If you love a full-beat, Charlotte Tilbury has you covered with this Airbrush Flawless Matte Foundation. It has a proprietary anti-aging peptide complex to soften, plump, and blur lines, plus moisturizing ingredients to keep skin looking fresh and dewy (but not greasy) all day. The viral base makeup is a favorite because it’s humidity-resistant and completely sweatproof, perfect if you tend to get extra oily on a hot summer day. It’s long-lasting, too, and won’t crease from the minute you put it on in the morning to when you wash it off at night.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to apply foundation for oily skin?
For those of us in a constant battle with acne and oil, there is a list of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind with makeup, and that starts with how your canvas is prepped. Pro makeup artist Raul Otero recommends using an oil-controlling moisturizer and mattifying primer before any makeup application. Not only will it help your makeup last longer but it’ll keep your skin grease-free. Meaning, a grippy makeup primer does just that by gripping foundation to your skin so it won’t melt as the day goes on.
Another pro tip from Ventre, use a mental ‘heat map,’ of your face of where you get oily, and focus in on those areas when applying primer. “Areas around the nose, center of the forehead, upper lip, and chin typically generate more heat and oil, so they require different preparation than the perimeter of the face,” she says.
What foundation ingredients should you look for if you have oily skin?
Get familiar with the ingredients that will deliver the coverage, longevity, and shade you desire. “I look for silicone-based ingredients (like dimethicone) because they do a good job at blurring fine lines and pores,” says Spickard. Additionally, foundations that have oil-absorbing ingredients (like charcoal, silica, or clay), active ingredients (like salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid) to prevent breakouts, and SPF to prevent hyperpigmentation are ideal. For those battling extra-oily skin, Jamie Greenberg, a celebrity makeup artist based in Los Angeles, suggests “formulas that contain silica powder, Moroccan lava clay, and Canadian colloidal clay, [which] are some of the most beneficial.” These ingredients absorb oil and shine, giving skin a matte appearance.
How do you make foundation last on oily skin?
The secret, contrary to popular belief, isn’t to add more powder, says Ventre. “Sebum is constantly mixing with foundation throughout the day. As those oils begin changing the balance of the formula, foundation naturally starts separating,” she says. Instead, focus on blotting the formula into the skin and follow with a light layer of powder and a good setting spray, like the Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray, or the One/Size Oil Sucker Blotting Spray.
How we evaluated foundations for oily skin
We started by taking a look at ingredients, textures, and longevity in expert-recommended foundations. The ones we landed on featured oil-absorbing ingredients and hydrating additives that did a good job of soaking up oil without leaving our skin stripped or dry. We also found foundations that had lightweight and non-cakey textures that still provided the coverage we wanted without making our skin look heavy and greasy. Our top picks also lasted all day long and didn’t crease, crack, or break down throughout the day.
