Primer has become an indispensable part of every woman’s makeup regime, especially for those who have oily skin. It is the secret behind achieving a smooth, blendable, and perfect canvas. The best primers for oily skin allow one to spruce up the longevity of makeup while preventing excess oil from breaking through it. Drawing from our experiences, a primer designed for oily skin is the real game-changer that sets the base of your makeup. 

Based on our first-hand research, a primer’s lightweight formula and potent blend of ingredients work wonders in blurring acne marks, blemishes, and fine lines, and minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores. The base that you create is what enhances the application of your makeup foundation and concealer. Additionally, a primer keeps your makeup intact, and prevents the fading and creasing of your makeup, as well as greasiness. What makes a primer for oily skin stand apart from the rest is its ability to control oil and shine, no matter what type of weather it is outside. To sum up, it is this unsung hero who will save you from the dreaded makeup meltdown.

So, to rock a comfortable and shine-free complexion throughout the day, get your hands on the best primers today. Roll your eyes over and kickstart your shopping spree!

• 1
  Best Overall

  Revlon PhotoReady Prime Plus

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Our very first recommendation is Revlon’s PhotoReady Prime Plus — a primer loved for its skin mattifying and sebum-controlling abilities. We also found that the majority of the users have labeled it as the best primer for oily skin and large pores, considering that it contains BHA to balance excess oil in the skin. Moreover, its potent blend of key ingredients and spherical beads help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores and provide you with a soft-focus finish and radiant glow. What’s more? The primer feels very soothing on the skin. 

Key Ingredients: Artichoke extract, salicylic acid, and AHA 

Skin types: All skin types

Texture: Lotion

Cruelty-free: No

Size: 1oz

2

Editor’s Pick

NYX Professional Shine Killer

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NYX Professional Shine Killer will make you fall in love with it right at the first application. This is a really good primer for oily skin that eliminates oiliness, greasiness, and excessive shine in a jiffy. It mattifies your skin and creates a perfect canvas for acing any kind of makeup looks. What’s the best part? The primer dries down to a translucent finish and can be worn alone or over makeup. 

Key Ingredients: Charcoal powder

Skin types: All

Texture: Smooth

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 0.67oz

Quick Tip:

Pour a dime-size amount of the primer and apply it with your fingers all over your face. Let it dry completely and then apply your makeup foundation.

3

Best Lightweight Texture

Covergirl TruBlend Base Business Skin Primer - White/Black

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By incorporating the TruBlend Base Business Skin Primer from Covergirl into your makeup vanity, you can seamlessly create the perfect base for makeup. It glides on smoothly and feels extremely light on the skin. We also glanced through the review section and found that makeup enthusiasts award it as the best oily skin primer for its amazing skin-mattifying properties. What’s more? It lasts long and extends the wear of your makeup with no melting business involved!

Key Ingredients: Kaolin clay

Skin types: Oily

Texture: Cream

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

4

Best Long-lasting Formula

Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer

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The next on our list is the All Nighter Face Primer by Urban Decay. What makes it the best makeup primer for oily skin among experts is its lightweight hydrating formula that smoothens the skin, thereby delivering a desirable grip for your foundation. In addition, it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, with its soft-focus effect, and boosts the staying power of your makeup straight for up to 8 hours. Bonus — it is sweat-proof!

Key Ingredients: Aqua, butylene glycol, and polyacrylamide

Skin types: Oily, combination, dry, and normal

Texture: Cream 

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

Quick Tip:

Apply this primer over moisturized skin using your fingertips or a foundation brush. Start by blending from the center of the face in an outward motion. You can wear it alone or with concealer/blush for a fresh, no-makeup makeup look.

5

Best for Sensitive Skin

Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Mattifying Face Primer

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This Smooth Affair Mattifying Face Primer introduced by Jane Iredale is truly an indispensable part of every professional makeup artist and enthusiast’s routine. First and foremost, it helps elevate the longevity of any makeup look that you plan to ace. With its lightweight formula, it creates an even, smooth, and mattified makeup base by controlling any oily sheen. This makeup primer for oily skin not only enhances the application of the foundation but also ensures that it lasts throughout the day.  

