Oily skin buds—let’s talk! If you feel like your makeup’s in a constant battle with your oil-slick t-zone, trust me, you’re not alone. I’ve spent half my life experimenting with primers and powders, just to figure out that no matter how bomb your makeup skills are, the pre-makeup skincare routine is where you either win or lose the fight against shine. If we’re not prepping right, our makeup is just sliding off our faces by lunchtime, and like… who wants that?
First things first: don’t let anyone tell you having oily skin is all that bad. There are perks! You’re gonna fight off wrinkles longer than your dry-skinned besties, so cheers to that. But still, that doesn’t mean we want to look like disco balls, right? Okay, let’s get into the magic steps that balance it all out. We’ll talk about what to apply before makeup when your skin has that extra shine. You ready? Let’s go.
Step 1: Cleanse It Like You Mean It 🧼
If you’re not starting your makeup routine with a good cleanse, we need to have a chat. Washing your face is a biggie for oily skin peeps. I know, it feels like a chore sometimes… but there’s no way you’re putting makeup on yesterday’s oil. Gross.
You want a cleanser that’s gonna take off all the dirt and oil, but not leave your skin begging for moisture:
If you strip all your skin’s oils away, your skin can freak out and make even more oil. It’s a whole thing.
What you need: a foaming cleanser or a gel cleanser with salicylic acid or tea tree oil (because tea tree is like the Gandalf of skincare). Salicylic acid is great for breaking down oil but keeps skin balanced, not over-dried.
Here are a few I swear by:
| Cleanser Name | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| CeraVe Foaming Cleanser | Gentle but effective, full of ceramides and niacinamide. |
| La Roche-Posay Effaclar Gel | Has the right amount of salicylic acid to keep oil in check. |
| Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser | Tea tree oil for the win—leaves your skin feeling fresh. |
Tip: Don’t go ham with a cleanser that’s too harsh. Your skin will go into oil production overdrive. And please no “scrubby” apricot cleansers (RIP to our 2012 skincare mistakes).
Step 2: Tone It Up🔮
Okay, listen up: toner is like skincare’s middle-man. It gets rid of any leftover impurities and balances your skin after cleansing. Also, hello, it feels amazing. I know some of us are still haunted by those drugstore alcohol-based toners 🙈 (no names, but if you know, you know), but that’s not what we’re doing here.
We’re looking for toners with ingredients like:
- Witch hazel (oil-balancer)
- Niacinamide (matte-ness, thank you)
- BHAs (to work on your pores)
Avoid crazy alcohol-packed toners; why would we want to dry our skin out just so it makes more oil?
Products I’m obsessed with:
| Toner Name | Why It’s Awesome |
|---|---|
| The Ordinary Glycolic Acid | Clears out gunk in your pores and smooths skin. |
| Thayers Witch Hazel | Gentle with soothing aloe vera. Major holy grail. |
| COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner | Light exfoliation and super hydrating. |
Pro-tip: Don’t shy away from chemical exfoliants. Just don’t overdo it—and no, I’m not saying peel your skin off the planet. But a little bit of BHA (like salicylic acid) goes a long way.
Step 3: Light Layer of Serum 🧴
Okay, we’re building now 🤓. Next up is where people sometimes get confused: serum. They’re like, “Do oily skin peeps even need serums?” Hecks yes, we do!
Let me guess, your forehead shines like a mirror 90% of the time and you want that glow—just not lit up like the Empire State building. A good mattifying serum will save the day here. Look for something with niacinamide for oil control or zinc to control blemishes. These are bae-level ingredients for us oily people.
Products that slay:
| Serum Name | Why It’s a Game-changer |
|---|---|
| The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | Niacinamide controls oil and zinc battles breakouts. |
| Glossier Super Pure | So light and clear, helps reduce red marks and oil. |
| REN Evercalm Redness Relief | Great for soothing the skin if you get redness along with oil. |
You don’t need a lot. Just a pea-sized amount and pat it in gently.
Step 4: Moisturizer—Yes, Even for Oily Skin 💦
Okay, this is where I KNOW I’ll lose some of y’all 👀. You’re thinking, “Why would I put moisturizer on oily skin? That makes zero sense.” Nah, sis, you need moisture. When your skin doesn’t get moisture, its instinct is to produce MORE oil because it thinks it’s dry. We don’t need that energy.
The secret is finding a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer that absorbs quickly but hydrates. Look for labels that say “non-comedogenic,” which is just a fancy way of saying it won’t clog your pores.
Some go-tos for me:
| Moisturizer Name | Why It’s a Winner |
|---|---|
| Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel | Water-based, so it won’t clog, and absorbs instantly—so fresh! |
| Cetaphil Oil-Free Moisturizer | Gentle, with a subtle glow (just the right kind). |
| Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel | So silky and lightweight, it plays well with your makeup. |
Whatever you do, don’t skip moisturizer. Your oily skin is asking for a STABLE relationship, but being dehydrated is like dating a flakey person—things just get messy.
Step 5: Sunscreen Time! Don’t Skip the SPF 🌞
Okay, hear me out… yes, I’m asking you to put on more product. And yes, there’s SPF in some of your foundations (cool!), but that’s not enough coverage to really protect your skin from the sun. I’m big on SPF because:
- Skin cancer is real. And terrifying.
- Sun damage makes your skin produce more oil.
Thankfully, sunscreen for oily skin doesn’t have to be thick and greasy. There are options that do double duty by mattifying your skin and protecting you at the same time. It’s basically skincare and a primer in one.
Look for ones labeled “matte” and check the texture before you commit.
Some bangers you might like:
| Sunscreen Name | Why It’s The One |
|---|---|
| EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 | Lightweight, calming, and does NOT make you look pasty. |
| Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen | Feels invisible—seriously, no greasy feel. |
| La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin SPF 60 | Mattifying heaven. Absorbs instantly. |
Trust me, you need SPF all year round—even when it’s cloudy.
Step 6: Primer (Your Makeup’s Ride-Or-Die) 🎨
Honestly, primer is where a lot of makeup magic lies—especially for us oily skin queens. This is the step that makes your makeup last like it’s been locked in the vault at Fort Knox. With oily skin, you don’t want any ol’ primer. You want something that fills in pores and mattifies your face before your foundation even touches it.
Go with a silicone-based primer if you’re looking for that oil control and blurring effect. Unless you’re into glowy looks (which, TBH, isn’t a vibe with oily skin most of the time), stick with a mattifying primer.
Tell me you’ve tried one of these and haven’t fallen in love:
| Primer Name | Why You Need It In Your Life |
|---|---|
| Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer | Keeps your makeup locked ALL dang day. Plus, it feels hydrating but not too much. |
| Benefit POREfessional | Fills in pores like a dream without feeling heavy. |
| Smashbox Photo Finish Oil & Shine Control Primer | Not only mattifies, but helps keep your skin balanced all day. |
After that, give it a little time to set. No rushing this part. You want everything to settle down before layering on your foundation.
So there it is—your pre-makeup skincare routine to get oily skin under control!
Once you have this down, putting makeup on will be a whole new world, trust. You’ll find your makeup actually stays put without blotting every five minutes, and hey, you’re gonna get fewer breakouts too. I’m totally hyped for you to try this out and reclaim control of that glow. 🌟
Let me know in the comments if you’ve had success with any of these tricks or if you’re out here discovering new tips I need to know about. We’re in this oily skin gang together! Shout me out when your makeup slays all day, kay?
