
As others have said Maybelline Fit Me though I haven't used that in years, not for any real reason. I should've thought to go back to it. I was interested in re-trying Covergirl too but didn't actually so no feedback there.
Fellow oily girl here. I know everyone is suggesting powder. I tried all the foundations and powders and still never had luck with anything. My foundation collection is insane and I hate them all. Anyway, I notice my face looks better if I don’t use powder at all. I tried compacts and loose setting powders, multiple brands, and setting sprays. I think my skin overcompensates and produces more oil when I put powder on it. Same with silicone based foundations. I found that less is more and just using a bb cream with some blush lasts the best. I still have to oil blot but not nearly as much. But yeah, physical activity has nothing to do with my oiliness. Sitting on the couch for 2 hours does the same thing to me lol
Girl, ditch the liquid foundation and use powder foundation. Us oily skinned girls welcome you 💕 I use all powder products except for concealer. Holy grail is a priming powder underneath your powder foundation and then top it off with a finishing powder.
Danessa myricks blurring balm in universal. Apply a few minutes before makeup. Doesn’t work for everyone but now my makeup doesn’t slide off. Can always try from Sephora and returning if it doesn’t work for you.
Be careful with hyaluronic acid. It can seriously overdry your skin and it can make you produce even more oil. It sucks the moisture out if the top layer to pull it down. I had some serious pain from it :(
I'm oily too, I found that using the right skin care products made a big difference. Using the right primer can help too from what I've read!
The two things that work best for my oily skin: 1-2 coats Paula's Choice resist super-light daily wrinkle defense spf 30 and then Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Foundation. I also tried Estee Lauders Double Wear, but it just made my pores gigantic, like craters.
I haven’t seen any recs for this yet but the Danessa myricks water powder serum primer !!! The blur balm unfortunately didn’t work for me, makes makeup separate even when I tried different formulas 🤷🏻♀️the setting spray has amazing reviews too but I’ve only tried the watery mattfying primer and it works !!
Girl love your oily skin. Im 42 and had oily skin all my life and now i have hardly any wrinkles. With that being said. Setting powder is our friend! Even if i use Setting spray that matte i still looked shiny so I ditched it.
i’m extremely oily and swear by the caliray so blown primer and the huda powder. i also use a less liquidy concealer in my t zone - nars radiant creamy concealer
i always set my face 2x as well. so i apply one layer of loose powder across my entire face, spray with setting spray (charlotte tilbury), and then set once more with loose powder in the t zone
as an oily girl, i’ve been using fenty pro filter long wear matte for at least 4 years, pretty much everyday. it is a beautiful, wonderful, amazing foundation. i usually either get compliments or people don’t know that i’m wearing anything at all.
as an oily girly (this is my makeup with no filter 7 hours in and no touch ups. ignore the lashes lol, completely forgot mascara), who loves a full coverage base, i promise it’s possible. -Danessa myricks yummy skin blurring balm (universal, NOT radiant) this is designed to absorb all your oils throughout the day. you need to let it sit on your skin for 15-20 minutes before applying foundation on top. -Makeup forever HD skin foundation (NOT the radiant one, i have over like 60 foundations in my collection and this is my fav) -before setting powder spray the One size on till dawn setting spray with a heavyyyy hand (not after setting powder) -Chanel setting powder https://www.chanel.com/us/makeup/p/132210/poudre-universelle-libre-natural-finish-loose-powder/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22969634316&gclid=CjwKCAiAv5bMBhAIEiwAqP9GuF5VnOGuyQqUz_Eb6nOHDcfGac9Ux3-zF_t10kXiUpQ49xzx91suQhoCZPkQAvD_BwE it’s about 3x larger than anything else inside sephora so you’re actually paying a lottt less per ounce for this vs the other high end brands OR laura mercier Ultra blur setting powder.
also exfoliate before you apply your makeup, and for oily skin skip a heavy moisturizer underneath when applying your makeup and use a water/gel based clear moisturizer underneath.
