A primer might seem like an added step in a complicated routine—but a primer for oily skin can help keep excess shine at bay, allow makeup to last all day, and protect delicate skin from pore-clogging ingredients. Here’s everything you need to know about the best makeup primers for oily skin.
Oily skin can not only be annoying to manage, it can be emotionally defeating. Constantly attempting to control excessive oil, while also trialing countless products that promise to stop excess shine in its tracks can take a toll. But oily skin isn’t all bad. Afterall, oily skin is associated with youthfulness—it likely will age with less pronounced fine lines and wrinkles due to the skin’s natural moisture levels.
The key to thriving with oily skin is balancing exfoliation (using the right exfoliant) with hydration (using the right moisturizer). Another endlessly helpful tool in your oily skin arsenal is an under-celebrated choice: a primer. Choosing the right primer can help keep oil at bay, while also providing skin with a smooth, matte appearance. From the best primer for oily skin to tips for balancing pores, here is your primer on the best primers for oily skin.
Do Primers Work?
In the worthwhile search to minimize your daily makeup and skincare routine, it might be tempting to skip a primer altogether, but the multitasking product deserves a place in your arsenal. This is especially true for those with combination to oily skin. A primer for oily skin is designed to be applied underneath makeup for oily skin and is multipurpose. It can create a base for long-lasting makeup, act as a barrier between pore-clogging makeup formulations and your skin, and add skin-benefiting boosts (like hydrating or mattifying). This is why the best makeup primer for oily skin is particularly great: it can not only extend the life of your makeup products, but also manage oil and prevent excessive shine. A win/win/win scenario.
The Best Primers for Oily Skin
The best face primers for oily skin are not only helpful to keep makeup in place, but they can also act as a shield between your delicate skin and irritating makeup, which is helpful for almost all skin types, including sensitive and oily. What is the best primer for oily skin? A primer you enjoy using! However, uncovering your ideal formula can be a tricky task as there are countless options available today. To help you narrow down your search, here are a few of our favorite options that leave skin smooth, protected, and primed for the next steps in your daily routine.
Best Makeup Primers for Oily Skin
The Liquid Silk Canvas
Featherweight Protective Primer
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This light-as-silk formula feels weightless on the skin, gliding on seamlessly to help makeup look more flawless and last longer, while also minimizing excess shine. The primer also is designed to create a skin-benefiting barrier that shields skin from makeup, helping to minimize the potential for clogged pores. Additionally, the oil-free formula leaves a soft-focus finish that diminishes the appearance of pores and fine lines. The formula includes both silk extract (providing weightless hydration) and silk powder (a prized ingredient that helps makeup glide on more evenly and last longer), as well as our proprietary Hadasei-3 complex (for hydration, moisture barrier support, and antioxidant protection).
If that wasn’t impressive enough, the makeup primer for oily skin has a slight pink pearlescent hue that works to enhance skin and leave it with a lit-from-within glow. Lastly—but certainly not least—this effective primer for oily skin has been clinically proven to improve skin radiance, smoothness and texture, and minimize pores over time.* A primer that actually makes skin look and feel better? Sign us up!
*Based on a bio-instrumentation study of 37 panelists.
While the original Silk Canvas is ideal for combination or dry skin, some oily skin users prefer this unique, velvety balm. Famed for its ability to act as a barrier between makeup and skin, The Silk Canvas shields skin from pollutants while allowing makeup to apply better and last longer. Also, if you prefer a matte finish, this is one of the best mattifying primers for oily skin, leaving behind a flattering blurred, soft-focus finish, which can give skin a healthy-looking glow.
**Based on a consumer study of 20 women.
Best Skincare Products for Oily Skin
An oily skin primer is a fantastic first step in your makeup routine, but did you know that oily skin can be minimized with other products, like sunscreen and cleansers? Here are a few of the most effective skincare products to add to your oily skin routine.
Best Priming Cleanser for Oily Skin
A cleanser that helps prime the skin? If you’re using Tatcha’s innovative Matcha Cleanse, then yep! It is clinically proven to reduce oil production, visibly reduce pore size, control shine, and allow makeup to wear better and more evenly.*** Basically, this daily clarifying gel cleanser acts like a primer for oily skin but also purifies pores, smoothes and balances the skin, and supports skin’s natural barrier while cleansing. The refreshing watery-foam texture cleanser is also boosted with premium matcha sourced directly from the Uji region (famed for its extraordinary matcha production), which is shown to provide antioxidant support and visibly calm redness. What can’t this cleanser do?!
***Based on a clinical study of 40 panelists; a bio-instrumentation study of 40 panelists; a clinical study of 36 panelists.
Best Sunscreen for Oily Skin
Sunscreen is non-negotiable and should be worn every day. However, not all formulas are ideal for oily skin, as some can leave behind a slick, heavy feeling. Instead, grab a sunscreen that feels light as air and multitasks as a flawless primer, too. This mattifying SPF features silk extract, the same beloved ingredient in the Liquid Silk Canvas primer, which absorbs excess shine and imparts a silky, lightweight feel. It’s the best sunscreen for oily skin, is non-comedogenic and non-irritating (perfect for oily skin), and most importantly protects with SPF 35 mineral and chemical coverage. Also, the formula features skin-loving ingredients that not only protect the skin, but also help minimize the appearance of pores, smooth skin texture, and calm irritated skin.
Best Tool for Oily Skin