The Best Foundation For Oily Skin That’ll Keep You Shine-Free All Day

Feeling like an oily mess come lunchtime is never ideal, but these ensure you stay matte, will cover and tackle any acne breakouts, and minimise large pores

Is that midday shine your beauty nemesis? Do you battle with breakouts? If you haven’t got the best foundation for oily skin in your arsenal already, then look no further.

Dr Ross Perry, cosmetic doctor and managing director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, has words of caution when it comes to pairing oily, acne-prone skin with makeup. ‘Before thinking about makeup, review your skin regime. Getting one of the best face cleansers and a moisturiser for oily skin is key, so experiment to see what suits your skin.

‘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. Sleep, drink water, and eat your fruit and veg – do everything you can to improve your skin from within, making you less reliant on foundation.’

First up: prep responsibly. ‘Try one of the best primers that’s a mattifying water-based gel underneath your foundation to tackle oiliness and absorb shine, hiding pores and leaving skin looking and feeling smoother,’ says Dr Ross.

Next, evaluate what exactly you want from your foundation. A full-coverage formula will mask hyper pigmentation from previous breakouts, while something designed to mattify will keep your skin shine-free all day. Oilier skin types often get along well with powder-based foundations like BareMinerals, while a liquid will glide on seamlessly whilst strategically locking in oil.

No foundation will keep you matte until the end of time, so choose a powder foundation that’ll help fight shine throughout the day. “It’s tempting to load on lots of powder to absorb the oil, but this approach can tend to leave the skin looking chalky,” warns Dr Ross. “Choose a matte, translucent, loose powder and apply with a brush to avoid it looking too heavy. For day-time touch-ups, oil blotting sheets are a handbag hero.”

Now that we’ve got all the facts covered, allow us to help you find the best foundation for oily skin for you, and finally keep that shine under control.

Best foundation for oily skin with full coverage

Giorgio Armani Power Fabric, £40, John Lewis

This lasts for hours and hours, offers great SPF protection, conceals pretty much every blemish and dark circle and locks down any excess sebum production. It’s a total all-rounder and an absolute must for oily skin.

Buy Now

Best foundation for oily skin with large pores

Surratt Beauty Surreal Skin Foundation Wand, £62, Net-A-Porter

This handy all-in-one foundation brushes on seamlessly, minimising pores and fine lines – and it’s perfect for just chucking in your bag.

Buy Now

Best foundation for oily skin with acne

Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup, £27, Fabled

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 calm flare-ups and inflammation.

Buy Now

Best long lasting foundation for oily skin

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation, £35, Fabled

If you think long-wear foundation sucks the life out of skin, meet NARS’ game-chaning Natural Radiant Foundation. This gem has it all: desk-to-drinks staying power, a glowy finish sans shine, extracts of raspberry, apple and watermelon to boost elasticity and mineral powders that mimic your complexion’s most natural hues. We’re unofficially calling it ‘dream skin bottled’.

Buy Now

Best foundation for oily mature skin

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation, £34, Fabled

The oil-free formula is super hydrating without leaving you looking overly shiny, as well as the benefit of SPF 15 – which you still need during the winter months! Think youthful, radiant skin in a bottle.

Buy Now

Best liquid foundation for oily skin

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup, £32.50, Fabled

Double Wear is pretty full coverage, making it perfect for anyone who wants a completely flawless base – but it can be easily lightened up when mixed with a dot of moisturiser. What’s more, it mattifies skin and lasts all day and into the night, without smudging or needing any touch-ups at all.

Buy Now

Best matte foundation for oily skin

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation, £35, John Lewis

Perfectly matte thanks to its oil-free formula, this one packs some major pigment whilst still remaining lightweight.

Buy Now

Best powder foundation for oily skin

BareMinerals Original SPF15 Foundation, £27, Fabled

Nothing really beats a powder foundation 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.