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The Best Foundations For Oily Skin
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As someone with oily skin, you already know that finding a foundation that doesn’t exacerbate your oiliness, and/or melt off your face Raiders of the Lost Ark-style a mere few hours after application is ... difficult. But the best foundations for oily skin, like the seven featured ahead, are formulated specifically to prevent that from happening. These formulas contain ingredients that help absorb excess grease, like silicones and clay; and they don’t contain any added oils, because we don’t need more of those. They’re also often non-comedogenic, so they shouldn’t trigger breakouts in acne-prone skin, oily skin’s common companion.
But first, some tips: When you’re shopping for a foundation for oily skin, gravitate toward terms like “matte” or “longwear,” which implies that they have the ability to either curb or withstand excess oil for several hours. Also, keep in mind that most liquid foundations for oily skin deliver medium-to-full coverage. So if you prefer a more natural finish, you may want to try a loose or pressed mineral powder.
Whatever your preference, there’s a foundation your skin will love (and adhere to) out there. Ahead, find seven of the best foundations for oily skin, all of which are available on Amazon.
1. The Overall Best
True to its name, this medium-coverage Maybelline foundation imparts a matte finish (a relatively natural one, not a stage-makeup one), and it also helps refine the look of enlarged pores. More reasons it’s earned a small city’s worth of positive Amazon reviews: It feels remarkably lightweight, doesn’t settle, doesn’t cake, costs less than $10, and keeps skin shine-free for several hours, thanks to the addition of kaolin clay in the formula. It even holds up overnight, according to one customer. Plus, this handy pouch dispenser helps keep product waste to a minimum.
- Available shades: 37
2. Best Long-Lasting Formula
This L’Oreal foundation promises to stay on for up to 24 hours, and that claim may not be as outrageous/egregious as you may think. One Amazon reviewer reported that it’s “easily able to last my 12-hour work shifts,” and it shouldn't oxidize or crease along the way. A few people have noted that it’s a good alternative to Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, which is among the most beloved luxury foundations for oily skin types out there. You’ll save well over $30 by opting for this L’Oreal pick, though, and it may even have better staying power than more expensive products: As one reviewer wrote, “I must have gone through every designer brand possible, but nothing lasted as long or kept away shine as long as this does.”
- Available shades: 28
3. Best Multitasker
This oil-free Milani foundation is the rare foundation that's buildable enough to work as a concealer, without feeling or looking cakey/creasey. As a foundation it’s full-coverage, obviously, so a little (like, half a pump’s worth) goes a long way for achieving an even complexion. And as a concealer, it’s effective on everything from under-eye circles to blemishes to unwanted scars. The finish is fresher and dewier than a traditional mattifying foundation, but people with oily skin confirm that it’ll last a while if you set it with a bit of powder (which means it’s a good choice for combo skin, too).
- Available shades: 40
4. Best Pressed Powder
If you’re looking for buildable coverage, a lightweight feel, and a gentle formula that’s safe for sensitive skin, this Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation ticks all your very specific boxes. It’s a talc-free mineral foundation, so it shouldn't trigger breakouts or other forms of inflammation in reactive skin types; but as a pressed powder, it provides more concentrated coverage than a loose powder does. It’s easy to modulate the coverage, too: Use it with a powder brush for sheer coverage, a dry sponge for medium, and a wet sponge for full. On the mattifying front, kaolin clay and silica work to absorb excess oil, while camellia leaf powder and phytosphingosine help temper redness and inflammation.
- Available shades: 40
5. Best Loose Powder
On the other hand, a loose mineral powder, like this one from Alima Pure, is the best choice if you’d prefer not to know you’re wearing any foundation at all. Containing just four ingredients (mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, and zinc oxide), this lightly mattifying powder forms a veil over your skin, rather than sinking into your pores, so your skin can actually breathe. Think silk vs. Spandex, but on your face. One Amazon reviewer reported that their acne-prone skin is “is the clearest it’s been in a decade” since using this “life-changing" foundation. And despite its barely-there feel, reviewers say it provides ample coverage and a glowy (but not shiny!) finish.
- Available shades: 45
6. Best Shades For Dark Skin
The 14 shades in this Flori Roberts foundation range are formulated for medium-to-deep skin with all types of undertones, so give it a shot if most foundations out there aren’t catering to your skin tone. On the formulation front, the unique cream-to-powder consistency applies smoothly, while kaolin clay helps reduce unwanted shine. Vitamins A and E work to condition, soften, and plump your skin, too, so it's a real treat for your face.
- Available shades: 14
7. Another Long-Lasting Formula To Consider
Here’s another long-lasting foundation with pretty legit advertising claims. Not sure if it lasts a full 24 hours, but lots of reviewers stand by its impressive lasting power nonetheless, which controls oil without making your skin feel tight or dry. Beyond that, customers seem to be really happy with the 45-shade range, undoubtedly one of the biggest shade ranges you'll find from a drugstore brand.
- Available shades: 45
