How to Choose The Right Foundation For Oily Skin: A Complete Guide

Choosing the right foundation for your skin is like selecting the right life partner. Okay, maybe I’m being a tad bit dramatic. But it can’t be denied that this is a crucial decision to make. This is an essential step to flaunting a spotless complexion. Especially now, when the festive season is looming, you don’t want your base to be slipping, melting and creasing shortly after you’ve stepped out of the house and into a party.

It can be hard if you’ve got oily skin – the constant fear of messing up your makeup because it’ll emulsify with the skin’s natural oils faster than anyone else’s. Yeah, long lasting makeup for oily skin is a real dream. With the wrong foundation, this oiliness will increase and lead to clogged pores. This will in turn cause breakouts, acne, and pimples, delivering the opposite of a flawless complexion. That’s why you need a foundation that won’t let you down.

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Signs That Your Foundation Isn’t Right For You

Coming back to my right partner theory; just like the right partner, the right formula will leave you feeling comfortable in your skin and will empower you to be your most confident self. There are many products out there that are made for oily skin, but that still doesn’t mean it’s best for you. I’d say consider the following when on the hunt for your match.

1. Poor coverage
2. Skin irritation
3. Breakouts
4. Doesn’t last long
5. Colour Mismatch
6. Foundation settling into fine lines

The fix? The only way to combat this is to try out the foundation with a tester, let it sit for a couple of hours and watch how it looks by the end of the day. Do the colour test on your face and not your hands, as the complexion shade may change slightly. And of course, don’t expect the foundation to sit perfectly throughout. Think of it like a team work. It has to be followed up with other products to accomplish that flawless skin. In this guide, we’ll navigate through how to choose the right formula, finish and coverage foundation for your oily skin.

The Road to Flawless Makeup Starts With Great Skin Prep

There’s no alternative to this. The better you prep your skin, the better your makeup will set. It starts in your skincare routine and the secret lies in our everyday life. From following an AM & PM routine, to using the right moisturiser, sunscreen and eye creams, the right skincare routine lays a solid foundation for smooth application of makeup. Start with an oil-control face wash. Then move on to hydrating your skin with a lightweight face cream. My personal favourite is Pond’s Super Light Gel Oil-Free Moisturizer. It’s infused with Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin E that leaves the skin glowing. If you have oily skin, this conditioning face moisturiser will maintain the moisture balance to keep the skin smooth and soft. As the name suggests, it’s lightweight and absorbs easily into the skin without leaving behind any sticky feeling. Hydrate without sweltering.

As part of my cleansing routine, I like to add an activated charcoal sheet mask to detoxify my skin. This helps to lock in skin moisture while also clarifying from deep inside. Activated charcoal has shown wonderful results for clearing up oily skin and is known to leave your skin feeling clean and matte, prepped well for the next step. Pond’s Activated Charcoal Clear Detox Skin With Vitamin B6 Sheet Mask will do that for you in 15 minutes.

Prime Well

Before we choose the foundation, it’s necessary to use a primer. It’ll fill any large pores you may have while mattifying extremely oily patches if any. In case you don’t want to use a primer for the full face, stick to areas that may need it the most, perhaps the T-zone.

How To Choose a Mattifying Foundation For Oily Skin

Matte or semi-matte foundation are made to control excess oil and sebum production. To keep the skin looking fresh and flawless, go for the ultimate combo from Lakme 9 To 5 range. The Primer + Matte Perfect Cover Foundation Cream Compact Combo comes with a priming foundation with built in primer SPF 20, to be used in combination with the priming powder foundation. The foundation gives medium-to-high coverage while the compact foundation powder hides blemishes and fine lines, leaving a matte finish. You can even go for a mousse foundation like Lakme Xtraordin-airy Mattereal Mousse Foundation. It’s proven to be super-blendable, with a feather-light texture that leaves the skin feeling smooth. You can choose the right matte product from a wide range of Lakme foundations.

Always Use a Translucent Powder

The way to make your makeup last long without melting down your face is to set it with a translucent powder. The best way to ensure long staying makeup, select an oil control setting powder. Blur it like a beauty filter with Lakme Forever Matte Face Powder Matte Finish Oil Control. After you’ve applied your foundation, dab this one lightly, as required. For an airbrushed finish, you can even go for Lakme Absolute Loose Finishing Powder to instantly diminish the appearance of large pores. I like to do my contour and blush after using the setting powder.

Finish With a Setting Spray

After you’ve done your entire makeup and no step is left, use a setting spray in the absolute end before stepping out of the house. Make-up artists swear by it. The best setting sprays deliver hydration without drying out your skin while also holding your make-up in place for hours. It’s a foolproof way to prevent shine and excess oil from creeping up on the skin. Lakme Makeup+Skincare Vit C Superglow Skin Perfecting Makeup Fixer has ultra-fine particles that instantly set makeup and provide a shield against water, sweat, and heat.

The right foundation will hide your pores, blend well without blotching your skin, control excess oil in heat and humidity and maintain the airbrushed look you desire. I’d say try out products and with time you’ll find the one that just works perfectly for your skin. The key is to avoid luminous foundations because although they may look good for the first hour or so, by hour three you’ll be stepping into greasy territory. You don’t want to heavily rely on powder as well to temper the glow.

Yes, it may take a couple of steps to set your oil free foundation too, but such is life. Explore a host of foundations below and seek out the perfect one.