Oily skin can be a challenge when it comes to makeup.
Sure, you’ll look youthful when you’re older. And your skin is likely a little more resistant to wrinkles. But those probably aren’t the thoughts running through your mind when you’re trying to find a foundation that doesn’t slip right off your oily skin type.
You want a foundation that can control shine, cover blemishes, and last all day without feeling greasy or caking up - and that’s something that requires a little more research when you’re gifted with the extra-oily gene at birth.
Before you start shopping for a foundation, you need to know your skin type and undertone. Your skin type is how your skin behaves: oily, dry, combination or normal. Your undertone is the subtle hue that shows through your skin: warm, cool or neutral.
The next step is to choose the right formula and finish for your oily skin. You’ll find different types of foundations like liquid, powder, cream, stick or spray and each one has its pros and cons for oily skin.
Liquid foundations are the most common and versatile type of foundation and can offer light to full coverage and various finishes, like matte, satin or dewy. For oily skin, look for liquid foundations that are oil-free, non-comedogenic, and long-wearing. Avoid liquid foundations that are too hydrating or luminous, as they can make your skin look greasy or emphasise pores.
Powder foundations are also ideal for oily skin, as these can absorb excess oil and keep your skin looking matte for a longer period of time. Look for powder foundations that are finely milled and blend well and avoid powder foundations that are too chalky or heavy, as they can dry out your skin.
We’ve rounded up all of the best foundations for oily skin.
Best setting powders to keep your makeup looking great whatever your skin type
Best foundations for summer that are lightweight and sweat proof
Best moisturisers for oily skin that will hydrate without making skin greasy
Best makeup primers for oily and dry skin 2024
Best foundations for 2024: Ace that base with liquid, gel and powder formulas
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup
It’s virtually impossible to write a foundation guide without mentioning Estée Lauder Double Wear at least once. There’s a reason why this iconic product makes the lists again and again.
The brand’s Stay-In-Place Makeup offers a buildable, medium-to-full coverage foundation that encourages a seamless mattified finish. Perfect for oily skin that needs a little extra control with shininess, this foundation features a water, sweat, heat and humidity-resistant formula, while seeking to remain colour-true with an airbrushed effect.
Buy now £39.50, lookfantastic
Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation
Yves Saint Laurent’s All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation does a little more than just even your complexion. This hard-wearing foundation goes above and beyond to keep skin looking and feeling good, thanks to a potent blend of ingredients.
Its feather-light formula effortlessly covers imperfections while providing a barely-there, second-skin feel, even on oily skin. Its 77 per cent skincare-based formula harnesses hyaluronic acid for all-day hydration, promoting visibly smoother results, while its SPF39 PA+++ rating offers extra sun protection, too.
Buy now £38.00, lookfantastic
Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Beautiful Skin Foundation
It’s hard to top Charlotte Tilbury when it comes to flawless makeup and the brand’s Charlotte’s Beautiful Skin Foundation is no exception. Fuelled with hydrating hyaluronic acid (a humectant that pulls moisture into skin) and a brightening blend of rose-derived ingredients, this formula not only instantly beautifies, but improves the look of skin over time too. It’s vegan and cruelty-free and helps to plump and smooth skin with medium coverage.
Buy now £27.30, Cult Beauty
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Mini Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
You’ve tried the viral lipgloss, worn the underwear and admired Rihanna from start to finish. Now it’s time to give Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Mini Soft Matte Longwear Foundation a try. This soft matte, longwear foundation offers buildable, medium to full coverage and is available in a boundary-breaking range of 50 shades.
Giving skin an instantly smooth, pore-diffused, shine-free finish, this oil-free soft matte foundation is made with climate-adaptive technology that’s resistant to sweat and humidity and won’t clog pores so that wherever you are, it’s going to work on your skin.
