Though a touch of shine on your face can create a luminous glow, too much of it can wreak havoc on your complexion and ruin your makeup. Fortunately, it’s simple to create a stunning, shine-free look. Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the best formulas for oily skin and applying them correctly.
Reasons behind oil and shine
Oily complexions occur when sebaceous glands run in overdrive and produce too much sebum (or oil). As sebum accumulates on skin, your face takes on a shiny appearance. Also, oil builds up in pores, mixing with bacteria and dead cells, causing breakouts.
What stimulates sebaceous glands to crank out the oil? Many factors are involved, including:
- Hormonal changes. During adolescence, pregnancy or menopause, hormonal fluctuations can cause oily skin.
- Genetics. Like many other traits, your skin type can come from your parents. If they had oily skin, there’s a good chance you will, too.
- Thick, heavy makeup. Some makeup products are oil-based and contain deep moisturizers. So, it’s no surprise that piling creamy, greasy makeup on top of already-oily skin is only going to make it oilier.
Proper pre-makeup prep
Before grabbing your makeup bag, take a few minutes to prep your face, so it’s fresh and clean. This helps your makeup look better and last longer.
- Step 1: Cleanse. If you have oily, greasy skin, your instinct is to pick up a super-strong face wash or — gasp — even a bar of soap. But, that’s not the answer: Harsh cleansers and soaps strip away natural oils, causing skin to produce even more oil to compensate.
Pass on creamy, thick cleansers, too. These “may leave a residue on your skin, prompting a greasy feel and oily look,” writes Lisa Kovalovich for Ladies’ Home Journal.
Instead, try a gel cleanser that gently removes oil, dirt and makeup. Rinse your face well after washing so no residue remains.
Step 2: Protect. Apply sunscreen to defend against UV rays, which can damage the skin, accelerate aging and cause skin cancer. Avoid thick, heavy formulas, which will make your skin oilier and clog pores.
A better bet? Look for a sunscreen that’s oil-free or noncomedogenic.
Step 3: Apply primer. Using primer before applying makeup helps to soak up excess oil, preventing skin from looking or feeling greasy. In addition, primer keeps your makeup in place for hours without sliding off, smearing or smudging. When applying primer, give it a few minutes to dry before putting on makeup.
Foundation: Liquid and powder
Foundation is an important part of your makeup routine, because it evens out your skin tone. But, if it isn’t perfectly balanced, it can spoil your entire look. For the best foundation for oily skin, choose oil-free liquid foundation and powder.
- Oil-free liquid foundation provides sheer, natural-looking coverage. Apply it in thin layers so it won’t cake. You can use your fingertips, makeup brushes or sponges, but beware — fingers contain natural oils and bacteria, which can transfer to your face. For women who choose sponges or brushes, wash them regularly with gentle shampoo or brush cleaner to remove oil and bacteria.
- Powder foundation offers medium coverage. In addition to evening out your skin tone, powder foundation helps pores look smaller. To apply it, you’ll need a makeup brush or powder puff.
Powder: Loose and pressed
After applying foundation for coverage, add powder for a softer finish and to make foundation last longer.
- Loose powder comes in a neutral, translucent shade or in different tones to match different complexions. As you’ve probably guessed by the name, the powder is loose in a jar — not pressed or packed into a compact.
Loose powder works well for oily complexions, because it sets the makeup and eliminates shine, according to Jennifer Tung, author of InStyle Getting Gorgeous.
Apply it over your foundation with a large fluffy makeup brush.
- Pressed powder is versatile — you can wear it alone or on top of foundation. Because it’s heavier than loose powder, it looks more matte and lasts longer. Many women prefer pressed powder for touching up shiny, oily T-zones as the day goes on.
To apply pressed powder, use upward strokes with a powder puff from the compact. Unfortunately, bacteria thrive and multiply on these puffs, so clean them using antibacterial soap at least once a month. Or, just toss out the old puff and buy a fresh one.
To create a matte finish, swipe the puff into powder. Then, spray the puff lightly with water. However, never directly spray the pressed powder in the compact, because this invites bacteria.
Blushing beauty
For a healthy flush of color to the cheeks, you can’t beat blush. Choose powder formulas rather than creams, which can be too thick and greasy for oily skin. Another benefit — powder blushes often last longer on the face compared to cream blushes, because they’re denser.
To apply:
- Dip a large blush brush into the product.
- Gently tap it to remove excess.
- Sweep the blush onto your face with circular movements, moving “toward the temples,” recommends Tung.
Or, you can use double-duty products that offer a blush and brush all in one.
Enduring eyes
The right makeup can highlight and accentuate your eyes. But if you’ve got oily skin, eye makeup can smudge away quickly, transforming your peepers into a sorry sight.
How can you make your eye makeup last?
- Use eye shadow primer, powder or foundation on your eyelids. This little trick helps eye shadow adhere better and gives it staying power, writes cosmetologist Jen Adkins for About.
- Choose powder over cream shadows, which will smear and smudge. If you really like cream formulas, “Apply a little translucent powder underneath to help set them,” advises Helen Foster in The Beauty Book.
- Look for waterproof eye makeup. These formulas tend to last the longest, because they “need stronger cleansing agents” to be removed, makeup artist Bobbi Brown tells Prevention.
Lasting lips
Even if the rest of your face is shiny and greasy, chances are your lips won’t have this problem. That’s because they don’t contain oil glands. Whether you prefer bright shades or neutrals, matte lipstick or shiny gloss, the choice is yours.
To keep color from straying off your lips, apply makeup primer followed by your favorite lip color. Then seal the deal with a light touch of translucent powder.
See also:
A No-Sweat Summer Beauty Routine
The Busy Girl's Guide to Fabulous Skin
Beauty through the Decades: 1970s
Double-Duty Products To Ease Your Routine
6 Ways to Care for Skin in College