Hello all, Just found this post and wanted to suggest a few things. I have PCOS so my skin is oily due to that but I have found some products lessen the oil but never banish it completely. I will try and do things in order so from getting up in the morning. In the shower I recommend using ‘Angels on Bare Skin’ from Lush. It is a gentle ‘scrub’ that you can use daily and contains kaolin clay which is great for getting into those pores. You can also see the almond milk it contains when you add water that brightens the skin. It’s all natural so nice on the skin. If this hasn’t grabbed you then try St Ives ‘apricot scrub’, this is also a good scrub that I have found works well but it has more ‘grit’ to it so be gentle if you do go with this one. Once a week or every other week I use ‘dark angels’ scrub from Lush, it is almost all natural except for two ingredients and is a heavy duty scrub that really makes your skin feel clean and soft! I try once a week to get in a face mask but its more like once a month to be honest. I haven’t yet found a wonder mast but I do like DDF sulphur mask but its not cheap. A cheaper option that works well for swollen ‘under the skin’ spots is an aspirin mask. Simply add a few drops to a couple of aspirin tablets crush then up into a paste and spread on the skin. Leave for a while then you can either rinse right of or use circular motions for a bit of a scrub. Try not to use this often as the effectiveness of the aspirin on your skin will were off. So back to the shower, I use either the weekly or daily scrub then currently I am washing with Cor Silver soap. Its not cheap but aids healing, so anyone with spots this one is for you. You can buy a sample off the Cor web site. I like it but once my sample runs out I wont rush to pay full wack but its work a go! If it were cheaper I would buy it again. I leave this on my face as I wash hair so on… (I recommend Dr Bronner's magic fair trade organic liquid soap for troubled back and chested people out there!) Other face cleansers I like and use depending on mood are: coal face by Lush and Dermalogica Clay Cleanser. It give you the real fresh face feel! (menthol) So then before makeup I tone with lemon juice just a thin layer over the skin, watch out it stings on any broken skin and will tingle a little that’s normal just keep it away from eyes and teeth. I then moisturise with Bobbie Brown oil control lotion SPF 15 and use a little EL Matte primer. I then use Lily Lolo mineral foundation, cover up and blusher, brilliant stuff! Not the heaviest of coverage but it is buildable and it’s the only thing that keeps me less oily during my 12 hour shifts it is also sweat proof! I have been to the gym in it many times and it holds up very well. Careful with finding other mineral foundations they often contain Bismuth Oxychloride that can cause break outs. Not always but can do. I then use Mattify! Original powder from mattifycosmetics.com to set my makeup. For me the ULTRA version on the powder made me more oily than the original. On the web site it suggests putting under and over foundation , this works well too. ( I have a few other sun screen moisturisers that I use in the summer but I live in the UK and work 12 hours a day in a room with no windows so I feel my SPF15 BB lotion and my SPF15 Lily Lolo foundation is enough for all year bar summer) I also highly recommend Dermalogica oil free matte block SPF 20. I love this stuff but I got the BB lotion for x mas so am using that for now. During the day I use blotting sheets from e.l.f they are wonderful and cheap! I prefer these to the ones that leave powder behind and I prefer the idea of lifting the oil away rather than piling more powder on top but that’s a personal thing. I have found that after blotting I can use mineral pressed powder from Greenpeople.com or Peter Thomas Roth oily problem skin instant mineral spf 30. I love the latter of the two, leaves me matte smooth skin :-) Evening, I remove makeup with tea tree wipes from Holland and Barrat. And wash my face with tea tree soap from the same shop. Tone with lemon juice. Sometimes I use a little Estee Lauder Idealist pore minimizing skin refinisher on my cheeks and T zone. I always use benzoyl peroxide at the moment on spots but my super star for clearing up sport is SUDOCREM!!! It really does dry up any spots over night… although you do go to bed looking like a ghost. So far this has worked for me and my Dermatologist commented that she is surprised at how little scaring I have from my acne. (I am now 26, had acne for as long as I can remember) I have also used Peter Thomas Roth AHA/BHA acne clearing gel and DDF salicylic acid wash both I like and am in the process of getting some more of. There are cheaper salicylic acid washes out there that are nice too. Sorry for the essay but if just one person comes away with someone here that helped them then its worth it! I know what a struggle oily skin is and I swear I keep the beauty industry going with the money I spend on new ‘wonder’ products! I hope this helps.