Key Ingredients: Hibiscus bark extract, red algae extract, and rose geranium extract

Skin types: All

Texture: Cream

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

6

Best for Irritated Skin

Cover FX Stress Remedy Primer

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Here comes another exceptional primer that you must own for a couple of reasons. To start off, the Stress Remedy Primer from Cover FX is a true game-changer that provides a desirable canvas and extends the wear of your makeup for hours. The standout feature of this universal neutralizing primer is that it soothes redness and calms down irritated skin. The credit goes to its green tone that effectively cancels and neutralizes redness for an alluring cohesive look.

What’s more? With this primer on, you will experience a gentle cooling sensation on your skin without noticing any significant creasing, sliding, or caking of your makeup.  

Key Ingredients: Black currant seed oil, rosemary leaf extract, olive fruit oil, vitamin C, and bisabolol 

Skin types: Oily, combination, and sensitive

Texture: Smooth

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

7

Best Pore Tightening Primer

Milani No Pore Zone Mattifying Primer

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The ultra-blurring and pore-minimizing properties of Milani No Pore Zone Mattifying Primer is truly remarkable. Whether you are tied up with long working hours, special events, or nights out, with this primer as the base, your makeup remains intact and fresh for hours. It has a lightweight formula that prepares the skin for makeup and blurs the appearance of enlarged pores. 

Summing everything up, this face primer for oily skin is undoubtedly a reliable barrier, preventing the dreaded makeup meltdown and maintaining a flawless finish.

Key Ingredients: Lily and bamboo extracts

Skin types: All 

Texture: Cream

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

8

Most Long-lasting Results

No7 Airbrush Away Pore Minimizing Primer

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No7’s Airbrush Away Pore Minimizing Primer is the go-to product for occasions when you need your makeup to last long without requiring constant touch-ups. One of the features that makes this product a huge hit is its mattifying and oil-controlling abilities. It is one of the good primers for oily skin that extends the wear of makeup straight for up to 12 hours. What’s more? It suits all skin types and delivers a natural finish. 

Key Ingredients: Dimethicone crosspolymer, titanium dioxide, and vitamin E

Skin types: Oily

Texture: Cream 

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

9

Best Primer with SPF

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

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That supremely airy, silky, cloud-like texture makes the Veil Mineral Primer from Hourglass an all-time favorite primer among experts and makeup enthusiasts alike. What makes it stand out from the crowd is the fact that it is has with SPF 15 and goes beyond the traditional formulations to conceal redness in order to balance your uneven skin tone. 

Moreover, it minimizes the look of pores, fine lines, and other signs of aging. One of the Amazon reviewers reports, “I have tried so many primers and this one is truly the GOAT. It does not feel heavy on my skin and it goes on silky smooth!”

Key Ingredients: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide

Skin types: All

Texture: Cream 

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

10

Best for All-day Shine Control

Paula's Choice Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish

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For an all-day shine control, get your hands on Paula's Choice Shine Stopper primer. Formulated with Microsponge technology, this mattifying primer for oily skin distributes evenly onto your skin and works continuously to trap excess sebum. In addition, the primer mattifies your skin texture and smoothens fine lines and wrinkles. Last but not least, it offers sheer coverage and you can choose to wear this primer alone or under makeup.

Key Ingredients: Dimethacrylate cross polymer, dimethicone, glycerin, and cetearyl alcohol

Skin types: Oily, combination, sensitive, normal

Texture: Lotion

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

11

Sace Lady All Matte Invisible Pore Primer

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Moving on to the next — Sace Lady’s All Matte Invisible Pore Primer is loved for its lightweight gel-like texture. It brightens and balances skin tone while controlling sebum production. Secondly, this primer creates a smooth canvas and extends the wear of your makeup. What we like the most is its silky gel emulsion-rich blend of key ingredients that work wonders in improving foundation or powder application. Plus, it is non-acnegenic and safe for sensitive skin. 

