These 18 Foundations Can Tackle Eve the Oiliest of Skin Types
When searching for the perfect foundation, there are few things to consider, from your skin tone and type to the type of finish you’re looking for. And if you have oily skin or acne-prone skin, finding a formula that keeps your skin looking flawless and shine-free can be a real challenge. Liquid and cream foundations can sometimes make oily skin look more shiny, while some powder foundations can settle into fine lines and wrinkles. But have no fear, when it comes to foundation, there’s a formula for everyone—and with a little help, you can find one to even out your skin tone, cover blemishes and dark spots, and give you a smooth base for makeup.
For oily and acne-prone skin types, Lavonne says it's important to look for non-comedogenic foundations. "This means it won’t clog your pores," explains makeup artist Lavonne. "Most mineral foundations fall into this category, but the coverage would be lighter and I find they don’t tend to last throughout the day." Prep is key, too. Major says, “Don’t forget hydration before applying any foundation as most oily skin types are dehydrated. When your face is already oily, you don’t want to add anything to your T-zone that has oil as an ingredient. Prep your skin with a hydrating, water-based moisturizer, use an oil-free long-lasting foundation, and set your T- zone with a mattifying primer.”
About the Experts:
Magdalena Major is a makeup artist based in New York City.
Lavonne is a professional makeup artist with two decades of experience under her belt. She has created makeup looks for editorial publications, red carpet, and runway shows.
Ready to Find Your Favorite New Foundation? Here Our Top 18 Picks for Oily Skin:
1. Best for All Day Coverage:
ESTÉE LAUDER Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation
• Price: $46
• Coverage: Medium-to-Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 30 shades
Foundation that looks fresh without touch-ups? It does exist. This cult-favorite foundation is beloved by beauty pros and makeup lovers thanks to its 24-hour staying power. The buildable formula won’t smudge or fade on you, plus it feels light on skin, unlike some heavy matte formulas.
2. Best for Heat and Humidity:
CLINIQUE Stay Matte Oil-Free Makeup
• Price: $31
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 20 shades
Sweat, heat, water—they’re no match for this long-wear formula that’s been tested to stand up to high temps of 88°F and 80% humidity. Apply it to control oil, nix shine, and create a smooth base for flawless makeup application.
3. Best Lightweight Foundation:
L’ORÉAL Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation
• Price: $12.99
• Coverage: Medium
• Finish: Demi-Matte
• Shade Range: 22 shades
Blemishes, dark spots, uneven skin tone—this medium-coverage foundation hides everything but your glow. It gives buildable coverage and creates a matte finish that doesn’t look heavy or flat. Plus, its light-as-air texture feels comfy on skin for a full 24 hours (a.k.a. it’s perfect for all-day occasions).
4. Best for Sun Protection:
IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Foundation Oil-Free Matte Full Coverage Moisturizer with SPF 50+
• Price: $42
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 12 shades
Planning on spending a day out in the sun? This moisturizer/foundation hybrid has you covered with both SPF protection and pure color pigments that tackle redness, breakouts, dark spots, fine lines, and more. It’s also infused with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, Roman chamomile, and colloidal clay to mattify skin while keeping things hydrated and nourished.
5. Best for Ultra-Oily Skin:
TARTE Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Foundation
• Price: $39
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 24 shades
This oil-free liquid foundation is dermatologist-tested and provides full coverage with the smallest amount of product. Its famous matte finish even lasts up to 12 hours—no blotting papers necessary. And since it's so smooth and blendable, there's no need to worry about it looking cakey later in the day.
"This stuff is seriously the bomb," one Ipster says. "I wore it every day until it was gone." Another writes, "It's so smooth and creamy and I LOVE the clay texture!"
