The Best Makeup for Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, you know how difficult it can be to get makeup to stay put on your face. Maybe it lasts until lunch, but by the end of the day it tends to have faded away, or worse. The good news is there are quite a few makeup products out there—ranging from mattifying primer and foundation to loose setting powder—that those with oily skin could benefit from using. Below, we share our best makeup for oily skin (all available at the drugstore!) and how to use each product for your best look yet.

THE BEST PRIMER FOR OILY SKIN

Looking for the best primer for oily skin? Consider reaching for a mattifying primer before you even think about applying foundation. Our best drugstore primer for oily skin, the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Lock Makeup Primer will do just the trick! The silky, lightweight formula glides onto skin and minimizes the look of pores. Apply it dot by dot all over or to targeted areas (under your eyes to smooth over fine lines, on your nose and cheeks to minimize the appearance of pores and blemishes, and on your T-zone for a matte effect), then blend out using a gentle circular motion.

Another primer to consider if you have oily skin is a pore-minimizing primer. Much to our displeasure, oily skin is often accompanied by enlarged pores. Thankfully, when your skin care routine for enlarged pores hasn’t quite kicked in yet, primer can help. The L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets™ Professional Magic Perfecting Base can be used to hide pores—and that’s not all. The lightweight, matte formula wears all day, helping to smooth the appearance of lines and banish imperfections.

THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR OILY SKIN

Scared that liquid foundation will slip and slide around your oily face? You don’t have to limit yourself to just powder foundations. It’s all about finding a liquid foundation with a matte finish and long-lasting formula, like the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation. Apply our best drugstore foundation for oily skin with a makeup blender, like the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender, using dabbing and rolling motions to blend for a seamless finish.

Of course, you don’t have to stick with a matte foundation if that’s not your preference. Just make sure to use a foundation that has a water, sweat, and transfer-resistant formula, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation, Lightweight. You can count on this foundation for a natural-looking finish that’ll last all day and night!

THE BEST POWDER FOR OILY SKIN

If you have oily skin, we’re sure face powder has become a part of your daily makeup regimen. Setting powder is one of the unsung heroes of the makeup industry—with just a dusting of translucent face powder, you can help set your look for the day. Since makeup can start to fade midday if you have oily skin, you may want to consider applying a setting powder when you’re done with the rest of your makeup. Our best setting powder for oily skin is the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Sweep & Lock Loose Setting Face Powder.

If a tinted pressed powder is more your style, look no further than another of our best drugstore powders for oily skin, the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Powder. The oil-free, long-lasting formula is perfect for oily skin types. Plus, it certainly doesn’t hurt that it has a matte finish. Sweep a little on anywhere you fear your makeup might get shiny.

THE BEST CONCEALER FOR OILY SKIN

Oily skin types need—and we mean need—a concealer with lots of staying power. Our recommendation? Look for a long-lasting waterproof formula that will stay in place no matter how greasy you get. Try the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer Waterproof, Full Coverage, applying it onto any imperfections you want to disguise.

THE BEST BLUSH FOR OILY SKIN

You may not consider blush completely essential to your makeup look, but you’ll feel differently if your blush wears off after just a few hours. A bit of blush on the apples of your cheeks can make all the difference in how healthy your skin looks, so you surely want it to last. For a long-wearing option, try the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Longwear Blush Shaping Sticks.

THE BEST EYEBROW MAKEUP FOR OILY SKIN

Your eyebrows won’t look like they’re on fleek if your makeup starts melting halfway through the day. Don’t want to have to worry about making frequent touchups? The L'Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Frame & Set is a long-lasting, waterproof, and smudge-resistant eyebrow pomade. Lightly dip the included makeup brush into the pomade, then use it to outline your eyebrow, draw brow hairs into sparse areas with the angled tip, and fill in to your desired intensity. Finish by combing through and blending with a spoolie.

If you prefer eyebrow mascara, the L'Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Boost & Set Brow Mascara is a good bet for oily skin. It provides comfortable, all-day wear and is smudge-resistant. Start with clean eyebrows. Use the angled skinny brush in short, upward strokes to boost volume and build to your desired intensity and shape. The gel-mousse formula will set your eyebrows for long-lasting wear.

A third option for your eyebrow makeup is to use an eyebrow gel. The L’Oréal Paris Unbeliavabrow Longwear Waterproof Brow Gel has a waterproof, sweat-resistant formula that won’t smudge or transfer. First, use the doe foot applicator to fill in any sparse areas. Then, define and perfect your shape with the angled brush. Finish the look by combing through your brows with the spoolie.

THE BEST EYE SHADOW FOR OILY SKIN

Don’t forget, eyelids can get greasy too! To ensure your eye shadow doesn’t succumb to oily lids, stick with a long-lasting formula like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow.

THE BEST EYELINER FOR OILY SKIN

Top off your statement eye with a waterproof eyeliner, like the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner. Whether you apply it all the way across your upper lash line or concentrate it in the corner of your eyes, you’re sure to make an impact. You can even tightline your inner rims with this eyeliner and won’t have to worry about it budging as you go about your day.

If you’d rather put your liquid liner skills to use over using a pencil, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Liquid Eyeliner. The waterproof formula means your cat eye won’t go anywhere, even if you’re having a particularly oily day.

THE BEST MASCARA FOR OILY SKIN

Have you ever suffered from raccoon eyes? Don’t lie, we’ve all had our mascara end up smudged under our eyes by the end of the day. And oily skin types probably experience this unfortunate situation more often than not when they wear mascara. Thankfully, there’s an easy solution—and it doesn’t involve foregoing mascara. All you need to do is opt for a waterproof mascara, like the L’Oréal Paris Unlimited Lash Lifting and Lengthening Waterproof Mascara Blackest Black. Once it dries down on your lashes, it truly won’t go anywhere—until you wash it off, that is.

THE BEST LIP LINER FOR OILY SKIN

It’s unlikely that oily skin types will want an ultra-glossy lip, since it may attract attention to a shiny complexion. That’s why you’ll want to start your lip look with a matte lip liner, like the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Matte Lip Liner.

THE BEST LIPSTICK FOR OILY SKIN

No makeup look is complete without the perfect pout! To achieve a pucker that has the same staying power as your face makeup, make sure to use one of our longest lasting lipstick formulas, like the L’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature, Lasting Matte Liquid Lipstick. Apply lipstick to the center of your upper lip, then work from the center to the outer edge of your lips, following the contour of your mouth. Finally, glide the lipstick across your bottom lip and fill in.

Before doing your makeup, it’s important to take the time to work through your skin care routine. For skin care advice tailored to your skin type, here are Our Best Skin Care Products for Oily Skin.