Key Ingredients: Dimethicone crosspolymer and squalane

Skin types: Oily, combination, dry, and normal

Texture: Gel

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 1oz

12

Colorescience Mattifying Primer

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Next, we recommend Colorescience’s Mattifying Primer for its impeccable formulation. It is enriched with SPF 20 and thus a reliable choice for those who spend the majority of their time outdoors. It basically primes and prepares your skin for the application of makeup and blurs skin concerns if any. What left us stunned is the fact that this primer is water and sweat-resistant with all oil-absorbing qualities. To note more, amazon reviewers highly appreciate the soft-focus and matte finish that it provides. 

Key Ingredients: Zinc and titanium oxide 

Skin types: Oily, combination, sensitive, normal

Texture: Lightweight, whipped texture 

Cruelty-free:

Size: 1oz

13

Blithe Inbetween Pore Priming Cream

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Lastly, we recommend Blithe Inbetween Pore Priming Cream packed with the Korean skincare secrets. Firstly, the primer primes and moisturizes your skin to help makeup adhere better. It minimizes the appearance of enlarged pores and provides you with a flawless mattified base. With regenerating and skin-calming properties, it enhances the texture of your skin and controls excessive sebum production. Topping it all off, the primer soothes irritated, blemished, and sensitive skin!

Key Ingredients: Cica, heartleaf, green tea, tea tree, and mugwort 

Skin types: Oily

Texture: Cream

Cruelty-free: Yes

Size: 2.12oz

That was our comprehensive list of the best primers for oily skin and large pores. Now, let us run you through a detailed buying guide.

Here are a few aspects that you should consider before splurging on the best primer for oily skin: 

Skin Type: Make sure that you analyze your skin type before investing in any of the best primers for large pores and oily skin. If you tend to have extremely oily and acne-prone skin, then it is wise to splurge on primers that are oil-free, water/gel-based, and non-comedogenic. Likewise, for anyone who is dealing with sensitive skin, pick primers that are gentle yet effective enough to sough your skin. Avoid primers that are not meant for your skin type as they may cause allergies, boils, redness, or inflammation.

Ingredients: Always pay heed to the list of ingredients. It is recommended to get your hands on primers that are enriched with skin-loving ingredients like salicylic acid (albeit, in a small concentration), kaolin clay, witch hazel, bentonite, tea tree oil, etc. to offer your skin the vital nutrients that it needs to combat excessive sebum production. 

To protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun, choose a primer infused with zinc and titanium oxide as these ingredients are excellent UV filters. Make sure you stay away from primers with synthetic fragrances, mineral oil, petroleum, parabens, and phthalates. Also, a product that contains too many silicones may not be a great idea either. 

Texture: The next important aspect to consider is the texture of the primer. Oily skin tends to look greasy and sticky. Thus, it is advisable to rely on a primer that mattifies your skin and controls excessive oil production. Secondly, choose the one that is easy to spread and blend. It is a bonus if the primer not only mattifies your skin but also blurs the appearance of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles, lending you a soft-focus finish. 

Formula: Last but not least, consider the formula as oily skin is more prone to breakouts and acne. Based on our first-hand research, it is recommended to choose a primer that is non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. Moreover, it should possess a lightweight formula and have the ability to smoothen your skin and balance uneven skin texture. 

After taking note of the above-mentioned aspects, let us acquaint you with a few of the application steps.

The following are the steps for applying the primer to oily skin accurately: - 

Step 1: Cleanse your face with a facewash or cleanser. Apply toner, followed by a serum, and then moisturizer. 

Step 2: In the morning seal your skin with sunscreen. At night, you can complete your skincare routine with rich night cream or moisturizer. 

Step 3: Pour a coin-sized amount of primer.

Step 4: Apply the primer to the center of your face and neck. Using gentle and circular motions, blend it outwards. Please note, that applying too much primer can cause your foundation to pill or clump.

Step 5: Use your ring and middle finger to spread it evenly. Allow your primer to absorb completely in your skin, for about 5-10 minutes, before you apply your makeup.

1. Prevents makeup from settling into pores.

2. Blurs the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and blemishes.

3. Creates a smooth canvas for makeup application.

4. Prevents the creasing of makeup.

5. Extends the your makeup wear. 

6. Smoothes uneven skin texture. 

7. Controls oil and shine and mattifies your skin. 

8. Acts as a skin barrier.

9. With skincare benefits and oil-fighting ingredients, the primer leaves skin soft and smooth.