I found this site after trying to research "extremely oily skin", which I have and I am tired of dealing after 50 years! I am the only woman I know that can't make her make-up last all day! I've even given up mascara and eyeliner most of the time. It's just not worth it...help! I've seen so many different products recommended...it's very overwhelming!

I have really oily skin and this product looks like what Ive been waiting for! Thanks for the great post and information

If you have acne and oily skin, your God-send is Steifel's 10% Precipitated Sulfur Soap. It lasts for at least six weeks.

Ladies, Please go and visit a website called Matifycosmetics.com. In addition to having the BEST POWDER you will EVER try to oily skin (trust me, I've tried them ALL), they have some wonderful tips for oily skin. And for the record, if you're looking for good skin care for oily skin, the two best systems I've found are Dr. Brandt and Perfect Skin (that system advertised by the Kardashians). MoM is OK but it's white and pasty on me. There's a product called sebasorb that you can get from the Derm Store that works much better.

What a great topic! I own the clarisonic mia and I can only use it every 2 days or when I'm not planning to go out. I feel like it produces 10X more oil on my skin in less than 6 hrs. Milk of Magnesia, it worked great for about a month then my skin went back to its greasy ways. I gave up on mattifiers a year ago. But if you decide to try some mattifier I recommend Mary Kay I've notice when I cut down on eating greasy foods my face is less oily. I try washing my face twice a day. My (HG) best products so far to control my greasy face: -Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face and Body -Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion -Clinique Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Moisturizer Oil-Free (summer) -Clinique moisture surge (winter) -Monistat chaffing gel (as a primer, I feel that this product has helped the most controlling oil and polished makeup) -Mac prolongwear foundation -Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Loose Powder Foundation -Mac blotting powder

are you kidding me MAC PREP AND PRIME SPF 50!!!!!don't even think about it, then put anything on top! without it i could produce enough oil for my salad every day...

I have ultra oily skin and the best foundation I've tried is YSL Teint Resist. The coverage is light-medium but it keeps the oil at bay like no other! I would recommend it to all oily skinned ladies as it's a fantastic foundation as well :)

I find that a gentle, exfoliating skincare routine helps. AM: wash with cetaphil oily skin cleanser clinique repairware serum to moisturize for makeup, I use SFF mixed with the PF Healthy Wear TM to extend the wear. Hard Candy Sheer Envy primer used to keep me more matte than it does now. I also found that MUFE matte velvet + was good at oil control. PM: remove makeup with kirkland wipe. wash with cetaphil for oily skin + a scruby pad thing sold in 8 packs at target. then, use a super hydrating moisturizer like nivea soft, to re-hydrate my skin. my skin has gotten so much better since i eliminated alcohol (like clinique #3 toner, or toners in general), and started really hydrating it at night and use a simple skincare routine.

I have crazy oily skin and I swear I've tried EVERYTHING..the following is working for me currently I wash my face with Boscia gel cleanser (still looking for a toner) clinique pore perfection serum (i think that's what it's called) for day i use the Murad mattifying lotion w/ SPF then smashbox photofinish primer in light then i dust that with a mix of silica, rice and clay powder THEN i use Tarte products - currently i'm using the tinted moisturizer but i also use the recreate foundation then i dust again with powder :) i just bought the laura mercier oil free foundation primer. . hoping i like it i also bought a moisturizer from Korres Quercetin & Oak Antiaging & Antiwrinkle Oil-Control Treatment .. omg it's fabulous!!!

Has anyone tried LAURA MERCIER MINERAL PRIMER with a regular non-mineral foundation? I tried the Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer and am not a fan, and was wondering how the mineral primer is for oily.combo skin. Thanks!

i'd recommend vichy's normaderm range, and origins charcoal mask.

