Those with oily skin know that nailing one’s makeup is only half the battle — keeping it from sliding off your face come the slightest hint of heat, humidity, rain, or simply the passage of time is a challenge of its own. The best primers for oily skin need to not only lock makeup in place, but work to mitigate excess oil and shine by lightly mattifying the skin and minimising the appearance of pores. Add to that, they should be non-comedogenic — i.e. they shouldn’t clog or exacerbate acne-prone skin.
Overview of the best primers for oily skin
- Best smoothing/blurring primer for oily skin: Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Face Primer
- Best long-lasting hydrating primer for oily skin: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Hydrating Primer
- Best primer for concealing pores: e.l.f. Cosmetics Liquid Poreless Putty Primer
- Best skincare-infused mattifying primer for oily skin: Go-To Very Mattifying Primer
- Best affordable primer for oily skin: Mecca Max Skin Filter Blurring Primer
What makes a good primer for oily skin?
Reading the ingredients is paramount when selecting a primer for oily or combination skin. The best primers for oily skin often contain ingredients that work to control oil such as silicones (such as dimethicone), silica, magnesium silicate, clay, zinc oxide, salicylic acid, and niacinamide.
Is a silicone- or water-based primer best for oily skin?
Both silicone- and water-based primers can be suitable for oily skin, however it’s important to consider what you want your primer to achieve as well as your other makeup products.
Silicone-based primers work to create a physical barrier between makeup and the skin, filling in pores, acne scars, and fine lines to create a smooth canvas for makeup. The majority of primers that promise a smooth, blurred, or ‘filtered’ look achieve this through the use of silicones, typically dimethicone. As they create a barrier between the skin and makeup, silicone-based primers prevent oils from the skin from breaking down foundation, resulting in a velvety matte finish and allowing your makeup to last longer.
However, silicone-based primers work best with silicone-based foundations and may cause water-based foundations to separate. Additionally, they can sometimes feel heavy on the skin and may cause acne-prone skin to break out.
In that case, you’re best off with a water-based primer, ideally enriched with ingredients that help to control oil production, like niacinamide and zinc oxide, as well as hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and aloe vera.
The best primers for oily skin
1. Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Face Primer
Price: $68AUD (22ml)
A godsend for those with oily skin, the Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Face Primer works to smooth and blur pores while mattifying oily skin. The formula has a creamy texture that’s easy to apply, with the silicone-based primer acting like putty to stopper pores and any indented acne scars. It does dry down relatively quickly, meaning it’s best to work quickly when applying your foundation — that said, the same quality makes your makeup stay in place all day.
Formula type: silicone-based cream | Finish: matte | Key ingredients: silicone
2. Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Hydrating Primer
Price: $69AUD (45ml)
Placing equal emphasis on hydration and longevity, the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Hydrating Primer is a water-based formula that’s free from oil and silicones. It has a slightly sticky, tacky feeling upon application, with the formula working to grip makeup to the skin for a lasting finish. While it’s typically recommended for normal to dry skin, the inclusion of niacinamide aids in controlling sebum production while hyaluronic acid and blue agave extract support hydration, making it well-suited for those with oily and/or dehydrated skin (they’re not mutually exclusive!).
Formula type: water-based gel | Finish: natural to slightly dewy | Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, blue agave extract
3. Go-To Very Mattifying Primer
Price: $48AUD (30ml)
The Go-To Very Mattifying Primer is specifically designed with oily skin in mind, regulating sebum production throughout the day while still hydrating the skin. It harnesses the mattifying benefits of dimethicone and silica—a naturally occurring mineral powder—which works to absorb excess oil and shine, while niacinamide further helps regulate sebum production and brighten the skin and panthenol provides a hit of hydration. While it doesn’t have the long-lasting grippy hold of some of the other primers for oily skin on this list, this skincare-infused primer delivers a blurred, soft matte finish that’s free of excess shine and keeps skin feeling comfortable and hydrated.
Formula type: silicone-based cream | Finish: soft, velvety matte | Key ingredients: silicone silica, niacinamide, panthenol
4. Make Up Forever Shine Control Primer
Price: $62AUD (30ml)
For when you want your foundation well and truly locked in. The Make Up Forever Shine Control Primer does what it says on the tube, while also delivering a matte finish and making your makeup last all day. It uses mineral clay to seal pores and control oil, eliminating excess sebum and shine while practically glueing your makeup to your face. It’s important to note that the Make Up Forever Shine Control Primer dries down fast, so you’ll need to work quickly when applying your foundation. As it uses magnesium silicate rather than synthetic silicones for its mattifying, pore smoothening effects, this primer plays nicely with both water- and silicone-based foundations.
