11 Best Primers for Oily Skin

It’s important to find the right primer if you have oily skin.

You’ll need one that will keep your makeup in place all day, as this is one of the main issues that comes with oily skin.

It’s also important to find a primer that will ensure you stay shine-free all day, ensuring your makeup will stay looking flawless and picture-perfect for any event. 

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer

Use this primer to stop shine in its tracks and to leave you with flawless, pore-free skin.

It will ensure that your foundation will last longer and give you the effect of just touched-up makeup throughout the entire day. 

It’s an oil-free product so it won’t leave your skin feeling greasy after use.

You can use it to reduce the appearance of pores, even your skin tone and absorb any excess oil. You’ll be able to smoothly apply your makeup without it appearing cakey or heavy.

This primer is also free from any harmful ingredients such as parabens and phthalates. Apply one pump to the center of your face and blend outward with a makeup sponge or your fingertips.

Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Mattifier

Designed to be a lightweight primer, this product will extend the life of your foundation while also controlling oil and blurring pores.

It will keep your moisture levels balanced to make sure no excess oil is visible during your time wearing makeup.

It will refresh and smooth the skin to create a breathable base for your foundation, allowing a flawless application that will keep your makeup in place throughout the day.

This primer is also free from any harmful ingredients such as parabens, sulfates and phthalates.

MILK Makeup Pore Eclipse Mattifying + Blurring Face Primer

MILK has created a water-based cream primer that feels lightweight, blurs any pores and leaves the skin feeling mattified.

This primer will keep your makeup in place for up to 12 hours, meaning it will stay in place during your working day or for a special event.

Formulated with niacinamide and bakuchiol, these key ingredients will help to minimize the appearance of any pores and reduce any redness of the skin.

It’s been created for normal, combination or oily skin types and will give you that smooth, shine-free appearance.

This primer is non-comedogenic, vegan, and cruelty-free.

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

Extend the wear of your foundation with this mineral primer.

You can expect your makeup to stay put all day, it’ll extend the wear of your foundation while still leaving your skin shine-free all day long. 

The texture of this primer will ensure that it creates a smooth base for your foundation, while also hiding any redness and blurring the appearance of your pores.

It’s even been formulated with SPF 15 to help protect against any harmful UV rays which can speed up any signs of ageing.

You should apply a maximum of one pump onto clean and moisturized skin. 

Cruelty and oil free product.

e.l.f. Cosmetics Matte Putty Primer

Infused with kaolin and white charcoal, this oil-free primer will ensure you stay shine-free during the wear of your makeup.

The velvet texture will glide over your skin to give skin a smooth feel, creating the perfect base for makeup.

Your foundation will grip to this primer, keeping it in place while also controlling any shine to make you look picture-perfect, whatever the occasion.

Coming in a small tub, it’s perfect for travel and you only need to apply a thin layer to the skin for the best results.

Cruelty-free, vegan product.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer

Blur your pores with this primer to create a smooth and even base for your foundation.

It will leave your skin looking shine-free thanks to its oil-absorbing qualities and can even be used on its own if you want a flawless, no-makeup look.

Give yourself a soft, matte finish ensuring that your makeup stays looking intact and just applied throughout the entirety of the day.

You should apply a small amount to your skin and then blend with a makeup sponge or clean fingertips.

MAC Studio Fix Mattifine 12 Hour Shine Control

Reduce the appearance of pores and control your shine through the day with this primer.

It will help to improve the wear of your foundation, ensuring your makeup looks flawless for a maximum of 12 hours.

The gel-to-powder formula will feel weightless on your skin, coming in a soft texture that easily blends into your face. It’s oil-free and also sweat and humidity resistant.

Key ingredients include lactobionic acid, algae extract, and witch hazel. These ingredients will help control oil while also leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth.

Benefit Cosmetics the POREfessional Pore Minimizing Primer

Use this primer to quickly minimize the appearance of any pores and keep any shine in its tracks all day long.

It comes out of the tube as lightweight cream that will provide you with instantly flawless-looking skin.

You can even wear this primer on its own for any natural looks where you don’t want to wear a heavy face of makeup.

It’s suggested to apply a thin layer of this primer to cleansed and moisturized skin.

You can apply it throughout the day to keep your shine at bay, just gently dab it onto your skin until the shine disappears.

Tatcha The Liquid Silk Canvas: Featherweight Protective Primer

This is a liquid primer that feels lightweight as soon as it’s applied to the face.

You can use it to protect your skin from any pollutants so that it’s prepped and ready to apply your foundation to.

It’s been created for anyone with normal, combination or oily skin and will help to reduce the appearance of pores, redness, dullness and uneven skin texture.

Infused with botanical extracts, these powerful ingredients will help prevent pores from clogging and promote soft and smooth skin.

Results show that after the first use, 100% of users agreed the primer improved their skin tone and after two weeks 90% agreed there had even been a reduction in wrinkles.

Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Face Primer

Prep your skin ready for makeup application with this mattifying primer.

It will keep your makeup in place throughout the day and instantly leave skin feeling smooth to create the perfect base.

It will lock in your makeup by providing a matt finish that will protect you from any oiliness and creasing that can cause your makeup to feel like it’s sliding off your face.

Along with mattifying the skin it will also even out your skin tone, balance your complexion and minimize the appearance of pores.

It can be used on any skin type but is most effective on oily skin thanks to its mattifying properties.

This is a paraben-free and cruelty-free primer that’s Leaping Bunny approved.

Rimmel Stay Matt Mattifying Primer

Keep shine away for up to eight hours with Rimmel’s mattifying primer.

It’s been created to give you smooth and flawless skin that will ensure an easy foundation application to leave you with airbrushed skin.

You can expect this primer to not only give you shine-free skin for up to eight hours, but it will also provide a lightweight formula and minimize the appearance of pores to leave you with even-looking skin all day long.

You can wear this primer both on its own, if you would prefer a natural, everyday look or you can wear it underneath your foundation.

You should apply a small amount to clean and moisturized skin and blend it out.

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Primers are an important part of any makeup routine.

They’ll ensure that your makeup stays in place throughout the day, which is particularly important if you do have oily skin as makeup is more likely to smudge. You should look for primers that have mattifying properties, as these will leave your skin looking flawless and smooth.

As well as mattifying properties, the lightweight formula is also a great option for oily skin. It won’t feel heavy under any makeup, which is the last thing you want if any oiliness is already weighing the skin down.

You can also look out for pore-minimizing primers, which will come in particularly handy if you prefer to have no makeup days.