If you have oily skin, finding the right foundation is already enough of a challenge without having to deal with extreme heat that will melt your makeup off even faster. The goal is to find something that will provide the amount of coverage you want without clogging your pores, feeling too heavy or sliding off as soon as you put it on.
Instead of leaving you to fend for yourself through some expensive rounds of trial and error, Shop TODAY spoke to two makeup artists who told us which foundations the pros use to keep oily skin looking picture-perfect in any condition.
What to look for | Expert picks | Editor favorites | How we chose | Meet the experts
What to look for in foundations for oily skin
As you begin your search for a foundation designed specifically for oily skin, celebrity makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor suggests you focus less on specific ingredients and more on the claims on packaging (with the exception of trying to avoid certain allergens or toxic ingredients).
“Silicone may be great in one formula for dry skin, but it may also be great in a formula for oily skin. It’s all about an entire combination so don’t stress yourself out reading labels. Unless you’re a cosmetics chemist, you’re better off just using the consumer-friendly information,” he says. “A great cosmetics brand is going to want you to find the right product without having to look at the product formulation.”
So what should you be looking for? Sotomayor, along with New York City-based makeup artist Veronica Gaona, recommends looking for oil-control, mattifying and long-wear claims.
Gaona says she has oily skin herself, so she has first-hand experience in choosing and trying the right foundations. “Because of our type of skin, makeup seems to wear off very easily so a lot of things slip away from the face,” she says. For this reason, she leans toward products that are oil-free, even in skin prep, that also provide hydration.
Be careful not to over-mattify the face, she warns, because that can cause your skin to produce more oil. “Even though our skin is oily, it still needs hydration,” she adds.
Sotomayor emphasizes the importance of choosing a proper long-wear foundation if you have oily skin. “Your skin is pushing oil through your pores and that’s going to lift makeup off of your skin. A long-wearing foundation is more prepared to fight that battle."
Expert-recommended foundations for oily skin
The multitasker: Covergirl Simply Ageless 3-in-1 Liquid Foundation
- Easy to apply
- Blends easily
- Lightweight
- May be greasy
Size: 1 oz. | Key ingredients: Vitamin C
For an affordable drugstore option, Sotomayor recommends this foundation from Covergirl. He likes its long-wearing ability and the brand's commitment to producing cruelty-free makeup. According to the brand, this foundation "instantly reduces wrinkles, improves tone and hydrates to firm skin."
Designed for all skin types: Clinique Suberbalanced Makeup Foundation
- Natural finish
- Good coverage
- Small amount of product for price
Size: 1 oz. | Key ingredients: Butylene glycol
One of the things Gaona says to look out for in a foundation is a formula that is free of oil, yet packed with hydration. This pick from Clinique is designed with several skin types in mind, with the goal of balancing out your skin and making it oil-free where you need it most.
Long-lasting: Nars Cosmetics Soft Matte Complete Foundation
- Great coverage
- Blends well
- May be cakey
Size: 1.5 oz. | Key ingredients: Micro-algae, bio hyaluronic acid
Another favorite of Gaona’s is this Nars foundation for hydration, transfer-proof and full coverage. “A lot of the mattifying products I would recommend are a little bit more long-wearing, which is great because a lot of time with oily skin, a lot of the makeup we’re wearing tends to fade because of how much oil we’re producing throughout the day,” she says.
Super hydrating: Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation
- Easy to apply
- Lightweight
- Smell may be strong
Size: 1.7 oz. | Key ingredients: Squalane, hyaluronic acid
For light-to-medium coverage, Gaona likes this Dior foundation. She says its liquid, runny texture provides a more natural coverage. With hyaluronic acid as its main ingredient, this foundation promises hydration and the ability to blend in effortlessly with your skin, making for an easy “no-makeup” makeup look.
The sun protectant: Supergoop! CC Screen 100% Mineral CC Cream SPF 50
- Blends easily
- Great coverage
- May be chalky
Size: 1.6 oz. | Key ingredients: Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide
Sotomayor is a fan of this Supergoop! CC cream with SPF because of its ability to tackle several things at once: sun protection, hydration and color. He adds that he recently used this on the set of a film that took place outside so it was helpful for actors who were sweaty and also had oily skin.
Lights, camera, action: Make Up For Ever HD Skin Undetectable Stay-True Foundation
- Makes skin glow
- Great results
- May be watery
Size: 1.01 oz. | Key ingredients: Vegetable-origin glycerol, exopolysaccharide
Gaona calls this Make Up For Ever pick her favorite foundation for summer. She describes it "as if their Ultra HD and Matte Velvet had a baby." She says the Ultra HD foundation is ideal for when you're on camera and the Matte Velvet foundation is great for oily skin, so the best qualities of each have combined in this new formula.
"It has both the mattifying factors but it also has a buildable coverage which you need for oily skin, as we’re very prone to acne breakouts and a lot of over-production of oils," she says.
Fine line reducer: Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation
- Has a natural look
- Goes on smoothly
- Lightweight
- May be watery
Size: 1 oz. | Key ingredients: Niacinamide, allantoin, aloe
For a lightweight foundation with a clean ingredient list, turn to the Ilia serum foundation, that promises to provide long-lasting medium coverage. Available in over 30 shades, this foundation also boasts niacinamide as its main ingredient, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles effortlessly, combined with aloe, which helps with the weightless feel.
Editor-loved foundation for oily skin
Editor-favorite: MISSHA Magic Cushion Foundation
- Hydrated finish
- Easy to apply
- A little goes a long way
- Limited shade range
Size: 1 count | Key ingredients: Bamboo water, baobab tree fruit
"TikTok made me try it!" says senior editor Jess Bender. "After the platform introduced me to cushion foundations, I discovered my go-to toner has a very popular one on the market (and was conveniently on sale when I stumbled on it). The initial finish leaves my skin feeling hydrated and looking dewy but not greasy, and I find that it doesn’t dry up and become patchy throughout the day, which is an issue I come across with a lot of foundations," she explains.
"Just note that the accompanying puff absorbs a *lot *of product, so be mindful of how much you dab up before applying," advises Bender.
How we chose the best foundations for oily skin
The Shop TODAY team rounded up the best foundations for oily skin by enlisting the recommendations of celebrity makeup artists, conducting general market research and including an editor favorite. Plus, all of our product picks are under $55.
Meet the experts
- Veronica Gaona is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City with experience in film, bridal and editorial.
- Andrew Sotomayor is a celebrity makeup artist who has won and been nominated for several Emmys for his work in film, television and on Broadway.
