Make shiny skin a thing of the past with these hero best foundation for oily skin buys
Is midday shine your biggest beauty bug bear? Feel like you constantly battle with breakouts? If you haven’t got the best foundation for oily skin in your arsenal already, it might just transform your make-up routine.
Using the best foundation for your skin type is a complete game changer, but it’s crucial to know what to look out for before you head out on a beauty shopping spree.
How to find the best foundation for oily skin
Dr Ross Perry, cosmetic doctor and managing director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, has words of caution when it comes to pairing oily and or acne-prone skin with make-up. He says that it’s all in the prep. ‘Before thinking about make-up, review your skin regime. Getting the best cleanser and best moisturiser for oily skin is key, so experiment to see what suits your skin,’ he advises.
‘Don’t be tempted to ditch the moisturiser as your skin still needs hydration, but choose a formulation which suits oily skin,’ he continues. ‘Exfoliate regularly to remove excess sebum as well as dead skin cells.’ The best way to do this is with a chemical exfoliator (have a look at our best toner round up for some of our favourites) or a physical gentle face scrub.
It’s also worth looking at complimentary products to go alongside your new foundation and help it achieve its full potential. The best primers will help to control oil levels and keep your make-up where you want it, setting powders to control shine, and make-up setting sprays – as these will only help to keep your make-up looking perfect for longer.
You may also find it useful to keep old school blotting papers with you for on-the-go touch-ups, or use something like Indeed Labs’ Nanoblur, £15.83, as the tiniest bit dabbed in with a beauty sponge helps to mattify shiny patches and excess oil.
Then it’s time to think about exactly what you want your foundation to achieve. Although a full coverage formula won’t act as a replacement for a brilliant hyperpigmentation treatment, it will mask any residual marks from previous breakouts, while something designed to mattify will work to keep your skin shine-free all day.
Oilier skin types often get along well with powder-based foundations, like bareMinerals Original Foundation, but if a powder finish isn’t your preference there are many other brilliant formula options on offer. New-gen liquids will glide on seamlessly and can even strategically lock in oil.
Ready to find your new foundation fave? Keep scrolling for our edit of the best foundation for oily skin buys on the market right now.
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, £31 | Cult Beauty
:Best overall:
This foundation is a staple in several beauty editor and celebrity make-up bags. It offers long-lasting coverage that's full without being "too much". Blemishes and redness are covered easily, and it's got a nice matte finish that plays well with an oily complexion.
Number of shades: 35
Coverage: Medium to full
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Soft matte
L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24hr Matte Cover Foundation, was £9.99 now £5 | Lookfantastic
Best affordable buy:
At the bargain price of £5, this is the best drugstore foundation for oily skin. Apply all over and buff from the centre of the face outwards for smooth coverage that'll last all day. It's super duper mattifying, so you won't see any oily patches appearing around 3pm.
Number of shades: 20
Coverage: Medium
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Matte
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, £30 | Harvey Nichols
Bet matte formula:
A little goes a long way with Rihanna’s award-winning formula, giving a flawless, soft-matte coverage which you can tailor to your own coverage preferences. It glides onto the skin, and gives an airbrushed finish that’s perfectly in between matte and glowy - it just looks like skin. Believe us, the hype is real.
Number of shades: 50
Coverage: Medium, buildable
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Matte
Oxygenetix Oxygenating Breathable Foundation, was £55 now £45 | Face The Future
Best foundation for blemish-prone skin:
If blemishes are your biggest woes and you've not yet heard of Oxygenetix foundation, then your life is about to change for the better. In our opinion, this is the best foundation for oily skin and acne. Not only does it completely mask angry redness, but it also allows skin to breath (hence the name) so that you don't have to worry about putting too much product on your already stressed skin.
Number of shades: 14
Coverage: Medium, buildable
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Demi-matte
bareMinerals Original Foundation SPF15, £29 | Lookfantastic
Best powder foundation:
Nothing really beats the best powder foundations when it comes to oil control, and bareMinerals’ is a timeless favourite for a reason – the mineral formula is completely non-comedogenic, so there’s no risk of pores becoming blocked, and still only contains five ingredients. It's an icon for a reason.
Number of shades: 30
Coverage: Medium
Formula: Powder
Finish: Soft matte
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, £34 | Cult Beauty
Best for a long-lasting finish:
The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation is great for oily skin as it is designed to stay all day, with a natural matte finish. It really does last and the full coverage formula also helps to reduce the look of pores - a win win!
Number of shades: 44
Coverage: Full
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Soft matte
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Oil-Free Matte SPF 40, £32.50 | Cult Beauty
Best CC cream:
OK not technically a foundation, but it might as well be. We are huge, huge, fans of the original CC cream (as well as its illuminating sister), and this one doesn't disappoint. It gives just the right amount of coverage - not too heavy, but more than a tinted moisturiser - and has the added benefit of covering up any redness caused by raging blemishes. In its formula, there are two types of clay, tea tree extract and oil-absorbing charcoal - so it treats as it covers.
Number of shades: 14
Coverage: Medium to full
Formula: Cream
Finish: Matte
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup, £35 | Feelunique
Best for full coverage:
Easily one of the world's most popular foundations, Estée Lauder's Double Wear is known for excellent coverage and longevity, as well as spanning a huge range of more than 60 shades. It's a heavy-duty formula, but it never feels heavy or goes cakey on the skin, and it lasts for hours.
Number of shades: 60
Coverage: Full
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Matte
Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Liquid Makeup Cream, £30 | Lookfantastic
Best for blemish-prone skin:
This lightweight, oil-free formula conceals blemishes whilst actively tackling them and preventing them from returning. Plus, its cooling sensation and skin-soothing ingredients help to calm any angry breakouts and inflammation.
Number of shades: 8
Coverage: Medium
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Matte
Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation, £55 | SpaceNK
Best for oil-free fans:
Now, this one was completely designed for oily skin. Oil-free, non-comodogenic, and it transforms from a liquid to a powder upon contact with the skin. It absorbs oil during the day, and actually reduces the appearance of blemishes, pores and scarring.
Number of shades: 22
Coverage: Medium to full
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Matte
Laura Mercier Silk Crème Oil-Free Foundation, £35 | Cult Beauty
Best for an even finish:
This is the oil-free version of the brand's iconic foundation. It's long-wearing, buildable and blends seamlessly, giving medium to full coverage that lasts for up to 12 hours. No need to worry about your make-up sliding off your face come lunchtime.
Number of shades: 16
Coverage: Medium to full
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Demi-matte
Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation, £20 | Lookfantastic
Best for covering angry blemishes:
This complexion product is famous for covering all manner of imperfections. So if alongside oily skin, you've got angry red spots this will help to camouflage the lot. It's also well known for covering up tattoos, so you can imagine the level of coverage you get from this.
Number of shades: 10
Coverage: Medium to full
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Demi-matte