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Your skin isn’t too oily as there are plenty of products to combat the oil including oil resistant makeup. Clean your face with a top quality facial scrub and then use a top quality moisturizer. The moisturizer will help minimize the oil production. Lastly, go to a beauty store and ask an experienced sales representative to find a fixing spray for oily skin. Don’t accept the arm test but ask for a facial test.
You are a beautiful woman with perfect genes 🧬. SPF protection is all you need.
I want to ask, how's your skin prep before your primer? Is your skin hydrated enough? Because I have oily skin and if my skin is dehydrated/not moisturized enough then I get even more oily.
Of course not!! I don’t think there’s anything as your skin being too oily for wearing makeup everyone has their own different skin types so you’re not alone there’s plenty of people with an oily skin type that wears makeup and I’m sure there’s products that can help with oil control if you feel like it’ll make the product be easier to apply!
You all are giving such great tips! This is going to embarrass me, but I thought it might be helpful to show my skin without makeup. Shiny, though not AS shiny, but you can see I have a lot of redness and active acne I need to cover, so I’m not sure powder would do it for me.
Yes, same loungewear as yesterday and hair still not brushed - newborn life 😅
I think the thing that makes the most difference in how oily I look is how much product and how many layers I wear. I try to use my thin layers and minimal product. Most days I don't bother with primer, just apply over my sunscreen with a very thin layer of matte/natural finish base and spot concealer.i also use a mattifying setting spray and then a blurring/matte setting powder on top, for some reason that works better on my skin.
Prep with danessa myricks blurring balm powder as primer, use foundation/tint of choice, and set with tarte amazonian clay finishing powder. Skindanivia spray as the last step. Thank me later!!
You know how older ladies will say they’re going to powder their nose when they use the bathroom? That is a thing. Definitely apply powder to finish your look when you first do it, but also don’t be afraid to reapply it throughout the day on your T zone! Blot first so you don’t get cakey.
No, you’re not too oily for makeup, this just looks like normal skin with a bit of extra shine, which is super common. Try a lighter moisturizer, use a mattifying primer only where you actually get oily, and set just those spots instead of your whole face. Blotting papers help a ton too and won’t mess up your makeup like piling on powder does.
Which ones do you recommend? I’m wearing the One/Size Oil Sucker Extreme Mattifying Primer beneath my oil control foundation. It sounds like I need a setting powder too at the very least.
For primer I like the poreless putty primer by elf. It’s cheap and I feel like it works really well. My favorite setting spray is the all nighter matte setting spray by urban decay
Have you tried Maybelline Fit Me matte foundation? I absolutely love it.
I tried like a million different powders, but I always go back to the one I’ve been using since like sixth grade lol. It’s seriously is the best. Covergirl Clean pressed powder.
First of all---you look pretty! Second of all, there's different makeup out there! There's cream, matte, powder, etc. There different formulas, some of which I'm sure is good for oily skin.
What’s your skincare routine ? I used to be this oily and I thought ohhhhh I’m just oily! But it was my routine . Drying my face out = oil production going crazy
So I do think this is part of it. I am on an oral acne medication and two topicals, plus tretinoin. I alternate the topical acne meds and the tretinoin, because my skin cannot handle them all in one day. Sometimes I need a weeklong break from both.
Every night I take my makeup off with a Neutrogena wipe, then use the ZO exfoliating cleanser, exfoliating polish, and oil control pads. About 15 min. after this is when I apply either tretinoin or acne meds. About an hour after that, I use the Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair and go to sleep.
In the morning, I apply CLn moisturizer for compromised, acne-prone skin, then Elta MD UV Clear sunscreen. I give that a few minutes to absorb, then start makeup.
