No matter how much makeup you put on to cover up those stubborn pores, the shine somehow always finds a way to seep through. It’s more than annoying to say the least, especially when you start noticing little spots of acne here and there, which can be an absolute nightmare when you have that special dinner date in the next half hour!
While makeup itself might not sound appealing to some members of the oily skin community, it can certainly be a temporary solution for most situations, not to mention a more artistic one at that! So, without further ado, here are 5 simple tips to applying makeup for oily skin!
In the beauty community, face primers are an absolute MUST before applying any makeup on your face, no matter the skin type. For oily skin, the perfect face primers to use should consist of being light weight, oil free (of course), mattifying, and pore minimizing. Great drugstore primers that do as such include ELF’s “Poreless Putty Primer” , Maybelline’s “Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser”, and Rimmel’s “Stay Matte” primer. You could also go for more high-end products at stores like ULTA or Sephora, but at the end of the day, the primer you ultimately choose will be a personal preference.
Stay away from foundations that label “dewy” or “hydrating”. It’s always good to consistently keep your skin refreshed and moisturized, however, with oily skin you should avoid as much of it as possible when choosing your foundation, as it would only encourage that unwanted shine.
Similar to your primer, finding a foundation that will mattify and control your oils would greatly benefit your makeup in the long run, not only lasting longer but also smoothing over any flaws or acne scars that might still be there. Foundations I would recommend are Maybelline’s “Fit-Me! Matt + Poreless” foundation, NYX “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”, and Revlon “Color Stay – Liquid foundation”. Most makeup artists recommend applying foundation with a stipple brush to not drag the product around or make it look thick and layered. If your like me however, you might also want to consider using an egg shaped sponge, and use the base of it so that the foundation not only blends in easier with any other underlining products you’ve put on, but also presses into your skin a bit more to stay on longer.
After applying the concealer, baking is a technique used to both help mattify your skin and/or give it a bit of a glow, with a bonus of also giving you a crease free and smooth look for the camera!
Pack on some loose powder a little bit at a time using a slightly damp makeup sponge, applying some under the eyes and maybe even a little on your chin, upper lip, and forehead (bake in areas where your skin would usually shine the most) A very popular product to bake with is Maybelline’s “Fit-Me Loose Finishing Powder”, but you can also use other brands that produce setting powders as well. Once again, finding your own personal preference will guarantee a greater satisfaction.
Unfortunately, no matter what look you’re going for, if your skin is similar to mine, it’s possible to bake for too long, and if you do your skin will dry out more then it will control your oil, leaving unwanted creasing and patches. If this is the case, only bake for no longer then 2-3 minutes.
Aside from baking, setting powder is considered to be the next to last step to completing your overall look. As stated in the name, setting powder is used to set everything in place, mainly any contour, concealer, and even highlight if applied earlier. A couple recommended setting powders used for oily skin include L’Oréal Paris’ “Infallible pro glow powder”, NYX’s “Professional Makeup HD setting powder”, and ELF’s “Make me Matte! Foundation Adjuster”.
As tempting as it may be, do not over pack when applying. Putting on too much setting powder will only lead to it simply sitting on top of your skin and makeup rather than blending in with it. If this does happen not only would you feel the need to repeatedly apply powder every hour or so to keep away the shine, but this will also cause build up in the skin as the powder mixes in with the oil, ultimately clogging your pores and creating bacteria that will inevitably bring out the oh so dreaded acne problems we’ve spent years trying to avoid.
The next and final step to applying your oil free makeup would be to, of course, set everything together once again, but with just enough hydration and mist to balance out the matting of your skin to rule out unwanted dry patches and flakes.
Setting spray can not only help prevent severe smudging or fading of your makeup, but it can also give you just enough hydration to even out the PH balance of your face, keeping your skin healthy and fresh throughout the day. The more popular setting sprays to help oil control include Urban Decays “De-Slick Oil Control Setting Spray”, ELF Cosmetics “Matte Magic Mist set”, and ELF Cosmetics “Oil Control Primer Mist”
Makeup will always be my go-to source whenever I want to put a temporary pause on my skins routinely shine. However, no matter how much concealer, foundation or even setting powder you use, it is an absolute must that you properly strip all of it at the end of the day, using proper facial cleansers and even hydrating facial wipes. Combining oily skin with all the dirt and debris you collect through out the day will cause acne breakouts, black heads, and of course all that unwanted attention!
Having to deal with oily skin can be a pain, but it doesn’t have to be impossible!
Do you have any makeup tips you would like to share yourself? Have a story of your own you would like to share? Leave a comment down below and tell us all about it!
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