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How Do I Choose the Best Face Powder for Oily Skin?

A. Pasbjerg
A. Pasbjerg

There are a number of factors that you should consider when looking for the best face powder for oily skin. Most importantly, you should look for a product specifically designed to absorb extra oil, which will keep skin from becoming slick and shiny. Since even an oil-absorbing powder will usually need to be re-applied at some point for effective all-day coverage, look for one that will not look heavy, clumpy, or streaky if you need to do so. Try to avoid products that contain ingredients like talc, mica, or pearl powder, which can cause irritation and make skin look even shinier.

Oil control is obviously the most critical aspect of a good face powder for oily skin. If you have this skin type, you may start the day with freshly washed skin that looks clear and smooth, only to have it become slick, greasy, and sticky after several hours. A well-designed face powder will work to absorb the oil your skin produces, leaving you with a far more desirable matte texture for hours. It can also help hide any blemishes or large pores you may have, and some products can even work to clear acne-prone skin by trapping oil and dirt away from pores.

Face powders with shiny ingredients like mica or pearl powder can appear to greasy on people with oily skin.
Face powders with shiny ingredients like mica or pearl powder can appear to greasy on people with oily skin.

The look of a face powder for oily skin is also important to consider. A powder that looks light or even transparent when applied is a good choice, since products may have a tendency to look thick or streaky on oily skin. You will probably want to find a product that continues absorbing oil and looking matte for several hours after the first application, but chances are you will have to re-apply it at some point during the day. This is another reason to look for a powder that does not go on heavy or clumpy.

Some translucent face powders are designed to counter oiliness and redness.
Some translucent face powders are designed to counter oiliness and redness.

Several common face powder ingredients can actually make oily skin look worse, so make sure to read labels and avoid them. Oily skin often reacts badly to both bismuth oxychloride and talc, which can cause redness and irritation and encourage acne to develop. Mica and pearl powder are sometimes added to face powders to give skin a glowing sheen, but for already shiny oily skin, this effect can simply lead to an excessively greasy look. Look for a face powder for oily skin that excludes these ingredients and includes oil-absorbing ones like kaolin clay.

Discussion Comments

Ocelot60

If you use pressed powder on your face, it also helps keep oil at a minimum if you frequently change the powder puff in your compact. After several uses, they have the tendency to retain facial oils, so using a fresh one will prevent you from adding more oil to your face.

Spotiche5

@heavanet- Thanks for the tip! I also wanted to add another one. Many mineral powders provide a matte finish, and also help to control oil. Just be sure to avoid ones that have the words "shimmery" or "luminescent" on the labels when searching for the best formula for oily skin.

Heavanet

Another key word to look for on face powder packaging if you are searching for one that will work for oily skin is "matte." This term indicates that the powder will leave you with a flat, oil-free finish instead of a dewy or moist one. Matte powders also usually have ingredients that control facial oil. These additives make the powder last longer than other powder formulas without the need for blotting your face or re-applying more.

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    • Face powders with shiny ingredients like mica or pearl powder can appear to greasy on people with oily skin.
      By: Tyler Boyes
      Face powders with shiny ingredients like mica or pearl powder can appear to greasy on people with oily skin.
    • Some translucent face powders are designed to counter oiliness and redness.
      By: armina
      Some translucent face powders are designed to counter oiliness and redness.
    • Some face powders can help to clear up acne-prone skin.
      By: Ocskay Bence
      Some face powders can help to clear up acne-prone skin.
    • Teenagers are more likely than adults to have oily skin.
      By: Skazka Grez
      Teenagers are more likely than adults to have oily skin.
    • Skin care and makeup products are typically classified by skin type, whether it's oily, combination, or dry.
      By: gosphotodesign
      Skin care and makeup products are typically classified by skin type, whether it's oily, combination, or dry.
    • Several common face powder ingredients can actually make oily skin look worse.
      By: Tanouchka
      Several common face powder ingredients can actually make oily skin look worse.