Growing up with acne-prone and combination skin taught me many things. Namely, how to choose the best primer for oily skin, conceal a spot, the quickest way to tackle a flare up and that moisturiser is not the enemy. It also taught me that when it came to makeup application, I had to be incredibly picky about the products I used on my face. After much trial and error, my entire primer philosophy whittled down to choosing formulas that feel light and not greasy, won't clog my pores or irritate breakouts, would decrease shine and make my makeup last longer.
My skin is much less oily now that I'm older courtesy of some corrections to my routine—I learned the hard way that over-cleansing and avoiding hydrating creams was not the way to deal with it. Still, when I need to ensure my makeup lasts all day, standing up against humid weather and cold snaps that dry out my complexion, I employ the same useful tips and techniques that I learned as an oily-skinned teenager.
I know first-hand how annoying it is when your makeup has slid down your face by midday, when no amount of powder will prevent your T-zone from shining and when your pores seem to be visible no matter how many layers of foundation you apply.
Do People With Oily Skin Need Primer?
While you might think layering an oily complexion with more products may add to the amount of shine, people with oily skin can and should use a primer. As you probably have already guessed, primer is my secret weapon for minimising my sebum-rich skin.
These days, many of the best makeup primers are designed to nourish skin, add glow or a touch of radiance and give leave you with a fresh, dewy finish. But if you have oily skin, then you probably want the exact opposite. The best primers for oily skin will mattify complexions, reducing shine, preventing oil from disturbing your foundation, blurring the appearance of pores, and keeping your makeup locked in place from dawn 'til dusk, even without dousing yourself with setting spray.
Is Silicone or Water-Based Primer Better for Oily Skin?
The best formulas rely upon ingredients like silicones to create a physical barrier between makeup and skin, while creating a smooth canvas for makeup. What's more, many primers for oily skin contain ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid, which help in the long term to control oil, reduce breakouts, and balance skin's moisture levels.
Yes, primers are the perfect base, helping to even texture and calming redness to provide a blank canvas for the remainder of your routine, and I've tried and tested hundreds of primers for oily skin over the years.
From dedicated face primers designed to prep and smooth to excellent moisturisers that work double duty and won't add an extra step into your daily routine, we have a product to suit and soothe every skin concern. With my edit of the top primers for oily skin, the best days of blurred and softened skin are ahead of you.
Best Primers for Oily Skin, Listed
1. Best Overall Primer for Oily Skin: Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Face Primer
2. Best Budget Primer for Oily Skin: The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer
3. Best Primer for Oily Mature Skin: Beauty Pie Velvet Finish Primer
4. Best Primer for Oily Teen Skin: e.lf. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer
5. Best Luxury Primer for Oily Skin: Estée Lauder The Mattifier Shine Control Perfecting Primer
1. Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Face Primer
Product Description: An oldie but a goodie. This tried-and-true pore-smoothing primer has been a favourite of mine since I was a teenager. Since it's kept my makeup intact on many a night out over the years, it's one I always come back to when updating my kit with new innovations or the latest and greatest primer for oily skin.
Key Ingredients: Rich in Vitamin E.
For
- Great for skin with enlarged pores and blackheads.
Against
- Only comes in a small size and runs out quickly.
2. The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer
Product Description: Silicones sometimes get a bad rep in the skincare world, but they're actually a very underrated ingredient, especially when formulated for a primer that mitigates oily skin. Since they can't be absorbed into pores, they sit on top of your skin barrier, creating a smoothing layer that makeup adheres to. The layer also acts as a protectant to prevent oil from coming through and disturbing the makeup.
Key Ingredients: A fluid silicone called dimethicone.
For
- Affordable and lasts for hours with a high-adherence texture.
Against
- If you don't love a silicone feel, you may not enjoy this.
3. Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer
Product Description: If you prefer a silicone-free formula (the texture can be a little jarring for some), this is an excellent option. It's formulated specifically for oily and combination skin types, so contains a blend of helpful ingredients like niacinamide and bakuchiol.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, bakuchiol, lentil extract, moonstone and blurring microspheres.
For
- Packed with powerful skincare ingredients—that are 100% vegan—and free from silicone with a lightweight water-cream texture.
Against
- Totally mattifying, so removes all radiance. You can always add a touch of shine back in with moisturisers designed for glowing skin.
4. Beauty Pie Velvet Finish Primer
Product Description: Don't be deceived by the thick, moisturiser-like texture. This immediately melts into a silky solution which blurs the appearance of pores, mattifies skin, and creates an even canvas for makeup.
Key Ingredients: Essential oils like rose extract and TexturePerfect technology.
For
- Feels hydrating and continues soothing the skin long after application.
Against
- Packaged in a jar, meaning it's not the easiest or most hygienic to use.
5. Refy Face Primer
Product Descriptions: Of course, not everyone with oily skin wants a matte finish. I love the Refy glow and sclupt face primer for days when I want to maintain a bit of a glow and radiance. Plus, it contains niacinamide to help control excess oil.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, vitamin E, glycerin.
For
- Feels really lightweight and is totally invisible.
Against
- The roller applicator isn't very hygienic.
