It is hard to remember a time when I wasn’t self-conscious about my skin. From an oily skinned kid with acne to becoming an adult with eczema. My oil slick skin and breakouts made it hard to find complexion products that would work for me. I wish there were resources to help me find foundations that fit my needs when I was younger. In today’s post, I share my oily skin foundation ranking.

My hope is that this ranking will help others find complexion products that work for them! Please note, today’s ranking only includes foundations currently within my collection – and not all foundations across all time.

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links (*). If you make a purchase using my link I may make a small commission – at no added cost to you. Unless otherwise stated, I’ve purchased all products. All opinions are my own.

Oily Skin Foundation Ranking

9 | NudeStix Tinted Blur Stick – Light 2 ($30.00, CF)

At first, I love my Tinted Blur Stix from Nudestix. I loved the light tint of color this provided to my skin and the lightweight feeling. However, as I attempted to pan this product in 2020, I grew a strong disliking for it.

Ultimately, the Tinted Blur Stix does not last on oily skin. In fact, the finish stayed dewy and borderline wet throughout the day. Moreover, it transferred everywhere and completely wore away within 3-4 hours.

Also, setting the Tinted Blur Stix with powder and using a mattifying primer did not solve the issues. Instead, it made the product feel heavy on my skin. Ultimately, if I am wearing something this light coverage I don’t want the hassle of a foundation.

Individuals with normal-to-dry skin are likely to prefer this formula. Oily-skinned guys and gals, watch out!

The NudeStix Tinted Blur Stix* is a great option for oily-skinned guys or gals who wanted the light wash of color provided by the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint without the overly oily and emollient formula. The NudeStix blur feels lightweight and comfortable throughout the day.

8 | Bali Body BB Cream SPF 15 – Natural ($29.95, CF)

The Bali Body BB Cream* provides a healthy, glowing finish to the skin. However, for my oily skin, I find the finish to be slightly to radiant. However, I’ve learned to appreciate pairing this foundation with matte primers or mixing this with matte foundations.

Also, the shade is just slightly too deep for my pale skin coloring. If the color match were better, the foundation may not look as unnaturally shiny.

7 | Maybelline Superstay Full Coverage 24-Hour Foundation – Classic Ivory ($12.49)

From a formula standpoint, I am obsessed with Maybelline foundations. The brand is a classic complexion provider for good reason.

The Superstay Full Coverage 24 Hour Foundation provides buildable, full coverage in a formula that lasts all day on my oily skin without looking or feeling heavy. Moreover, it doesn’t look cakey despite being full coverage.

[Editor’s Note – 6/2020: When I originally conducted my oily skin foundation ranking, this foundation sat much higher on the list. However, I couldn’t keep it ranked as high due to the oxidation issues. This foundation oxidizes almost 2-full shades darker as it dries.]

6 | Urban Decay Naked Weightless Foundation – 30CP ( $39.00, CF)

When I originally ranked my foundations, Urban Decay’s Naked Weightless Foundation* sat much higher on this list. As an oily-skinned lady, I love that this lightweight foundation provides a matte finish that looks natural.

However, after a trip to New York City during the holidays, my opinion on this foundation changed. I’m not sure if it was the dry NYC air or the texture of my primer, but this foundation emphasized my skin’s texture to the point where I looked dry. Moreover, the foundation would break apart along my jaw-line after wearing this all day. Even the under-eye concealer on top of it looked cakey.

Ultimately, after that particular trip, I never noticed any continued issues with this foundation. However, given what happened while in another climate, I had to move this down in my ranking.

5 | Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation – 01A Creamy Nude ($9.99, CF)

Milani’s super hyped Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation* is no joke. This foundation truly lives up to its claims to provide a perfected, full coverage finish to the skin. Also, despite being a full coverage formula, this foundation still looks like skin and not a cakey mess.

In terms of longevity, this lasts 10-12 hours on my oily skin (when wearing a primer and lightly setting with powder). Ultimately, this foundation would work well for anyone with oily skin who may be looking to hide imperfections.

However, this foundation sits at 5th place for 2 main reasons. First, the shade is slightly too deep for me. The shade range is quite confusing. When Milani first released this formula, the color range was not comprehensive enough. However, once the brand added additional shades to the range, the number system and descriptions became confusing. For example, the shade I picked up was an extension shade.

Second, Milani the actual shade I picked up is slightly too dark for me. Although not as off as the Maybelline foundation previously mentioned, this shade is a half-to-full shade darker than my natural skin tone. Ultimately, I couldn’t compare shades in stores due to the brand’s limited distribution.

4 | Revlon Photoready Insta-Filter Foundation – 200 Nude ($17.99)

The Revlon Photready Insta-Filter Foundation* is EASILY the most under hyped foundation at the drugstore. This formula looks flattering and ultra-skin-like. The coverage is light-to-buildable.

I used my entire tube and I miss this foundation terribly. Even on oily skin, this foundation works. However, setting with powder is necessary to prolong the lasting time on the skin. See where my Revlon Concealer lands in my concealer ranking.

6 | Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation – 140N ($38.00, CF)

Oily-skinned beauty lovers, rejoice! The Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation* is a radiant foundation that ~actually~ works for oily skin. The finish is luminous, and skin-like. In fact, this foundation makes it look like I’m having a naturally good skin day.

The above being said, as an oily gal, I need to set this foundation with powder. Otherwise, this foundation will not last the amount of time that I need it to last on my skin. In some ways, this reminds me of a slightly better version of the L’OREAL True Match Foundation.

2 | Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer – Nude ($45.00)

Aside from Maybelline’s Fit Me Foundation, the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer* might be my most repurchased foundation ever. I love how this formula provides light coverage and still feels light on the skin. Also, I love how this formula looks natural without feeling greasy or slimy.

1 | Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation – 1.5 Fair Bisque ($40.00, CF)

I miss my Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Foundation for its super lightweight formula, soft matte finish, and light-medium coverage. For me, this discontinued foundation was the definition of ‘my skin but better.’

Final Thoughts on my Foundation Collection Ranking

After completing my oily skin foundation ranking, I was left with two main thoughts. First, I’m proud to see that my foundation preferences have shifted away from full coverage. Don’t get me wrong – I still love a full coverage foundation. However, there was a period in my life where full coverage foundation was all I wore. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve begun to celebrate my skin for all of its imperfections.

Second, as always, I own too much makeup. However, after relying on a few ride-or-die foundations for so many years, I wanted to embrace the upsurge in new formulas being released. As a blogger, how can I recommend foundations if I don’t try new formulas. (P.S. still have a boat load of foundations to review that weren’t pictured.)

Finally, whenever possible, my recommendation is to try a sample before purchasing a new foundation. Not only does sampling prove to be more cost efficient (when there are formulas that you dislike), but sampling produces less waste. Nowadays, so many companies embrace sampling products.

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Did you enjoy my oily skin foundation ranking? Check out my other compilation posts such as the 2018 Newbie Awards – Beauty Bests & Beauty Worsts.

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What do you think about my foundation collection ranking? Do you prefer matte or luminous foundations? What type of coverage do you typically go for? Please let me know in the comments below.

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