The 15 Best Foundations for Oily Skin to Achieve a Soft-Focus Look
Discovering the best foundation for oily skin can be life-changing for people who deal with excess oil production and find themselves packing blotting papers and translucent powders to reduce shine and minimize flashback. Another plot twist to consider: People with oily skin tend to be more prone to breakouts, making it all the more important to use foundation that is formulated without oil and pore-clogging ingredients.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Overall: IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Natural Matte Foundation SPF 40, $47
- Best Satin Finish: Nars Soft Matte Complete Foundation, $42
- Best Matte Finish: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup, $52
- Best for Full Coverage: Chanel Ultra Le Teint Flawless Finish Foundation, $65
- Best for Medium Coverage: Exa High Fidelity Foundation, $38
- Best Sheer Coverage: BareMinerals Original Matte Loose Mineral Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15, $39
- Best Drugstore: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation, $15
- Best Splurge: Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Blurring Foundation, $150
With the warmer (and sweaty) months ahead of us, scroll ahead to find the best foundation for oily skin to blur the look of texture and large pores—and get ready to soften your shine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What formulas or ingredients should you look for in a foundation for oily skin?
- What formulas or ingredients should you avoid for oily skin?
- Meet the experts
- How our test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Natural Matte Foundation SPF 40
Why It's Worth It: New York City-based makeup artist Neil Scibelli says IT Cosmetics's Oil-Free Matte CC+ Cream is an awesome buildable-coverage pick for oily skin. "It leaves a matte yet still airbrushed-like finish to the skin, preventing shine and blurring pores," he says. On top of its natural finish, this foundation features the oil-absorbing properties of lentil seed oil and kaolin clay, while niacinamide acts as an anti-inflammatory blemish buster. Not to mention, Scibelli says its formula gets bonus points for being infused with broad-spectrum SPF 40.
Editor Tip: The original form of this CC cream has taken home multiple Allure Readers' Choice Awards since it "goes on smoothly and won't crack or crease over the course of the day," according to executive beauty director Jenny Bailly.
Key Ingredients: Lentil seed extract, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 30
Best Satin Finish: Nars Soft Matte Complete Foundation
Why It's Worth It: Nars is no stranger to making seriously good foundations—think Natural Radiant Longwear and Sheer Glow, for example—but this matte version outdoes them all. The Nars Soft Matte Complete Foundation offers coverage that's buildable enough to conceal dark spots and even out tone, but leaves a finish that still looks like your own skin. Plus, its finish is more satin than matte, so you retain more dimension. "Immediately, I was smitten with how beautiful the satin finish was—it gave me the perfect base for the rest of my full-face beat," said former associate news editor Gabi Thorne.
Editor Tip: Use a flat makeup brush to paint this onto skin, starting at the inside of your face (near your eyes and nose) and working your way out.
Key Ingredients: Rice bran extract, sunflower extract, rosemary leaf extract | Finish: Satin | Available Shades: 34
Best Matte Finish: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup
Why It's Worth It: Classics are classics for a reason, and Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup keeps shine away and stays put all day long. The full-coverage foundation blends across skin like water but dries to a powder-like finish so redness and shine are eliminated on the spot. And since the formula is oil-free, it won't encourage breakouts or bail at the first sign of sweat, sun, or humidity; in fact, it promises an impressive 24 hours of wear. Clocking in at a whopping 56 shades, the Misty Copeland-approved formula doesn't give darker skin tones a grayish tint.
Editor Tip: When applying, keep in mind that this long-wear foundation sets quickly. "It's key that you are relatively speedy when blending it in," says makeup artist and photographer Robin Black. She says to start by using a foundation brush to swipe on a small bit from the center of the face toward the edges. "Then, using the same brush, blend in short, circular motions from the center outward," Black explains. "Remember to blend under your jaw, down your neck, into your hairline, and dab a tiny bit on your ears."
Key Ingredients: Dimethicone, vitamin E | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 56
Best Full-Coverage Foundation: Chanel Ultra Le Teint Flawless Finish Foundation
Why It's Worth It: A soft-matte finish, 24-hour wear, and 35 shades to choose from—what's not to love about the Chanel Ultra Le Teint Flawless Finish Foundation? One of Chanel's most popular products, this mattifying foundation has a full-coverage finish that sits like an ultra-thin veil on your complexion, providing a skin-like finish without feeling cakey. Since it has glycerin (a humectant) and vitamin E (an emollient), it won't overly dry skin, either.
Editor Tip: It does have fragrance, which is worth keeping in mind if you're not a fan.
Key Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamin E | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 35
Best Drugstore: L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation
Why It's Worth It: As light as air: That's the feeling of this barely-there, oil-free foundation that we love. L'Oréal Paris's Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation makes an instantly noticeable difference in bringing down shine. The base goes on smooth like silk and imparts a demi-matte finish that lasts 24 hours without looking too flat or shiny. Available in 22 shades, this Readers' Choice Award winner is the ultimate your-skin-but-better base, even through sweat, heat, and humidity.