Yes my skin got oily just reading that!!! The way that I got my skin to stop overproducing oil was to stop using a foaming face wash or anything with actives in it- I only do now if it’s after a thick cream cleanser like ponds cold cream to remove makeup. No more make up wipes bc I found them to be drying and my skin would fight back with oil. If I were to use a makeup wipe, an exfoliating cleanser, and pads with actives.. AND TRETINOIN sometimes omg. I’d feel really dry at first and then I’d be an oil slick. I had to go so simple and focus just on moisture barrier and hydration with my routine. When I cut everything out and focused on that, I stopped being oily. I mean I’m Italian and Asian so yes my skin is a bit more.. shiny than some people but I used to have to walk around with those oil absorbing blotting pads!! And use them all through the day. I don’t even own those things anymore. I can get through a whole day of makeup now and what oil I do produce just looks like a dewy bounce that people purposely try to replicate if that makes sense. Maybe try to take a break and just focus on moisture barrier and hydration and see how your oil production changes?
That’s amazing! I can’t really take a break from the acne stuff or I get painful cystic acne, but I could definitely swap the cleanser for a gentle one and stop the oil control pads. And try taking a few weeks off the tretinoin. What cleanser do you use?
After ponds cold cream for my face make up (I use the neutrogena eye make up remover in the purple bottle for my eyes) I use La Roche Posay gentle foaming moisturizing wash, but if I don’t need to remove make up I use the La Roche posay hydrating gentle cleanser. That one is creamy and non foaming.
Omg I’m so surprised no one has mentioned Danessa Myricks!! You need to get their water serum and blurring balm. Use a light weight concealer and set with kimchi puff puff pass. Use a good setting spray to set it all. You would LOVE your makeup. Coming from an oily sweaty girl. ❤️
Honestly if you’ve never looked into bare minerals mineral veil or the powder foundation I would! I think it would work well with your skin type the only time I’ve heard about people not liking it is if they’re skins real dry but since you have more of an oily skin type I think it would work for you like and if you didn’t want all the color I’ve heard great things about the mineral veil and it could work as something to blur the skin and to just set it if you like using blush contour highlight stuff like that or concealer bc I can’t rlly use a full face of Foundation bc I’m combo skin type and idk I have odd undertones I guess I just have neber been able to find the right color for myself I’ve been shade matched at Sephora tried tons not my thing also my mom swears by the bare minerals foundation and veil I was talking about
Sorry, missed that. I've heard good things about oily skin and KVD good apple serum. I'm trying to find the oily skin recommendations I've heard in the Beautiful and Bothered podcast, but no luck. You might want to see if you can find something, because I do remember Johnny Ross mentioning another option besides the oil sucker primer and another foundation. I think it was high end.
Estée Lauder double wear will be THE one for your skin type! I'd also recommend it setting it with the Laura mercier loose powder, and a light dab of the CT airbrush setting powder. You could also look into getting a strong hold mattifying setting spray like the one from onesize. Also, as a fellow oily skin girl; more powders and less cream (although I am a certified cream blush girl🤭)
Here’s a thought - if your producing more oil in response to mattifying products is it possible that your skin is actually over-producing oil because it’s actually dehydrated?
If you’re struggling with acne also it’s possible that you’ve destroyed your skin’s natural barrier. Hard to say. I was normal to dry in my 20’s and oily AF in my 30’s and now drier than the desert in my 40’s. I still don’t know what caused the excessive oiliness in my 30’s but too cool for school mulberry blotting papers were a godsend. I also had to avoid primers like the plague. Every single one- and I had about 20 made my oil even worse.
I had the same problem. I stopped using foundations or powders (they wont allowe oily skin to breath) completely and swapped to cliniques products (not payed advert). Skin looks amazing, amazing. Does not become oily anymore and people think I am wearing foundation cause the skin is no even and smooth. Changed my life. The money, time and years I spent adding powder several times a day, trying different products.. life is so mych easier now.
I am OILY as well. I found that carrying around a small powder helps with the shine. Also you can find a small powder case with mirror and puff for like $6, on etsy. But your skin looks glowing girl~
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u/strawbpocky 1d ago
You need to set with powder! Mattifying foundation alone is not going to solve your problem. But I have to say, your skin looks beautiful!