12 Best Foundations for Oily Skin

There is nothing worse when you have oily skin and your freshly applied makeup soon starts to cause shine or slide off your face.

You want the base of your makeup to be long-lasting and to have that flawless look.  

For this to happen, you’re going to need a foundation that has been specially created for those of us with oily skin.

They will usually come in the form of a mattifying foundation or be an oil-free formula.

You want to be able to feel comfortable in your skin and for this, a foundation for oily skin is a must. 

The Best Foundations For Oily Skin

Below we’ve compiled a list of the best foundations you can use if you have oily skin.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation

This is a full-coverage and long-lasting foundation that will leave you with a matte finish.

It’s buildable so you can put on as much or as little as you need without having your skin look cakey. 

It’s been created for anyone with combination or oily skin and will even leave your skin looking flawless in any hot or humid environment. 

Coming in a wide range of 55 shades, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a color that completely matches your skin tone to give you a natural finish. 

Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15

Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15

Keep your foundation in place for 16 hours with this buildable foundation.

It will create a medium coverage and leave your skin with a natural matte finish. It will glide onto your skin to create a smooth and blendable base, allowing you to easily apply the rest of your makeup.

Also coming with an SPF 15, this foundation will help to protect your skin from any ageing UV rays.

It’s also free from any harmful ingredients such as parabens, mineral oil and sulfates. Gluten free.

Available in a wide range of shades.

Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Foundation

HUDA BEAUTY #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Foundation

This liquid foundation will create a matte finish for up to 24 hours.

It won’t dry out the skin and is also sweat-proof, waterproof and fade-proof. 

Results show that 100% of users agreed the foundation gave a full coverage look and concealed any acne and scarring. Along with this, 96% of users agreed that the foundation made their skin appear smoother. 

Being fragrance-free, this foundation won’t irritate the skin and is also cruelty-free and vegan. Available in a large range of shades.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation Makeup

Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Oil Free Foundation Makeup

Create a natural finish with this medium-coverage foundation.

It’s been created for anyone with normal to oily skin and will leave your skin looking matte and poreless so that you can create a flawless makeup look. 

Coming in a variety of 40 shades, you should have no issue with matching this foundation to your skin tone. You’ll find colours ranging from ivory to mocha and all shades are easy to blend to leave your skin looking natural. 

Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream for Oily Skin

COVERGIRL Clean Matte BB Cream For Oily Skin, Fair 510, (Packaging May Vary) Water-Based Oil-Free Matte Finish BB Cream

It’s an oil-free formula so it won’t clog pores and will help your skin to stay free from any shine. Use it to cover any blemishes and even your skin tone for a flawless everyday look. 

It’s a water-based foundation that will blend evenly into your skin, allowing you to effortlessly apply the rest of your makeup. 

You can keep your skin looking and feeling natural throughout the entire day. 

Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation

Give your oily skin a run for its money with this matte foundation.

This foundation is heat, sweat and shine proof, meaning the foundation should stick to your skin without sliding, even in the worst possible conditions for oily skin.  

Coming in a liquid format, it will provide full coverage leaving you with smooth, poreless skin. The formula is easy to blend and free from parabens and sulfates. 

You can purchase this foundation in a mini bottle or full size, depending on how much makeup you usually wear, or if you want to test out the product before committing to a full-size bottle. 

Available in a variety of shades.

L’Oreal Paris Makeup Infallible Up to 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation

L'Oreal Paris Makeup Infallible Up to 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation,

Allow your oily skin to breathe with this L’Oreal foundation.

It’s a buildable foundation, allowing you to choose between medium or full coverage, making it great to use both day and night. 

It will give you a healthy-looking complexion and is formulated with SPF 25, this foundation will also help to protect your skin from any harmful UV rays. 

Not only will this foundation stay in place for 24 hours, but it also comes in a range of 40 different shades to enable you to find the perfect colour for your skin tone. 

Non-comedogenic, vegan makeup that is suitable for all skin types.

Dior Forever Matte Foundation SPF 15

Dior Dior Forever Matte Foundation SPF 15

This foundation will last for up to 24 hours and you can be sure it won’t budge through the entirety of your wear.

It will create a matte finish with a formula that will help to improve your skin over time. 

Key ingredients include iris extract which will guard the skin against oxidation, rose extract which will refine skin texture and wild pansy extract which will maintain hydration. 

You can pick this foundation up in a range of 42 shades to create medium to full coverage. It’s also free from parabens, sulfates and tar. 

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

ILIA - Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 | Cruelty-Free, Vegan, Clean Beauty

This is a tinted serum with lightweight coverage, it’ll give your skin a dewy finish without it looking greasy and is perfect if you just want something light during the day. 

Formulated with niacinamide, this will help to smooth your skin texture and the hyaluronic acid in this product will help to plump the skin, making it look healthier. 

This tinted serum is great for those of you with oily skin as it won’t clog pores.

It’s also free from any fragrances and silicones and is a vegan, Non-Comedogenic and cruelty-free product. 

Available in a variety of shades.

It Cosmetics CC Matte Cream Medium

It Cosmetics CC Matte Cream

Use this for a full coverage look.

It’s been created with an oil-free formula and anti-ageing properties such as an SPF 40 to allow your skin to be protected and mattified throughout the day. 

The foundation will stay in place for 12 hours without budging and will hide any imperfections or dark spots. It won’t crease or crack the skin, allowing you to look flawless all day long. 

This foundation has been infused with ingredients that your oily skin will love such as charcoal to detoxify and colloidal clay to absorb any excess oil. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay 16-Hour Full Coverage Foundation

Amazonian clay 16-hour full coverage foundation Amazonian clay 16-hour full coverage foundation

Coming in 46 shades, this is an oil-free foundation that provides full coverage to leave skin looking smooth and flawless.

It will give a matte finish without looking cakey and it instead will blur the skin, reducing the appearance of pores and fine lines. 

You can expect 16 hours of coverage for any redness or imperfections on the skin.

The infused clay in this product will also help to absorb any excess oil to leave your skin looking matte for even longer. 

Clinique Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup Foundation 

CLINIQUE Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup Foundation

Stay matte all day with Clinique’s oil-free foundation. 

It’s been designed for both combination and oily skin types and the formula will work at absorbing oil and shine and resisting any sweat. 

This foundation is also free from parabens, sulfates and fragrances making it kind to your skin.

You can apply the foundation using a brush or sponge or even mix it with your moisturiser for a lighter base. 

Available in various shades.


Oily skin can be a pain, especially when you want your makeup to look flawless or last all day. After just a few hours, your skin can start to appear shiny or you may notice your makeup start to slide off your face entirely. 

Luckily, there are plenty of foundations that have been designed especially for oily skin. You can pick up oil-free formulas or foundations with oil-absorbing ingredients such as clay. Both of these types will help to keep your skin looking and feeling matte throughout the day and with minimal top-ups needed.

You can choose buildable foundations to avoid your makeup looking cakey, which is perfect if you’re wanting something for everyday use. 

With the majority of brands also offering a wide variety of shades, you should have no issue finding the right colour for your skin tone, especially with some brands offering a huge 40+ shades. 

Whichever foundation you choose, there’s no doubt that your skin will be left looking flawless and most importantly, shine-free. Follow up with a setting spray for oily skin, reviewed here.