I could chalk this up to good a good skincare routine complete with frequent visits to my esthetician and slathering my face in sunscreen each day. But really, I give the most credit to some damn good genes. If it makes you feel better, I do have my father’s legs complete with thighs that would rival any NFL linebacker’s and my mother’s dark under eye circles.
But what did my parents pass on to me that made me hit genetic skin jackpot? I inherited their oily skin.
Sure, having oily skin helps naturally slow down the aging process, but it also has its drawbacks. I can still breakout like one of those teens you see in a Proactiv commercial, like the before picture that’s “untouched.” As someone who has a tendency to rest her hand on her chin or cheek when in conversations, this is no bueno.
However, my biggest issue is finding makeup that actually stays on past an hour. Let’s put it this way: when I leave for work, my skin is smooth and even toned. When I return home, I can signal planes flying overhead with the shine that’s coming from my t-zone. My skin is essentially a flight risk.
So after years of trying almost every brand and spending an obscene amount of money on products that only ended up taking residence in my trash bin, I have found a few holy grails of beauty products for my oily skin. Amen.
Cleanser: PCA Facial Wash Oily/Problem
Okay, so the name of this product isn’t the most appealing. But it can call itself “Clean your face, shithead” and this shithead would still use it in a heartbeat. My esthetician first introduced me to this cleanser, and it is a staple in my daily skincare routine. It doesn’t dry me out – which makes my skin want to produce more oil – and it’s free of dyes and fragrances.
The best part? A little goes a long way. Yes, the price is more than what you would pay for a Neutrogena cleanser, but this will last you longer. Buy it!
Moisturizer: Olehenricksen Counter Balance Mattifying Moisture Créme
Guess what, my fellow oily visage peeps: you still need to moisturize your face. Why? You are treating your oily skin with “balancing” products or drying treatments. Your skin is like you – you still need your water*.
*Also, you should be drinking at least eight glasses of water a day anyway for your skin and, oh I don’t know, general health.
When I found Olehenriksen’s Mattifying Creme, I was a little skeptical. It doesn’t dry quickly like other mattifying moisturizers I tried. After a few days of use, I was a believer. My skin still maintained its softness but it wasn’t an oil slick.
My tip? Allow this and your sunscreen at least ten to twenty minutes to absorb into the skin before applying your makeup. Buy it!
Primer: Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector
There was a time when I was adamantly opposed to face primers. For me, they were just another useless product that cosmetic companies pressured customers to purchase under the guise of making your makeup “last longer.” I fell for the hype – Smashbox’s Photo Finish Primer and Laura Mercier Foundation Primer just to name a few – only to find my money and my makeup wasted. I threw in the towel and threw out some high end primers.
Then my friend, who had worked at Sephora at the time, gave me her full sized sample of Becca’s Ever-Matte Primer and I found myself a believer in power of primers once again.
The beauty of this primer is that it’s specifically designed for people with oily skin: it smooths skin, leaving it matte and ready for your foundation. Although it will be tempting to slather this on your entire face, don’t go crazy with this product. All you need is a pea-sized amount and you’re ready. For what? I don’t know but you’re ready for it. Buy it!
Foundation: NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
Finding the right foundation can be difficult for anyone. For me, finding foundation is like finding the Shroud of Turin. I want full-coverage, but fear cake face. I want a radiant finish, but that means my face is going to end up looking like my childhood Glo Worm. I want to look natural, but in my world, “makeup” and “natural” are mortal enemies that will one day end their feud in bloodshed.
That feud finally ended in peace and harmony when I discovered NARS’ newest foundation, Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation. Just look at the name. It has everything I wanted in a single foundation. With only one pump (Thank God for pumps), you can cover your entire face whether you use your fingers or a brush. You do have to work the product in quickly to ensure even coverage, but honestly I don’t want to spend that much time on my makeup so that’s a-okay for me.
The company claims that this will last 16 hours, but let’s be frank: no makeup lasts for that long without some form of retouching. However, I’m not reaching as much for my oil blotting sheets as I have in the past.
Don’t judge but I love using oil blotting sheets and yes, I do look at them after I blot to see what oil Rorschach design I created. It’s typically a butterfly mid flight. Buy it!
Have you used these products? What did you think? What do you recommend?
Also, if you have questions about a specific beauty product and want recommendations from our team, send us an email with the subject “TN Beauty Question!”