Paula Begoun has some excellent advice on causes of and managing oily skin on her website: "Oily skin is hard to control because it's the result of genetically determined hormonal changes in your body, and you simply cannot control hormones topically". I have very oily skin that is related to PCOS which I was diagnosed with last year. I live in a very humid environment which only makes matters worse. I have tried countless products for my oily skin and highly recommend the following as the most effective: 1. Paula's Choice BHA products - BHA helps reshape the pore lining, it unclogs pores and exfoliates the built up layers on the outside of skin while improving cell turnover rate. I couldn't live without it! 2. Paula's Choice Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish - the absolute best mattifier around. Beats all others by miles. 3. Palladio Rice Paper blotting paper - this is a fantastic oil blot paper that takes away the oil and has a fine powder that leaves skin really fresh. I particularly like it as i don't have to used pressed powder afterwards (which I do with all other blot paper) and this means my skin is far less cakey by the end of the day. 4. Smashbox Antishine - another really good mattifier (I prefer the compact). Milk of magnesia is really good too but I can't seem to make it work with my makeup. I end up with white bits no matter how lightly I use it. I now use it as a weekly mask to absorb oil and it is great. I would also recommend prescription retinoid creams if you are really frustrated with your skin. Hope that helps..

Hi, I have a very oily skin BUT I discovered a wonderful thing so that I don't have to blot my skin anymore all day long. In the morning I use MAC green gel cleanser and as moisturizer I use MAC prep+prime skin visage spf50. It kind of moisturizes my skin, so that it doesn't produce oil or shine all day long. I don't know how it works exactly but I think the main difference makes the prep+prime stuff. As foundation I use MAC studio fix fluid spf15.

Cleanser: Bobbi brown lathering soap, lush fresh famarcy soap Toner: larocheposay moisturizing clarifying toner, lush tea tree toner, durance lavender toner Moisturizer: Bobbi brown gel cream moisturizer, Bobbi brown brightening cream, durance mattifying day cream and lush vanishing cream Sunscreen: skinfood SPF 50 coffee sunscreen , larocheposay anthelios fluid SPF 50 Makeup base: nothing beats Mac prep and prime face protect SPF 50 , no touch up for me up to 8 hours sometimes mo

I try to keep it simple. I had oily skin and hair even as a child (inherited from my dad), so I know it's not a condition caused by irritating products. I use a gentle cleanser (right now Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel), Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid, and right now I'm using Paula's Choice Sheer Matte Tint as a foundation/sunscreen/mattifier in one. For a more full coverage foundation I go with MUFE Mat Velvet + or Revlon Colorstay. Tarte Amazonian Clay blush is pretty great too. It's very hot and humid now where I live, so I don't really bother with eyeshadow. I use a primer on my eyelids so they don't look greasy, then a cat eye look with liquid liner...which can be dramatic or subtle depending on the color I use.

Origins Check and Balances and Neutrogena Oil Free Cleanser. (its like essay writing competition in here lol)

I love the Mary Kay Timewise products. I use the skincare set for oily/combination skin. Te day solution that goes under the moisturiser has SPF22 in it and is not at all greasy. For foundation, I love the Mary Kay Timewise matte-wear foundation. It's light, has good coverage, and kinda soaks up excess oils. The foundation primer is also amazing. It's a really light gel with absolutely no colour and feels like nothing.

I find that Benefit's Porefessional works very well for my oily nose.

For eyes - UDPP original followed by UD eyeshadow pencil in sin, followed by any powder shadow is a winning combo for me, makes my eyeshadow last 16 hours or more, I haven't tested it for longer. For face - Everyone keeps raving about Laura Mercier's oil free primer but I hate that stuff. Its thick, smells bad, and does nothing it claims. Believe me, I have tested it for over 6 months, I really wanted to love it. UD De-slick spray is great along with the de-slick in a tube, those work wonders for my skin! I also use a toner twice a day which helps control oil.

I use La Roche Posay's Effaclar line - gel, tonic and Effaclar M (at night). During the day I don't use the moisturizer because I need my sunscreen and I just feel like it's too much, so I use La Roche Posay's Fluide Extreme SPF 40. I wish it would dry down to a more matte finish, but it's not bad, at least. I don't wear foundation, just concealer and powder. I've been using MAC's blot powder for awhile based on comments I read here and it does make a different, compared to MSFN (terrible, made me shine in 40-60 minutes!) and regular powders. But after reading all these comments about milk of magnesia I'm just dying to go to the drugstore tomorrow and get my hands on some, seriously. How did I manage to live all these years and never hear about such a lovely thing?