We're not the only fans of this drugstore foundation: Scibelli notes that he's also been a long-time fan of this foundation, especially for his oilier-skinned clients. "It leaves a true matte finish to the skin while controlling oil production and minimizing the appearance of pores," he says.
Editor Tip: Pat, don't rub the formula into your skin with your fingers or a makeup sponge.
Key Ingredients: Dimethicone, vitamin E | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 22
Best Splurge: Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Blurring Foundation
Why It's Worth It: While you'll find Tom Ford Beauty's Architecture Soft Matte Blurring Foundation loaded with nourishing ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and antioxidants like vitamin C, it also delivers on the mattifying front, tamping down shine with microsphere powders which both blur skin and control oil. (That makes it especially good for combination skin in addition to oily types.) Those powders also lend a soft-focus effect that doesn't sacrifice staying power; the formula also resists creasing, settling, or melting in the face of sweat and humidity.
Editor Tip: For perfecting skin in smaller areas, like around the eyes and nostrils, you can't go wrong with the brand's Traceless Soft Matte Concealer, which offers similar staying power in a portable stick form.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, lavender oil | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 40
Best Sheer-Coverage Foundation: BareMinerals Original Matte Loose Mineral Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15
Why It's Worth It: Bareminerals took its classic Original Foundation and turned it into a loose powder that somehow feels like a cream. When swept onto the skin, the Matte Foundation instantly de-slicks skin and smooths pores, leaving your complexion shine-free. Plus, it has one of the widest powder foundation shade selections—and is one of few mattifying foundations that offer sheer to medium coverage.
Editor Tip: The formula doesn't contain talc, and it's hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and free of synthetic fragrances—making it gentle enough for even reactive skin types.
Key Ingredients: Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxides | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 30
Best Medium-Coverage Foundation: Exa High Fidelity Foundation
Why It's Worth It: "This foundation isn't exactly geared toward oily skin, but it does work well for all skin types—including oily skin," says Krupa Koestline, cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Consultants. "It's not too mattifying, gives a very realistic coverage, and isn't heavy at all." Other benefits? It protects against pollution and is vegan- and cruelty-free. "This one is gentle enough for blemish-prone skin," Koestline adds.
Editor Tip: A little goes a long way—so much so that our reviewer recommended "squirting it onto the back of your hand, warming it up a bit with your fingers, then dabbing small amounts on the parts of your face where you need it most before blending outward with your preferred tool." Noted.
Key Ingredients: Pavlova Lutheri extract, maqui berry extract, hyaluronic acid | Finish: Satin | Available Shades: 43
Best Longwear Foundation: Make Up For Ever HD Skin Waterproof Natural Matte Foundation
Why It's Worth It: Water, sweat, humidity—the Make Up For Ever HD Skin Waterproof Natural Matte Foundation can outlast them all, thanks to a lightweight yet grippy formula that flexes and moves with skin with ease. This medium-to-full coverage formula blurs texture and delivers a cake-resistant, transfer-proof finish that won't budge until you wash your face.
Editor Tip: Consider swapping your go-to foundation for this in the summer; research has found that skin tends to produce more oil than usual in the warmer months.
Key Ingredients: Glycerin, dimethicone | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 40
Best Powder Foundation: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Powder Foundation
Why It's Worth It: Powder foundations have gotten a bad rap after the thick, cakey-looking formulas of yesteryear. However, Fenty Beauty's Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Powder Foundation is lightweight and buildable; you can use the pressed powder for a barely-there makeup look or layer for more coverage. "It stays put even in humid climates, comes in 50 shades, and is ideal if you have oily or breakout-prone skin,'' says Black. "This power compact comes with a convenient sponge for touch-ups, but for daily at-home, full-face use, I prefer a powder brush or a blender sponge." She recommends applying a light layer over your entire face, blending at the jawline, temples, and ears; then, go back and apply an extra coat to any areas that could use a little more coverage.
Editor Tip: To keep your skin from looking too matte, lightly spray your face with a hydrating face mist or gently pat on a highlighter to the high point of your cheekbones, tip of your nose, cupid's bow, and chin.
Key Ingredients: Kaolin, talc | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 50
Best Foundation for Large Pores: Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation
Why It's Worth It: Oily complexions are probably well aware of the full-coverage mattifying powers of Tarte's Amazonian Clay Foundation. Scibelli says acne-prone skin types should follow suit, considering the fact that its formula is infused with oil-absorbing kaolin clay and anti-inflammatory vitamin E. "The mousse-like matte texture also helps to camouflage active breakouts while controlling oil and blurring the appearance of pores," he says.
Editor Tip: The clay-based formula can be tricky to thoroughly blend into skin, so use a very densely packed foundation brush to buff it in.
Key Ingredients: Kaolin, vitamin E | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 46
Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Clinique Acne Clearing Solutions Foundation
Why It's Worth It: Whether you're acne-prone, oily, or both, Scibelli says the Clinique Acne Clearing Solutions Foundation is a must. "It contains a base of salicylic acid, a common acne-fighting ingredient, built into the foundation," he says. This oil-free, lightweight foundation comes in 24 shades to choose from, each providing a semi-matte finish and medium-buildable coverage that can be layered as you please without drawing attention to texture.
