Y’all, I am so excited to share my skincare and makeup routine with you today! But first, a quick story that illustrates just how well this routine is working for my (very) oily skin:
I recently attended a Barre3 class with some friends and somehow didn’t realize going into it how much sweating this class would involve. I had put on a full face of makeup that morning and had planned to continue on with errands and social engagements afterward without needing a shower. Ha!
After the class, one of the other attendees came up to me and asked, “How does your makeup still look so perfect after all of that? Mine would have completely sweated off!”
Due to my extremely oily skin, my entire skincare and makeup routine is focused on controlling oil and shine as much as possible. A little bit of sweat didn’t stand a chance. I still had beautiful makeup after an hour-long sweat session!
I carefully choose skincare and makeup products that reduce oil and shine. If I use products formulated for normal skin, my face is greasy within three hours. And frankly, I don’t want to have to fuss with my makeup throughout the day–I’m a get-ready-once-and-then-be-done kind of person. With this routine, my makeup is good to go all day. I may have to blot my T-zone after 10 hours or so if going out for dinner after work, but otherwise, I’m all set!
Non-toxic, clean ingredients are another important thing to me when it comes to skincare and makeup. Read more here about why I choose to use clean beauty products. I also use gluten free skincare and makeup due to my gluten intolerance. When I made the switch from conventional products to clean beauty and gluten-free formulas, I struggled a bit to find products that delivered the same results. Thankfully, after a bit of trial and error, I’ve found high-performing products that are beautiful and healthy for me! All of the products featured in this post are non-toxic and gluten free (though not all are certified gluten free, meaning there is a chance of cross-contamination).
In this post, I am going to run through the products I use on my face each day, in the exact order that I use them. If you have oily skin like me, I think you’ll find this helpful!
Morning Skincare
Step 1: Wash
I know that some people with normal to dry skin don’t have to wash their face in the morning before applying makeup, since their skin is already clean. My face gets so oily overnight that if I don’t wash it, I can’t even apply makeup properly because the oil on my skin causes it to smear unevenly. When I’m in the shower in the morning, I wash my face with SkinOwl’s Tomato Beauty Bar. Yes, it does smell like tomatoes, which I actually love a lot more than I thought I would! It is refreshing and is reminiscent of a peaceful vegetable garden. This bar contains lots of ingredients that are great for oily, acne-prone skin. Bentonite clay absorbs excess oil and purifies pores, tea tree oil kills bacteria, and May Chang contracts pores.
Pro tip: I cut my beauty bar in half and keep one half in the shower and the other on a little dish by my sink. This makes the bar size more manageable for using on your face and prevents the need for purchasing two bars or having to move the bar between the shower and the sink.
Also, one bar lasts me a whole year. These bars are a great investment!
Step 2: Tone
I started using toner a year or two ago after learning from my friend April at Be Pure about how important it is to balance the pH of your skin after cleansing. She wrote a great blog post that explains this.
I use S.W. Basics’ toner, which includes five simple, all natural ingredients that neutralize the pH of your skin and balance oil production. Since using the toner, I’ve also noticed that my skin is more clear and bright. I hadn’t thought of my complexion as dull before, but after using the toner, I couldn’t go back!
Step 3: Moisturize
Moisturizing is important for any skin type, but especially if you have oily skin. If you deprive your skin of moisture (which can come with the territory of washing your face), your skin will produce more oil to combat the dryness. Not good for those of us with already oily skin!
In the morning, I moisturize with Acure Organics Incredibly Clear Mattifying Moisturizer. It is lightweight and helps to control oil production. Perfect as a base for my makeup!
Makeup
After caring for my skin and letting my moisturizer soak in, it’s time for makeup! I am someone who wears makeup every day, only occasionally taking a break if I’m having a pool day or am on vacation. Part of this is because I genuinely really like makeup, and part of it is because I have perceived skin “flaws” that I like to cover when in a professional or social setting.
Step 1: Prime
Before applying foundation, it is absolutely crucial for anyone with oily skin to use primer as a way to block oil and set up their foundation for long-lasting success. I cannot emphasize this enough. If I had to choose a single product that is the “key” to combatting extra oil on my face, it would be this one. I use Lancome La Base Pro as my primer. I have written a full review of it here on the blog, which you can read here. Be sure to give it plenty of time to dry and set. I like to give it at least 10 minutes and will usually go eat breakfast, brush my teeth, etc. while it is setting.
Step 2: Foundation
After my primer has had time to dry, it’s time for foundation! I use Alima Pure’s Satin Matte Foundation, sometimes coupled with Alima Pure’s Concealer if I have acne spots that I’m wanting to cover. I have found that powder foundation works really well on oily skin, since it helps absorb oil as the day goes on. It is also much more easy for me to blend and appears more “flawless” than liquid foundation. I also love that you can build coverage as much as you’d like with powder foundation. I can apply a very light layer for a natural look or multiple heavy-handed layers for a glam look.
Step 3: Finishing Powder
After applying my foundation, I immediately sweep on a layer of finishing powder. This is another crucial step in my makeup routine. The finishing powder helps lock in your makeup and acts as another layer of absorption for excess oil. On the rare days when I forget my finishing powder, I am usually ready to scrub everything off my face and start over by midday.
I recently started using Au Naturale Pore Minimizing Finishing Powder. This powder does a great job of absorbing excess oil. Another great finishing powder is bareMinerals Mineral Veil Finishing Powder. I stopped using the bareMinerals powder when I transitioned to gluten free products, but if you’re someone who doesn’t have to avoid gluten, it’s a great option.
Evening Skincare
Step 1: Wash
Taking off your makeup is important for everyone, but especially those of us with oily, acne-prone skin. If I leave my makeup on overnight, I break out like crazy!
To remove my makeup and wash my face, I again use SkinOwl’s Tomato Beauty Bar. It does double action of removing my makeup and cleansing my skin with all of its anti-oil and anti-pimple ingredients.
Step 2: Tone
Just like in the morning, I tone my skin with S.W. Basics’ toner to neutralize my skin’s pH.
Step 3: Moisturize
Now that I have squeaky clean skin again, I do a deep moisturizer to pamper my face and make sure it is adequately nourished. While I use a lightweight moisturizer during the day, I opt for a heavier duty moisturizer at night: Andalou Naturals Renewal Cream. This is the only time I ever use a product that includes “brightening” as a feature–I would never use a brightening product during the day! But when I’m sleeping, no one can see how shiny my skin is, and my skin is so happy to receive this deeply nourishing treatment. It makes my skin glow! The vitamin C, fruit stem cells, and probiotics are also great for their anti-aging properties.
There you have it friends: my skincare and makeup routine for oily skin! It’s pretty simple while delivering the results I want.
I hope this was helpful to you! I’d love to hear from you in the comments: Have you tried any of these products, and what are your thoughts? Or, are there other products you really like for your oily skin?
xoxo Laura
P.S. – This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase a product using a link from this post. Read more here about my disclaimers/disclosures.
Thanks for sharing! It’s always nice to hear what others are using. I love Alima Pure and Andalou as well!