MAC Blot powder and letting your moisturizer and SPF sink in for 10 minutes before applying foundation are the only two sure things I've found!

i love using urban decays de-slick spray and also on really crappy days i use the urban decay de-slick mattifying gel around my tea zone, beware though it tends to pill the makeup, also when it says MATTIFYING gel it means MATTIFYING, thi is super matte,and in my opinion a little to dry, however it does keep my makeup on, but usually the spray works well enough :)

Three words...milk of magnesia obviously it's not a makeup item but I just shake it up, put a little on my fingers and blend it into my t zone and no joke I'm oil free for at least 5-6 hours I still use a foudation primer and kryolans anti-shine powder and everything stays put!

I use lots of LUSH products for skin care: Angels on Bare Skin or Dark Angels cleansers Breath of Fresh air toner Greased lightning Oil Treatment Then I use MAC Prep and Prime Skin followed by De Slick setting spray. I use pro longwear Foundation followed by another spray of De slick. All of those work for me.

A really good drugstore product I just tried and really love so far is Clean and Clear's "finishers" mattifying moisturizer. It works crazy well. It has SPF and mattifies my face without drying it out. Sometimes I wash my face and just let my face get a little shiny before putting it on, and then put my makeup on. My makeup stays on so much longer! I really love this product and it's inexpensive, especially compared to mattifying primers from Sephora and the like.

Although I use Santa Maria Norvella now, but back in those days, I had terrible acne and oily skin as a teen and in my twenties. Occasionally I still get a zit..and I use Rx- Retin A...in less than 24 hours, I can pop that zit...I learned not to use alcohol based toner...it makes it worse. I tried all brands...Clarins, Mario B. (aloe vera), Santa Maria Norvella, Sisley all make great toners. I use Estee Lauder Lucidity for over 25 years...great coverage and non- oily. Cleansers are Clarins, Sisley, and any non-alkaline soap. Also, need a good pore facial mask...I tried all brands in my youth and I say Clarins is the best and does not strip the skin.

lancome teint idole ultra foundation. Amazing coverage, feels light, and stays on all day on my very oily skin. tarte amazonian blush.

I have tried sooo many different foundations at all price points, but I always go back to revlon colorstay for oily skin. It gives relatively nice coverage and does not break me out. There are foundations which *look* a little better, but they all break me out(and cost $30-40 a pop). I use that with MUFE HD loose setting powder and UD all nighter spray and my makeup stays nice and relatively matte(and...you know, on my face) all day in the nasty TX heat.

I have oily/acne prone skin (I have PCOS) and some of my favorites are PCA Blemish Bar cleanser (sulfur is probably my favorite for dealing with a variety of issues) MUFE All Mat primer (and I also really like their mattifying powder and HD powder, I mix the too together to offset the issues both have) Nars eye primer. A MUST if you have oily lids--I have those, and they're hooded, and this stuff never creases, even with cheap eyeshadow on top. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is really nice, uses rice powder so you don't get any micro-tears in your skin and is just a soft exfoliant most people can use everyday. And I also really like DDF's salicylic wash. And since it's being mentioned, I used a Clarisonic Plus for a year and can say it's utterly useless for the price, at least if your problems are hormonal. Just spend $15 or so on a bunch of muslin clothes--same difference, more hygienic.

Lush Tea Tree Oil Toner Water

I have very oily skin and with this routine, I only need to touch up half way through the day and only if it's warm out. Cleanser - Aveeno Skin Clarifying Cleanser Makeup - Murad Vitalic Moisturizer, Smashbox Light Primer, MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation, MAC Blot, MAC Paintpot in Bare Study for eyes Night - Retin A Gel. You need to get a prescription for this but it's cheap (under $10) and the tube lasts for a year. It cuts down on oil, gets rid of any acne (if you have any) and reduces fine lines. This really helps with keeping you oil free!