6. e.lf. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer
Product Description: There's a good reason why e.l.f Cosmetics' Power Grip primer has racked up hundreds of five-star reviews and is one of the few beauty products that's gone viral on TikTok. The water-based, jelly-like formula is lightweight and non-greasy so looks and feels totally invisible on the skin. Despite this, it impressively locks makeup in place for hours on end.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide and glycerin.
For
- Affordable.
Against
- Frequently sold out.
7. Estée Lauder The Mattifier Shine Control Perfecting Primer
Product Description: Ideal for those who have very oily skin and wear their makeup all day (or all night), this silicone-based primer has a velvety texture which gives skin a true matte finish.
Key Ingredients: Powerful emollients, emulsifiers and humectants.
For
- Really long-lasting.
Against
- Can pill with some silicone-based moisturisers.
8. Dr. Jart+ Pore Remedy Soothing Primer
Product Description: I tried and tested this one over the summer, so take it from me, this one really stands up against hot temperatures and humid climates. (Don't worry, it's just as effective for cold weather, too.) It's a skincare-makeup hybrid, so as well as locking down makeup it utilises gentle chemical exfoliators to target dead skin cell buildup and unclog pores.
Key Ingredients: Pro-vitamin B5, titanium dioxide (a physical sunscreen) and essential oils.
For
- Contains skincare benefits
Against
- Not suitable for sensitive skin types
9. Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer
Product Description: We all know and love Urban Decay's makeup setting spray, but this primer doesn't always get the recognition it deserves. it utilises the same makeup-locking formula to keep your face looking fresh for up to eight hours.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin E and C, hyaluronic acid and the powerhouse peptide Matrixyl 3000.
For
- Very durable and long-lasting
Against
- Can feel quite heavy on the skin.
10. NARS Soft Matte Primer
Product Description: If your skin is oily but prone to occasional dryness, it can be hard to find a primer that works perfectly for you. Enter Nars' Soft Matte Primer. The unique formula features a climate-balancing technology that absorbs excess moisture in humid climates while retaining skin hydration in dry ones.
Key Ingredients: A patented Anti-Oxidation Complex.
For
- Great for combination skin types
Against
- Not super long-lasting
11. Paula's Choice Shine Stopper
Product Description: I can find that some primers can feel thick and heavy on skin, and if you're prone to oiliness and breakouts, you may be concerned about makeup clogging your pores. Put your mind at rest with this skincare-makeup hybrid from Paula's Choice. It instantly works to keep skin shine free, while working in the long term to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.
Key Ingredients: A unique Microsponge® technology that keeps oily skin shine-free for up to six hours.
For
- Helps to treat and prevent oiliness
Against
- Totally mattifying, so removes all glow
12. ONE/SIZE Beauty Secure The Sweat Primer
Product Description: Since it's waterproof, sweat-proof, and oil-proof, shine doesn't stand a chance against this product, making it the perfect primer for oily skin. It promises an impressive 12 hours of wear time.
Key Ingredients: Bamboo marrow powder, niacinamide and horsetail and sage extracts.
For
- Really does lock makeup in place all day and night
Against
- Mostly sold out
13. Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Primer
Product Description: It may be expensive, but truly, no one does base makeup quite like Hourglass. This skin-perfecting primer not only controls shine but also creates an airbrushed finish that minimises the appearance of pores and breakouts.
Key Ingredients: Brimming with microspherical powders.
For
- Blurring finish.
Against
- Not totally mattifying, but great if you still like to have some glow.
14. Indeed Labs Nanoblur Instant Skin Finisher
Product Description: I know many a makeup artist who counts this product as a staple in their kit. Formulated to give skin a photo-ready finish, it mattifies and smoother while light-diffusing pigments blur and filter imperfections.
Key Ingredients: A Nano-Optic Prism Complex.
For
- Really does blur over enlarged pores.
Against
- Small tube doesn't last very long.
15. e.l.f. Cosmetics Matte Putty Makeup Primer
Product Description: When you need your makeup to hold up in extreme conditions, look to this TikTok favourite, which influencers swear by ahead of a long day filming under hot lights.
Key Ingredient: Silicone, glycerin and silica.
For
- Affordable and easy to get hold of.
Against
- Can be hard to use and apply.
Product Description: As any beauty expert will tell you, it's essential to moisturise oily skin, irrespective of how counterintuitive it might feel at the time. I love this Rare Beauty primer because of how hydrating and cushiony it leaves the skin after wear. Top with your go-to pigmented skin enhancer (mine is Chanel Beauty's Les Beige Water-Fresh tint) and a light dusting of liquid blush.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin and silicone.
For
- This gel texture blurs and softens.
Against
- Slightly sticky to the touch.
Product Description: There's a reason Fenty Beauty forever changed the industry when Rihanna launched her makeup line in 2017—because who else enters the market with three different primers designated to treat and soothe specific skin concerns? This primer is a great universal salve that really helps even skin tone, diffuses the appearance of pores and leaves oily skin with a shine-stop finish.
Key Ingredients: Glycerin and silicone.
For
- So easy to find as it's stocked at numerous retailers.
Against
- The texture is quite gummy.
This story was previously published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