6. Best Powder Foundation for Oily Skin:
MAKE UP FOR EVER Matte Velvet Skin Blurring Powder Foundation
• Price: $38
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 30 shades
This long-wear matte foundation uses blurring technology to disguise the appearance of large pores, even out your skin tone, and, most importantly, control oil and shine. While it's certainly mattifying, it's never drying—and it’s so flexible that you can count on it not to crease or settle into fine lines, making it a great pick for mature skin types.
"This makes my skin so smooth and not shiny," one Ipster writes. Another adds, "Shade was just right and didn’t make my face look dry like most [foundations], it covered up my freckles and pimples easily."
7. Best Natural-Finish Foundation:
NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation
• Price: $40
• Coverage: Light, Medium, Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 34 shades
Mention having oily skin and it may seem as though super matte foundations are your only option, but that's not the case here! Though it is slightly matte, this foundation offers more of a natural, second-skin type of finish—a.k.a. your skin but better. While the oxidation-resistant pigments stay true for up to 16 hours, NARS' Hydra Matte Balancing Complex and Superior Oil Absorbing Powders balance and absorb excess sebum while still keeping skin hydrated, plump, and hydrated.
8. Best for a Perfect Shade Match:
FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
• Price: $38
• Coverage: Medium-to-Full
• Finish: Soft Matte
• Shade Range: 50 shades
If it’s good enough for Rihanna, it’s good enough for us. This matte foundation comes in a whopping 50 (we repeat: 50!!) different shades. So while it expertly swaps shine for a soft matte finish, it also blends seamlessly into your skin tone and your skin's undertone. It's also non-comedogenic, feels weightless on the skin, and is sweat- and humidity-resistant, so it can be your foundation go-to in any type of situation.
9. Best BB Cream:
TARTE BB Tinted Treatment Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
• Price: $22
• Coverage: Medium
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 9 shades
You can use this versatile BB cream in a few different ways. For those who prefer a no-makeup makeup look, try applying it solo. It primes, hydrates, and offers medium buildable coverage that perfects and mattifies the skin without hiding the skin's natural dimension. For those who prefer a more airbrushed effect, use this as a smoothing primer before applying your go-to foundation for a boost of skincare benefits and added coverage.
Either way you apply it, the formula's triple-B complex will help minimize the appearance of fine lines and visible pores while brightening and protecting the skin from sun damage.
10. Best Drugstore Foundation:
MAYBELLINE Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation
• Price: $7.99
• Coverage: Medium-to-Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 40 shades
Looking for something with a price point that fits a tight budget? This bestseller from MAYBELLINE ticks off just about every requirement for oily skin type-approved foundation: It's oil-free, non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested, and it includes micro-powders that help to expertly control shine and blur pores.
11. Best Mineral Foundation:
BAREMINERALS Original Loose Powder Foundation SPF 15
• Price: $33
• Coverage: Buildable, Light-to-Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 30 shades
One of the oldest non-chemical mineral foundations in the game, this formula is actually recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective broad-spectrum boost to your daily sunscreen. It includes oil-absorbing silica and calcium silicate, as well as skin-conditioning lauroyl lysine. The result is a buildable, silky, poreless matte finish that also helps control excess oil with ease.
Worried about it not lasting all day? Try topping it off with the BAREMINERALS Mineral Veil Finishing Powder, which not only sets but also provides a soft-focus, airbrushed finish.
12. Best Long-wear Foundation:
SMASHBOX Studio Skin Full Coverage 24 Hour Foundation
• Price: $38
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 38 shades
SMASHBOX's Studio Skin line is designed to make your skin look smooth, matte, and flawless in any light for up to 24 hours. Kaolin clay and bamboo powder control oil and keep you shine-free, even if you're up against water, sweat, or humidity. Plus, it comes with tons of skincare benefits: It’s oil-free and non-acnegenic (meaning it won’t cause breakouts). Plus, it contains hydrating hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and antioxidants.
One Ipster says this foundation made her skin look "flawless." Another says "Great blending and great coverage without a thick, pasty look."