I have oily skin. The most important routine for me is the cleansing of the face. I use cleansing oils and cleansing milk. Toner, serums, and moisturizers that help oily skin. Makeup wise, I use a primer, mattifier, and oil free foundations. For brands, I mainly use a lot of asian products for cleansing and skincare. (Laneige, Kose, Shiseido, Naruko)

My skin was turned around from oil collection within 1 hr of cleansing - no product after or product - did not matter - UNTIL I bought a PRO model of the Clarisonic (it's the professional version - has extra speed - last longer - stands up to harder use, worth the extra $ for this over retail model). I now have only seasonal T-zone oily about 5-6 hrs into the day, and that T-zone is not bad at all. I use all oil free products. I am religious about cleansing. Never go to bed with makeup on at all. Get those pores clean and try to get them to shrink up which they will do generally if they are not filled with gunk. I use the least amount of face make-up product, mostly because i don't need it - I have good skin now - Tarte's new Amazonian Clay spf tinted moisturizer or same in full coverage foundation are amazing at balancing out skin - oily is controlled- normal is controlled. Maybe if you are the Sahara Desert, might tend to not be a great pick for you - but claims made that oily to dry it senses and delivers that is needed. It's RARE I will either use a foundation or change my foundation when I do have one I like...but moving to this new Tart line is amazed me. But more than anything - clean - clean - clean skin. Blotting sheets in your daytime to pick up oil and leave your skin care/makeup there are also a big plus. Never, never use alcohol. It only calls up more oil production.

Dr. Brandt, Pores no More is the best matt/primer on the planet. My foundation is Guerlain Extreme, concealer Clea du Peau and here's the tip: After applying foundation & concealer, take a tissue, split (2-ply) in half and use it to blot excess oil (don't forget eyelids & under the eye). THEN apply translucent pwdr (LMercier) by pressing/rolling into skin w/puff. This is a great way keep the oil at bay. Try it. Got the info from MUA Wayne Goss (genius on youtube).

Is there one, really? Everything I've tried seems to either not work or break me out badly (UD De-slick in a Tube and the spray version were really bad for that.) For whatever reason, I've found that applying a sunscreen first and letting in sink in for about an hour (I use Neutrogena) then using a primer (the CoverFX anti-acne is the best I've found) and letting that sink in for about 10, then doing foundation and powder seems to keep me matte for about 8 hours. Pretty good, considering that without that, I'm oily in 30-45 minutes.

MAC Prep and Prime Face Protect SPF 50 and Milk of Magnesia (sucrose free); they work wonders for me :D

i have really oily skin.. i cleanse with Neutrogena fresh foaming cleanser, i exfoliate once a day with either a AHA or BHA from Paula's choice (they are really well formulated and great value as well.. and i alternate between the two types bc one cleanses pores and the other cleanses dead skin cells better).. moisturiser i use clinique antioxidant concentrate turnaround visible renewer.. this is moisturising but not heavy foundation i use is Paula's Choice sheer matte tint (this is the best base for my skin, and i don't use a primer and it still works fine) concealer i use is maybelline age rewind double end (something... its got the concealer on one end and the highlighter on the other) powder i swear by is laura mercier loose setting powder in translucent.. i can use all other other products the same but if i don't use this powder, my makeup doesn't wear as well.. esp on the nose

i LOVEEEE estee lauder's double wear for my oily skin. stays on wonderfully when i apply with sponge or stippling brush. not as great with the fingers. the product i NEVER expected to be amazing is E.L.F.'s complextion perfection powder. the one with all the pastel colors. it has made my MAC blot powder seem like a failure. i never expected it. picked it up randomly when i saw it at a store last week. it is also the only E.L.F. product i own. so much better than blot powder for me. i like clinique's moisture surge moisturizer. i clog easily and this hasn't clogged or broken me out. i love MAC paintpots to prime my oily lids.. works better for me than UPDD or TFSI. MUFE aqua cremes are pretty awesome too. wooooooooow sorry i wrote a novel here. i've just always had oily skin. so i had some def winners. now if u asked what didn't work for oily skin, i've had typed for days!