Formula type: water-based cream | Finish: matte | Key ingredients: magnesium silicate (clay)
5. Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Pore Diffusing Primer
Price: $53AUD (28ml)
A moisturising mattifying primer may seem oxymoronic, but it’s essential to keep oily skin moisturised to prevent producing even more oily. The Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Pore Diffusing Primer is a silicone-based primer that mattifies the skin and blurs the skin, providing a smooth canvas for makeup application. It balances its mattifying effects with a healthy dose of moisture and hydration, courtesy of hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, respectively, while green tea extract further soothes and comforts the skin.
Formula type: silicone-based gel | Finish: soft matte | Key ingredients: silicone, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, vitamin E
6. Mecca Max Skin Filter Blurring Primer
Price: $25AUD (30ml)
A skin smoothening, blurring primer, the Mecca Max Skin Filter Blurring Primer uses dimethicone (a type of silicone) to create a smooth canvas for makeup. It has a slightly creamy, putty-like yet lightweight texture, which delivers a matte finish and sits well under makeup.
Formula type: silicone-based cream | Finish: matte | Key ingredients: silicone
7. Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer
Price: $59AUD (30ml)
While some silicone-based primers can err on the heavy side, the Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer is a clear, lightweight formula that feels almost undetectable on the skin. It goes on clear and settles into the skin quickly, smoothening out texture and blurring pores and fine lines. It has a satin matte finish that’s shine-free without looking dry or cakey, with makeup lasting all day. It’s worth noting that the Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer does have a tendency to pill if used straight after other skincare products, so it’s best to let your moisturiser and sunscreen sit for a minute or two before applying.
Formula type: silicone-based gel | Finish: matte | Key ingredients: silicone, vitamins A and E
8. Gucci Beauty Sérum de Beauté Fluide Soyeux Primer
Price: $82AUD (30ml)
Belying notions of what a primer for oily skin should look—and feel!—like, the Gucci Beauty Sérum de Beauté Fluide Soyeux Primer is a silicone-based primer that’s enriched with olive oil-derived squalane and glycerin, which work to deliver a smooth, blurred finish. Suitable for normal, combination, and oily skin, it has a lotion-like consistency and delivers a natural, satin (but not matte) finish that feels comfortable on the skin.
Formula type: silicone-based lotion | Finish: satin | Key ingredients: silicone, squalane, glycerin
9. Fenty Beauty Grip Trip Mattifying + Blurring Primer
Price: $55AUD (30ml)
A silicone-free primer for oily skin, the Fenty Beauty Grip Trip Mattifying + Blurring Primer is grippy without being sticky. It comes out as a gel-cream texture, with the dual-action formula combining the pink primer swirl with the clean skincare base upon each pump. The former uses mineral clay and chia seed extract to regulate sebum production and eliminate excess shine while the latter combines maple sap extract and glycerin to hydrate the skin and grip foundation for longer. It delivers a matte finish that’s oil-free and virtually sweatproof.
Formula type: water-based gel-cream | Finish: matte | Key ingredients: silica, chia seed extract, maple sap extract
10. e.l.f. Cosmetics Liquid Poreless Putty Primer
Price: $22AUD (28ml)
Finding the ideal balance between matte and moisturised, the e.l.f. Cosmetics Liquid Poreless Putty Primer uses silicones to fill pores in and sits on top of the skin, creating a smooth base for makeup, while the addition of squalane acts as an emollient and locks in moisture. The formula also comes in a paste-like putty, however we’re partial to the weightless feeling of this liquid iteration.
Formula type: silicone-based lotion-cream | Finish: matte | Key ingredients: silicones, squalane
11. Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer
Price: $72AUD (30ml)
While Urban Decay’s formidable setting sprays garner the lion’s share of attention, the brand is equally as good at nailing the first step. Much like its setting spray counterpart, the Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer works to lock in foundation — this time, from the bottom up. Silicones work to adhere foundation to the skin for longer, while hyaluronic acid contributes to a hydrated, natural matte finish.
Formula type: silicone-based cream | Finish: satin matte | Key ingredients: silicones, hyaluronic acid
12. Huda Beauty Easy Blur Primer
Price: $52AUD (30ml)
A silicone-free formula, the Huda Beauty Easy Blur Primer uses blurring polymers to provide a soft-focus finish that minimises the appearance of pores, while milk thistle extract helps remove excess oil and shine. As it’s free from silicones, it plays nicely with both water- and silicone-based products, with the jelly-like gel texture delivering a cooling effect on application.
Formula type: water based jelly-gel | Finish: soft matte | Key ingredients: glycerin, milk thistle extract
Words by Arabella Johnson