13. Best Foundation for Combination Skin:
M·A·C Studio Fix Powder Foundation
• Price: $36
• Coverage: Buildable, Medium-to-Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 53 shades
Want to try out one of those dual powder foundations Lavonne loves? Try this classic formula from M·A·C. For lighter coverage, apply the powder with a fluffy brush. Or for more coverage, use a damp sponge. While oil will be kept in check, this formula is never drying—making it a great option for those with combination skin, since it can effectively cover patches of dry skin as well as it does with oily. This long-wear matte powder foundation even provides an impressive 12 hours of buildable medium-to-full coverage that won't fade, streak, crease, or look cakey over time.
"It’s nice as a powder on the go–everything you need is right in the little package," one Ipster says.
14. Best Dewy Foundation for Oily Skin:
WANDER BEAUTY Nude Illusion Liquid Foundation
• Price: $40
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 12 shades
This liquid foundation provides a soft, dewy finish that even oil-prone skin types can wear. Instead of using oils to boost glow, this formula's dewy finish comes from plant and fruit extracts. Hyaluronic acid provides weightless hydration while niacinamide helps to regulate oil production and minimize redness.
"So light and smooth," one Ipster writes. "Really blends evenly and covers up EVERYTHING you want it to without being heavy!"
15. Best Foundation for Oily + Acne-Prone Skin:
E.L.F. Acne Fighting Foundation
• Price: $4.80–$6
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 5 shades
If you have oily skin, your pores can get clogged by excess sebum making breakouts a fact of life. Thankfully, there’s a way to fight blemishes and cover them with this acne-fighting formula from E.L.F that’s easy on your skin (and on your wallet). It’s infused with salicylic acid, tea tree, and aloe to help prevent, clear, and calm blemishes. Plus, the lightweight formula never feels heavy on your skin.
16. Best Weightless Foundation for Oil-Prone Skin:
BEAUTYBLENDER® Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation
• Price: $40
• Coverage: Full
• Finish: Velvet-Matte
• Shade Range: 40 shades
This foundation (made by the same company as your go-to makeup sponge) uses an exclusive "HyperWhip" process that creates an ultra-light, whipped texture that blends in seamlessly into the skin. The airy formula provides a matte finish that keeps oily skin shine-free without it leaving it looking flat or dry. Hydrating and plumping hyaluronic acid also helps the skin stay moisturized and naturally glowing.
"This is my favorite foundation," writes Ipster m4floorszari. "It doesn’t leave your skin feeling cakey or oily. It feels like you're not even wearing foundation. Highly recommend this product!"
17. Best Radiant Foundation for Oily Skin:
WINKY LUX Diamond Complexion Powder
• Price: $22
• Coverage: Buildable, Light-to-Medium
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 4 shades
Oily skin types often love to go for a matte finish, but if you're hoping for something with a bit more radiance, this foundation is just the thing. Made with actual crushed diamonds (!!!) this foundation gives your skin a soft-focused, glowy finish without any added oil or shine. The powder formula and lightweight texture make it a total win-win for oilier skin.
"I use this powder to touch up my face after being at work for a while and it works like a dream," one Ipster says.
18. Best Shade Range:
PÜR COSMETICS Love Your Selfie™ Foundation
• Price: $26
• Coverage:
• Finish: Matte
• Shade Range: 100 shades
This multitasking natural-finish formula conceals, corrects, blurs, and infuses your skin with essential vitamins and minerals all in one quick step. Ginseng, green tea, and vitamin B work together to boost cell metabolism and make skin look plumper. Oily skin types who also tend to be acne-prone will particularly benefit from the alpha-hydroxy acids in this formula, which will gently exfoliate even the most sensitive skin, clearing out pores that may otherwise have been clogged by excess sebum (a.k.a. your skin's oil).
"This is by far the best foundation I've ever used," one Ipster says. "It takes almost nothing for complete coverage that lasts all day."
Want to discover the best foundations to get you glowing? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.
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