Keeping the Tin Man-esque shine at bay when you have excessively oily skin can seem like an impossible task, but there are a few tips and tricks you can use to combat the build up of excess oil, rein in the shine, and prevent your makeup from looking a hot mess by the end of the day.
1. Make sure your skin is thoroughly moisturised
Us oily-skinned makeup lovers can often fall into the trap of thinking that we don’t need to bother with moisturiser, or that moisturiser will lead to more oiliness. In fact, moisturiser is as much of a necessity to us as it is to other skin types; if oily skin finds itself without moisturiser and becomes dehydrated, it will produce more oil to compensate, thus leaving us with an even oilier complexion and possible patchiness! So, before you reach for any makeup product, spend a few seconds applying a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser evenly over your complexion.
2. Use the correct primer
Primers are an essential part of the makeup routines of those of us with an oily skin, as they primarily function as a sort of barrier between your skin and your makeup and prevent your skin’s natural oils from interfering with the formula of your foundation. However, not all primers are formulated with the same end goal in mind; using a light-reflective, illuminating primer on an oily skin isn’t going to bode well, so try looking for silicone-based primers instead.
Aside from blurring pores and mattifying, silicone-based primers also help to absorb excess sebum, so are perfect for oilier skin types. Look for primers with highly listed ingredients ending in ‘siloxane’ or ‘cone’ (silicones), and primers that are marketed as oil-absorbing and mattifying.
3. Try applying powder after your primer, but before your foundation
This one sounds counter-intuitive, right? Well, applying a light layer of powder before foundation is a great way of ensuring that the powder absorbs the excess sebum before breaking down your foundation. The trick here is to opt for a finely-milled, loose translucent powder over a pressed one to prevent the powder from altering the performance of your foundation and product build-up.
4. Blot throughout the day
Reapplying powders can lead to the dreaded ‘cakey’ complexion, but blotting papers will remove any excess oil without adding any additional product.
5. Combine your powder with a setting spray
If baking your entire complexion is an absolute necessity, but you’d rather not look like you’ve dipped your face in to a bag of flour – try finishing your makeup routine with a few spritzes of a setting spray. Aside from helping your makeup to stay in place for longer, they also absorb excess powder and product; leaving you with a flawless complexion!
Will you be trying out any of these tips? Let us know!
Jess Hall