8 Makeup Tricks For Oily Skin

Taking care of oily skin requires skin care products that can cleanse, mattify, and balance—but, what about makeup? No need to worry, we’re sharing eight makeup tricks and tips for oily skin types, ahead.

When it comes to makeup and oily skin, it often feels as though our skin gets a kick out of making our makeup application feel an impossible feat—seriously, is this a joke?! But, jokes on our skin, because we have the ultimate game plan for achieving flawless-looking makeup, sans the added grease and shine. From prepping the skin with the right skin care products beforehand to using a makeup primer to mattifying the complexion and promote long-lasting makeup, keep reading for eight of our best makeup tricks and tips for oily skin types.

Before even going near your makeup bag, you’ll want to focus on your skin care first. Taking care of oily skin calls for products that can give your skin a thorough cleanse and—of course—not add to the grease factor. For this, we like to stick with products that are oil-free and can help keep shine at bay.

Before applying makeup, give your complexion a nice—read: thorough—cleanse with a Clarisonic Smart Profile brush, followed by a pH balancing facial toner and a layer of lightweight, gel-based moisturizer. After you’ve applied your moisturizer, it’s time to protect with a layer of SPF. When it comes to choosing the right sunscreen formula for oily skin, you’ll want to go with one that is specifically formulated for your skin type—such as, this one from Vichy. Once you’ve applied your SPF, you’re ready to prime and prep!

Applying primer to your complexion before makeup application is sort of like bridging the gap between skin care and makeup. Many primers combine skin care and makeup benefits—such as, hydrating and mattifying properties and can help promote longer-lasting makeup, too! When it comes to oily skin types, we look for primers that can mattify the look of the complexion. We share one of our favorites, here.

If you have oily skin, you’ll want to look for oil-free makeup products, just like you would with your skin care products. Oil-free makeup can help you avoid adding more grease and shine to your complexion and—in many cases—can provided a mattifying finish, too.

When you have oily skin, excess shine is inevitable. Luckily, there are ways to reduce the look of greasy skin—without ruining your otherwise flawless makeup look. One of our go-to products for on-the-go oil control is blotting tissue. Blotting tissues can help absorb some of that excess sebum without smudging or smearing your makeup and leave you with a mattified-looking complexion.

Illuminating makeup can be a fun way to jazz up your beauty routine, but if you have oily skin, you might want to avoid using products with added shine (and stick to highlighter on your cheekbones). Shimmering powders and creams can create the illusion of glistening skin—but, when your skin is already glistening, it can be a bit overkill. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of fun—read: colorful—makeup products to choose from!

Speaking of cheekbones—and illuminated makeup products—ditch your shimmering blush and reach for something that has a more mattifying effect. Whether its powder or cream-based, matte blush can help add definition to your cheekbones and reduce the look of glossy greasy cheekbones.

When it comes to applying mattifying powders and foundation to oily skin, we totally get that you want to cover up as much greases as possible—but, doing so could wreak havoc on your skin (i.e. cause your skin to produce more oil) and cause your makeup to look caked on and unnatural-looking. With that being said, you may want to consider reaching for powders and foundations that can offer you the coverage you’re looking for with a lightweight, breathable formula.

When your look is complete, reach for a mattifying setting powder. Setting powder can not only help to seal everything in place, it can soak up any excess oil from your makeup products, too! We recommend carrying the transparent powder in your purse for midday touch-ups when blotting tissues just won’t cut it.