Editor Tip: It's a blast from the past: This formula actually won back-to-back Allure Best of Beauty Awards in 2010 and 2011.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, Lactobacillus ferment | Finish: Satin | Available Shades: 24
Best Foundation for Sensitive Skin: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear
Why It's Worth It: Makeup artist Delina Medhin counts Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra Wear as one of her favorites: This popular formula comes in 50 shades, provides full coverage (which can be easily sheered out or built up) that doesn't fade throughout the day, and doesn't budge on oily skin. Medhin says it's great to use on sensitive skin because "it helps cover up acne as your skin heals." On top of that, this oil-free formula is also packed with perlite and silica to absorb excess oil and mattify.
Editor Tip: The brand's excellent Teint Idole concealer is similarly worth considering; it took home an Allure Best of Beauty Award back in 2022.
Key Ingredients: Moringa oil, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 50
Best Foundation with SPF: Dior Forever Matte Foundation SPF 15
Why It's Worth It: Want a red carpet-worthy finish? Then Scibelli says to grab Dior's Forever Matte Foundation, stat. This medium-coverage foundation's shade range contains 43 colors to choose from, which is impressive enough, but Scibelli says its long-wear, 24-hour transfer-proof formula and "matte yet skin-like finish" is what makes this buildable foundation worthy of adding to your makeup routine. It "allows my skin to glow from within, without making me feel oily or greasy," said Allure shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis.
Editor Tip: The SPF rating is lower than what is recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology, a.k.a. SPF 30, so layer on your usual sunscreen before applying this. But we won't argue with a little extra UV protection.
Key Ingredients: Wild pansy extract, nasturtium extract, rose hip extract | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 43
Best Fragrance-Free Foundation: Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation
Why It's Worth It: Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation feels velvety-smooth on your skin and won't sink into fine lines or highlight inflamed pores. The drugstore staple comes in 40 shades, is fragrance-free, and oil-free. Your skin will still feel like your skin since the texture is lightweight and breathable. Allure contributing editor Marci Robin says that she skips the concealer, because this 2020 Readers' Choice Award winner is that good at blurring blemishes, discoloration, and fine lines.
Editor Tip: If you're having a hard time finding your match (or want to be extra sure of your choice), Maybelline New York has a handy Shade Finder guide.
Key Ingredients: Dimethicone, vitamin E | Finish: Matte | Available Shades: 40
Frequently Asked Questions
What formulas and ingredients should you look for in a foundation for oily skin?
First off, Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD and cosmetic chemist Ginger King say that looking for oil-free and noncomedogenic (meaning it won't cause pore blockages, otherwise known as comedones) foundations is the way to go. Look for certain wording on the packaging, such oil-free, long-wear, mattifying, and 10 or more hour wear, makeup artist Mai Quynh says. She also recommends checking the ingredients for soft-focus microsphere powders and water as the first or second ingredient in the product.
Salicylic acid is another key ingredient to look for in a foundation, according to both Dr. Gohara and King. While it's powerful in cleansers, serums, and acne treatments, salicylic acid also helps resurface skin texture, clear dead skin cells, and even out your skin tone when infused into a foundation.
Hydrators like hyaluronic acid and glycerin are not only okay, but actually helpful. A common misconception is oily skin doesn't need hydration, but "dehydrated skin is [caused by] a lack of water, not oil—so you can actually have an oily complexion but still have dehydrated skin," Ross C. Radusky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously told Allure.
Therefore, you should enlist a foundation containing some form of hyaluronic acid to increase hydration and strengthen your skin's moisture barrier. This way, less water escapes, according to Dr. Gohara. She also recommends choosing a foundation spiked with antioxidants (like vitamins C and E) that have anti-inflammatory properties and fight off destructive free radicals.
What formulas or ingredients should you avoid for oily skin?
In terms of specific ingredients to avoid, King calls out myristyl myristate, a waxy emollient found in some foundations. But, generally speaking, "anything that is heavy—like petrolatum, mineral oil, and lanolin—has the potential to clog pores," she adds. Also off the table are certain oils. "Avoid ingredients like jojoba or any other types of oils or emollients," says Quynh, as these can make oily skin look shinier.
Meet the Experts
- Neil Scibelli, a makeup artist based in New York City
- Krupa Koestline, a cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Consultants
- Robin Black, a makeup artist and photographer based in Los Angeles
- Mai Quynh, a makeup artist who works with celebrities like Ali Wong, Nicole Richie, and more
- Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut
- Ginger King, a cosmetic chemist
- Ross C. Radusky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York Cit
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best foundations for oily skin, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and makeup artiststo review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
More makeup that'll prep you for summer:
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- 20 Best Bronzers for Foolproof, Radiant Skin All Year Round
- 19 Best Setting Powders for Shine-Free Makeup Looks
Done reading? Now, watch a cosmetic chemist guess which products are cheap vs. expensive:
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