The 7 Best Primers For Oily Skin (All Editor Tested!) + What To Look for

This one cuts shine immediately but never robs your skin of healthy-looking moisture. The consistency is slightly tacky but only in the moment of application, as it sinks into the skin with ease. It can even be used on dry skin, making it super versatile.

All-day wear is what this product is known for, and it lives up to the name. I wore this primer on an extremely hot day in New York City and even completed a light jog with it on—I was shocked to see my complexion still looking matte once the sweat settled. If that’s not a sign that it doesn’t move, I don’t know what is.

This product offers the benefits of silicones without including them by instead relying on aloe water to blur and mattify the skin. Other worthy call-outs include hyaluronic acid for plumping, niacinamide and blue agave to smooth texture and cannabis seed extract to keep moisture in your skin.

This product does not contain pore-clogging ingredients.

I can’t say I love the initial sticky feeling of this primer, but I appreciate the finish it creates so I can get past it. It almost feels like applying a hyaluronic acid serum because of that gel-like, bouncy consistency.

The formula blurs and mattifies but in a gentler way than many other primers. It doesn’t suck the oil from your skin leaving it rough, but rather smoothes the surface.

I found that my T-zone makeup stayed in place quite nicely but the under eyes didn’t hold up as well as I’d like. This may have been due to a strange reaction my concealer had with the silicone-based primer.

I do wish this primer had more skin-loving ingredients. Glycerin is certainly great for skin hydration, but I would have loved more natural hydration. However, I understand this product is designed to be performance-based and it lives up to that without a doubt.

This product does contain talc which has been classified as a pore-clogging ingredient. We’ll flag here that this ingredient has also raised safety concerns due to potential contamination with toxic mineral asbestos when used in powder formulas, but that does not mean the talc in this primer was sourced in the same way.

The texture is super smooth and feels incredibly soft going on the skin. It has never caused pilling for me and washes off with ease.

“It features a very impressive ‘sebum control complex’ that helps prevent oil from dissolving your makeup,” Schneider explains. This provides a satin-like finish that mattifies oily areas without drying out the rest of the face. However, she notes that her combination skin feels matte enough, but truly oily skin may need something stronger.

This one feels like silk on the skin, which is great for “no-makeup makeup” days, but it’s not the option with the most staying power.

“I especially love the ‘Skin Save’ complex that works to calm the complexion and dial down redness. And I can feel it at work: As soon as I apply this primer, my skin feels way less inflamed,” Schneider says.

This one passes the noncomedogenic test. “Instead of silicones (which can create an occlusive environment on the skin and lead to clogged pores), it features plant-based elastomers that effortlessly cling to makeup (the brand calls them ‘shapewear for your skin’). Not to mention, it contains several skin care ingredients to temper inflammation—and all acne stems from inflammation of some kind,” Schneider says.

“Silky-smooth and spreadable. I’d say it feels somewhat like a moisturizing skin tint (and acts like one, too: It features golden yellow undertones to even out the skin tone),” she notes.

When I apply this primer my complexion is mattified instantly. Some products take a minute to really settle in, but this one works in seconds. Even on the outer cheeks where I don’t struggle with oiliness, I notice it blurs uneven texture and small bumps which is a great plus.

This one holds onto makeup quite well for being a creamy formula. While it’s not sticky like a gel, it does offer some tact when applying foundation, which helps your makeup look fresh throughout the day.

The niacinamide and collagen peptides are great additions for smoothing texture, but I can’t say I found it to be particularly hydrating as the name suggests. It does contain silicones which explains part of the smoothing power, but not everyone loves that addition.

This formula does contain sorbitan oleate which has been known to clog pores.

I personally really enjoyed the texture of this primer, especially how it felt on the skin. It’s creamy and smooth but also breathable.

It’s not the most mattifying product on the market, but it does eliminate excess shine. Anyone with combination skin will adore the rare middle ground this product offers.

The gel cream holds onto my makeup and keeps my T-zone managed throughout the day. My favorite products to pair it with are lighter coverage options like tinted sunscreen, BB cream, and serum-like foundations. It’s not tacky enough to deliver the strong hold needed for an event or super sweaty day, though.  

This one is packed with good-for-you ingredients from willow bark extract to niacinamide to algae and beyond—it’s built for maintaining balanced hydration and managing excess oil production while giving your complexion a nutrient boost. It does contain silicones but in my opinion, feels much less occlusive than some of the other silicone options out there.

The formula is free from potential pore-clogging ingredients and even contains willow bark extract to help manage oil production. 

I love the texture of this product—it’s smooth and hydrating but never too heavy. I’d say it feels more like a serum and less like a makeup product.

This one has long-lasting oil control, but not necessarily the highest mattifying power compared to other options. Schneider reports she actually enjoyed the dewy, balanced finish but that anyone looking for a fully matte complexion may opt for another choice.

“As I mentioned, this primer helped my makeup last all day long. My face beat looked just as immaculate as it did in the a.m., even after gallivanting all day in the NYC summer heat," says Schneider.

While the formula is fragrance-free, it isn’t packed with that many additional skin care ingredients compared to the other selections. It also contains silicones.

This one does not contain any pore-clogging ingredients but does contain silicones. The formula does have buchu leaf extract, which is lauded for balancing sebum levels, Schneider reports.

I love the texture of this product—it’s smooth and hydrating but never too heavy. I’d say it feels more like a serum and less like a makeup product.

Look, this product was not designed to mattify and I won’t lie to you and say that it makes oily skin look matte—it just doesn’t. What it does do is balance oily skin and add a glow that looks more radiant than oily. Dewy skin is a finish even those with oily skin types may want to achieve in moderation.

I was skeptical about the longevity power before testing this product because I knew it left a radiant finish (which oftentimes, lends itself to makeup melting), but I was pleasantly surprised—I tested it on a few separate occasions and each time noticed my makeup (foundation and concealer) staying in place all day.

The ingredients in this formula are focused on hydration, smoothing texture, and providing antioxidant protection.

This does contain chlorella which is on the list of potentially pore-clogging ingredients, but I didn’t have any clogs (and my skin is quite prone to them). The niacinamide and green tea oil are great for balancing oil in the skin, so I think it’s a pretty good pick for acne-prone folks who want a glowy finish.

I like the texture but I cannot say I love the roller—something about it just made the application more difficult for me personally, but it didn’t stop me from reaching for the product and applying it with my hands. I’ll note that plenty of reviewers enjoy the roller function, so take this as just one personal preference.