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Face primer is essential for keeping your makeup from melting off by midday, especially in the summer. But when it comes to the best primers for oily skin, the search gets trickier. You need a formula that not only locks everything in place but also mattifies, minimizes pores, and won’t clog or irritate acne-prone skin. Also important in your search: oil-fighting ingredients. (Try cellulose and niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 that helps balance skin tone and control excess oil.)
To find the best primers for oily skin, Allure editors tapped makeup artists for their go-tos and tested over 15 formulas that claim to mattify, smooth, and control oil. During testing, we looked at how long they kept makeup on, how well they blurred pores, and whether they truly helped curb shine. Ahead, the expert-backed, editor-approved primers that actually hold up all day.
Our Top Primers for Oily Skin
- Best Overall: Nars Soft Matte Primer, $38
- Best Blurring: Danessa Myricks Blurring Balm, $36
- Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Huda Beauty Easy Blur Primer, $29
- Best Blurring: One/Size Oil Sucker Extreme Mattifying Primer, $34
- Best Lightweight: Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer, $38
- Most Mattifying: Benefit The Porefessional Matte Pore Minimizing Primer, $36
- Best Drugstore: E.L.F. Power Grip Matte Primer, $10
Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronWhich primer type is best for oily skin?What should you keep in mind when shopping for a primer for oily skin?What ingredients should you look for in a primer for oily skin?Are primers better for oily skin than dry skin?Meet the expertsHow we test and review productsOur staff and testers
Best Overall: Nars Soft Matte Primer
Nars
Soft Matte Primer
$38
Nordstrom
Allure contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai applying the Nars Soft Matte Primer
Deanna Pai
Why it’s worth it: Of all the formulas we tried, the Nars Soft Matte Primer came out on top because it combines everything we’re looking for in a primer for oily skin. First off, the gel-like texture is super lightweight, something we can’t say for all the mattifying primers we tested. It glides on easily, instantly knocks out shine, and smooths over pores, uneven texture, and fine lines without feeling like a film on your skin. And it doesn’t make your face look flat or chalky—as with the brand’s setting powder, it gets rid of excess oil but still leaves skin with a natural finish that reflects just the right amount of light.
During testing, we were especially impressed by how well it held up throughout the day. Like a setting spray, it kept our makeup in place from morning to night—even through sweat and oil buildup—and gave us a clean, smooth base for foundation. Plus, it somehow manages to keep skin feeling hydrated and plump (rare for a mattifying formula!).
Pai immediately after applying the Nars Soft Matte Primer
Deanna Pai
Pai 8 hours after applying the Nars Soft Matte Primer
Deanna Pai
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
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“My skin is naturally oily, not to mention acne-prone—so I sit in the space of needing a good mattifying primer, but being worried it’ll feel heavy or occlusive. That’s never been the case with this one, which can somehow make my skin look more matte throughout the day. I recently wore it when the temperature reached the upper 90s and, on top of it, I had to wear a mask due to a cough. This primer held up like no one’s business: It kept shine from forming on my forehead and nose, and my full-coverage foundation didn’t budge until I washed it off.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
More to know
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- Key ingredients: rice bran extract, rosemary leaf extract, sunflower extract
- Formula: gel
- Finish: soft matte
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