12 Oily Skin Makeup Must-Haves For A Balanced, Flawless Complexion
All you need to keep shine and breakouts at bay. By Joyce Cheo
Managing oily skin is a tricky thing—anyone who has been battling a shine-prone complexion since puberty would understand. From facial scrubs to spot treatments to purifying masks, who hasn’t gone through their fair share of skincare products in the countless attempts to tackle those pesky zits. And when applying makeup became an everyday thing, the challenge seemed even more daunting. Not only did it become paramount to start double-cleansing so as not to further exacerbate the clogged pores situation, selecting the right makeup products also became a lifelong obsession. For starters, many people with oily skin prefer makeup products that feel lightweight so that it doesn’t feel overly heavy or sticky to layer on multiple products. In addition, instead of piling on foundation to mask blemishes or enlarged pores, women are looking for products that contain skincare benefits like regulating sebum production as well as cosmetic benefits like blurring the appearance of pores. To make things easier, here are the absolute essentials that will help you create a flawless base if you have oily skin:
Mask the appearance of enlarged pores while treating it at the same time with this power packed primer. Apply a thin layer onto clean skin to create a smooth and mattified base so makeup glides on seamlessly and lasts all day long. It contains binchotan white charcoal which purifies congested pores while artichoke leaf and witch hazel extracts help reinforce pore walls and provide an astringent effect. Over time, this helps to refine skin texture.
SHOP
Ladies with oily skins, our prayers have been answered! You can now experience the hype that is the IT Cosmetics CC Cream without looking like a grease pan by the end of the day. The Matte CC cream is your all in one step. Coverage to even out the skin tone and infused with charcoal, tea tree extract, colloidal and Moroccan lava clay to keep the shine at bay. With broad spectrum SPF 40, it's perfect for busy mornings or for anyone who wants to avoid layering too many products on their skin.
Less is definitely more when layering products to create a flawless base. After cleansing and moisturising skin, apply a thin layer of this mattifying primer from Cover FX before your usual foundation. The lightweight gel-like texture smoothes uneven bumps on skin surface and keeps skin shine free for hours on end. Plus, it is packed with soothing and regenerative ingredients to help skin heal and prevent future breakouts.
SHOP
Related article: Beat The Heat With These 10 Long-Lasting Foundations
Mention Korean beauty brands and the first thing that comes to mind for many women is the plump and radiant complexion of a Korean starlet. But if you have oily skin, chances are you’ll be worried about your skin looking greasy when opting for a dewy look. Fret not as this lightweight primer boasts a high-tech formula to keep skin velvety matte while locking in moisture so you skin still looks adequately hydrated. Moreover, it has a soft-focus effect which evens out skin tone and other imperfections for a picture-perfect finish.
SHOP
Formulated with nutrient-rich rice ferment filtrate, this face primer not only helps hold makeup in place, it also forms an additional protective barrier over skin to fend off free radical damage. Suitable for use on eyes, face and lips, it leaves a silky finish on skin, perfectly prepping it for makeup application. Just a rice-grain size is enough for the entire face so be sure to use this sparingly. You can even bring this in your bag for on-the-go touch-ups—just pat on a tiny bit directly onto shiny T-zone.
SHOP
When we think of foundations with a matte finish, we can’t help but assume that they offer full coverage or have a rich and creamy texture. Well, this ultra-lightweight foundation from Benefit Cosmetics is here to challenge all that. With its natural matte finish, it doesn’t give skin a dewy finish nor does it mask your skin texture. This is the result of an optimal blend of optical-blurring spheres and super fine pigments which evens out skin tone and has a soft-focus effect.
SHOP
Related article: Outrageously Flattering Orange Lip Products That Work For Asian Skin Tones
For those looking for a foundation that combines comfortable wear, buildable coverage and convenience, this is your best bet. Infused with aloe vera, this stick foundation instantly cools and refreshes skin while delivering moisture-rich coverage that feels next to nothing. Its stick format also makes it super easy to carry around for touch-ups and its buildable coverage means it doubles up as a concealer when you have an emergency zit or dark eye circles to mask.
SHOP
We’ve all been there, whether it’s waking up to a nasty zit just before a job interview or noticing an angry pimple as you’re about to head for a dinner date. In times like these, reach for an emergency skin fix like this blemish-treating concealer. Not only does it contain full-coverage pigments to reduce the appearance of red, bumpy zits, it is also infused with skin-soothing ingredients like peptides and hydrolysed collagen so your makeup never creases nor cracks. And while it hides and soothes breakouts, a host of zinc oxide, kaolin clay, witch hazel, tea tree, sulphur and exfoliating acids also help treat pimples.
SHOP
One of the brand’s iconic products, this loose setting powder is a mainstay amongst makeup artists for good reason. A thin layer of it over makeup forms an undetectable veil which repels water and sebum, ensuring the longevity of your makeup for flawless looking skin.
SHOP
Related article: All The Beauty Products You Need To Try This Month: August 2018
Perfect to give you the picture-perfect mien (just like Riri’s, even in paparazzi photos), this invisible blotting powder soaks up excess shine while an exclusive pore-diffusing complex diminishes the appearance of skin irregularities. Plus, it doesn’t smudge makeup, sink into fine lines and helps refresh makeup. The handy size also means it slips into the tiniest of purses so you will also be camera-ready.
SHOP
At the heart of this long-wearing blush is the brand’s signature Amazonian clay. Perfect for any skin type, Amazonian clay balances skin’s moisture and sebum levels: on oily skin, it regulates sebum production and keeps makeup in place and on dry skin, it delivers moisture so your complexion stays smooth and plump. And when combined with finely milled pigments, it means this blush goes on smoothly onto skin and stays true-to-colour for 12 hours without fading or smudging.
SHOP
For those who like to customise their blusher or experiment with tonal makeup on your eyes and cheeks, try Jill Stuart’s Mix Blush Compact Blush. Each compact houses six complementary hues, which means that you can easily mix and match them to create your desired look. The shades also come in a semi-matte texture that blends seamlessly into skin and lasts for hours on end so you don’t have to worry about your makeup smudging throughout the day.
SHOP
Additional reporting by Hanan Haddad