Which Makeup Primers Really Control Oil? I Tried Them all

You simply can’t write about oil-controlling makeup without acknowledging the frustration of dealing with highly overactive sebaceous glands. To combat this issue, oil-controlling primers promise to not only make your makeup stay put all day (which is hard enough to achieve when you have a shiny complexion), but to also help mattify over-enthusiastic oil production.

These products typically contain polymers that simultaneously bind the foundation with your skin while also creating a smooth finish without looking greasy. Some also have ingredients that can help control shine, like silica. The result? An even, sheen-free finish and makeup that lasts all day. It almost sounds too good to be true.

Here are the most popular oil-controlling primers we put to the test.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer at Sephora

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Best Budget:
Neutrogena Shine Control Primer at Bed Bath & Beyond

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Best Drugstore:
Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser at Amazon

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Best Long-Wearing:
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Face Primer at Sephora

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Best Balancing:
NARS Pore & Shine Control Primer at Sephora

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Best 2-in-1:
Estée Lauder The Mattifier Primer + Finisher at Sephora

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Best Hydrating:
Bite Beauty Changemaker Skin-Optimizing Primer at Sephora

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Best Lightweight:
Illamasqua Matte Veil Primer at Skinstore.com

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Best Super-Matte Finish:
Becca Cosmetics Poreless Priming Perfector at Sephora

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Best Overall:
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

4.7

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What We Like

• Provides antioxidant protection

• Long-lasting

• Minimizes pores

What We Don’t Like

• Reviewers note bottle is hard to squeeze

“Too matte” is not a phrase one expects to hear from a girl who publicly laments her oily complexion, but here we are: Becca’s Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector is fantastically effective. If a super-matte look is what you’re striving for, then this is the product for you. I heard that this stuff lasted all day, and indeed it was a good eight or nine hours before I thought my skin started to show hints of that all-too-familiar sheen—a Herculean effort!

Key Ingredients: Enantia Chlorantha Bark | Skin Type: Ace-prone, combination, dry, mature, balanced, oily, sensitive | Dosage: Pea-sized amount | Size: 1.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Review2Coupon Clean: No

There’s a strategic way you’re supposed to apply this particular formula, too. It absorbs fast, so foundation needs to go on quickly afterward. If you rub it into the skin, it can dry and ball up (not cute), so instead, warm up your hands first and then tap the primer across your face until it absorbs.

What To Look For in a Primer for Oily Skin

Consider Your Budget

Primers are trendy at the moment, and considering their benefits, it doesn’t look like that’ll change anytime soon. This means lots of different options, all touting basically the same technology. So when choosing the best one for you, don’t feel like a major investment is always necessary. 

Pore Blurring Abilities

One of the benefits of oil-balancing primers is that they tend to make pores look less noticeable, which is a total bonus. If that filtered look is what you’re after, there are many primers at your beck and call. 

Formulas That Go Heavy on the Matte

Most of the best oil-controlling primers are designed to help balance oil while also promoting a natural finish on the skin. However, if you crave an ultra-matte look, you’ll find a few products with the ability to give you the no-shine finish you desire.