Buy now £16.00, Boots
Illamasqua Beyond Foundation
Illamasqua Beyond Foundation is the latest addition to the brand’s Beyond complexion range and was designed to create a dewy finish. While it’s one that’ll make you glow, it still works for oily skin, thanks to its never-fading formula that keeps your complexion looking its best hour after hour.
Hyaluronic acid draws moisture to the surface of the skin to plump and hydrate, while vitamin E helps to maintain a healthy-looking complexion. Bonus points for the fact it’s also vegan and cruelty-free.
Buy now £13.20, lookfantastic
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
Another oil-friendly foundation with a great range of shades, Too Faced’s Born This Way Foundation offers medium-to-full, undetectable coverage that’s become rightfully famous.
Its soft, liquid formula is enhanced with gorgeous, skin-loving ingredients; coconut water helps to replenish skin’s moisture levels without overburdening it, alpine rose brightens and promotes elasticity and hyaluronic acid provides long-lasting hydration for a more youthful appearance. Shades range from Cocoa to Porcelain, via Caramel, Almond and Sand.
Buy now £38.00, Cult Beauty
L'Oréal Paris Infallible 32hr Matte Cover Foundation
Foundations for oily skin don’t have to set you back a fortune, as proven by L’Oréal Paris’ Infallible 32hr Matte Cover Foundation. One of the more budget-friendly options around that still does the job perfectly well, this impressive foundation combines a high-pigment concentration with a smooth fluid formula.
It may look like a slightly thicker formula, but it still blends effortlessly onto the skin to provide a natural-looking, second-skin finish with a lightweight feel. The formula is infused with 4 per cent niacinamide to help reduce the appearance of uneven tone, alongside SPF25 for UV protection and a waterproof finish.
Buy now £11.99, lookfantastic
bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation
A firm favourite for the no-makeup makeup looks, bareMinerals’ Original SPF 15 Foundation is a cult classic that delivers the goods impressively well considering its delicate formula.
Its unique formula has just five clean and vegan mineral ingredients that provide a naturally luminous-looking result, lasting up to eight hours. It might not be the foundation you reach for before a night out but it’s one that’ll do the job just fine for work or casual plans. Ideal for sensitive skin, the lightweight powder comes in 30 true-to-skin shades.
Buy now £36.50, lookfantastic
No7 Stay Perfect Foundation
Really struggling with oil control? Reach for a bottle of No7 Stay Perfect Foundation and you’ll never worry about blotting your skin mid-afternoon again. This comfortable foundation with medium coverage feels lightweight and breathable, giving a beautifully even-toned complexion that lasts all day long.
As its name suggests, this is a long-lasting formula with up to 24-hour super-staying power - the brand even calls it “life-proof”. Available in 36 shades, this product has been specifically formulated with medium coverage to blend seamlessly into a range of skin tones.
Buy now £16.95, Boots
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
MAC doesn’t mess around when it comes to anti-oil foundations. The brand’s Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation is a one-step makeup base that expertly refines the complexion. Smoothing effortlessly onto the skin without caking or settling into fine lines, the powder foundation provides medium coverage to reduce the appearance of pores, blemishes and skin imperfections.
It says it lasts for up to eight hours but we’d suggest a little longer. It also helps to absorb excess oil in order to combat shine without drying out the skin, so you’ll feel sufficiently hydrated on an all-day-long basis.
Buy now £35.00, lookfantastic
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15
Bobbi Brown’s Skin Foundation is perfect for anyone who wants a water-based, oil-free foundation with a natural finish. Designed to look like you’re not wearing foundation whatsoever - while still leaving you with an even skin tone and dewy finish - this popular foundation blends seamlessly onto the skin for light-to-medium coverage with a weightless feel.
It’s one of the best for boosting your skin from the inside while looking effortlessly put together from the outside, helping to moisturise, plump and amplify your glow with its light-reflective ingredients.
Buy now £42.00, Bobbi Brown
Verdict
The clue's in the name: Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup promises to stay in place all day no matter how oily your skin becomes. It's a cult classic for a reason.
