Very oily skin, help!!

Mar 19, 2015

Alee G.

My skin is so oily and my makeup is too shiny, I spend too money on things that don't work please help with any tips thanks.

Mar 19, 2015

Shaundi P.

Unflavored milk of magnesia. lol it sounds weird but it really works. take a tiny amount and rub it on your skin before applying your makeup and it keeps your face matte all day. there are reviews for it on YouTube if you want stories /reviews about it.

Mar 19, 2015

Nikki S.

I love the garnier skin care products and the tea tree face wash from the body shop! I used to be so oily! but now its just the t - zone throughout the Day. then I use my rimmel stay Matte powder ( my holy grail product )

Mar 19, 2015

Shauna S.

Do not use Milk of Magnesia as a primer. It's absolutely horrible for your skin. If something is not meant to go on the delicate skin on your face then don't put it there! The ph of your skin should be around 4-6. Milk of Magnesia contains a ph balance of around 11 and it contains a small amount of bleach. Other primers that are amazing for oily skin and contain non harmful chemicals is Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer and Smashbox Anti Shine Primer.

Also, what is your current skincare routine like? Following a good skincare regime will make your skin less oily over time. Remember to always cleanse, tone, and moisturize! (yes you must moisturize even if you have oily skin). I really recommend Simple Skincare Gel Cleanser, or Avene Cleanser, the body shop aloe vera toner, or you can use witch hazel and dilute it with water. For a moisturizer I really like the body shop aloe vera night cream or any moisturizers from Avene. Lastly you should try using jojoba oil on your face. It makes your skin think that it has enough oil on the face so that it doesn't over produce more oil. Over time your skin should become less oily.

For makeup, try to buy mattifying foundations and powders. I really like MUFE Mat Velvet + and I've been hearing amazing things about L'Oreal Pro Matte. For a powder I enjoy Marcelle Pressed Powder and Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Powder.

Mar 19, 2015

Shelley W.

I second Shauna...get to the root of the problem with a solid skincare program so you won't have to rely so much on primers and DIY things. I had super oily skin (I think it was so oily at one point my forehead probably glowed in the dark) and once I switched up my skincare and stopped trying to beat it into submission with products that only dried out my skin (thus forcing it to overproduce oil) then a lot of the cosmetics to blot out shine became a mute point. I only have two primers in my collection and I don't reach for them often.

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is one in my collection and it does a great job at controlling break-thru oil. And there is definitely a color match for you in the L'oreal Pro Matte line (in both the foundation and the powder).

Mar 19, 2015

Rosa A.

Yes go buy some milk of magnesia as a primer and you will NOT get oily.

Mar 20, 2015

Shaundi P.

Milk of magnesia is meant to be ingested so I don't think it would contain bleach or anything harmful. but as far as ph goes I've been using it for quite some time and have nothing bad to say about it and it's very inexpensive unlike high end primers that you can spend slot of money on only to find out that they don't work for you which is what I've done in the past and it's definitely not fun. but if you are skeptical about trying it there are reviews /demos on it on you tube just type in "milk of magnesia for oily skin "

Mar 20, 2015

Nathalie H.

I had pretty bad oily forehead and nose area after I finished my accutane. So what idiot me did is go to Sephora and spend $63 on skin care that broke me out sooo bad around my chin, forehead, cheeks, that all the 6 months of accutane went for nothing. I bought Ole Henrikson aloe Vera deep cleanser and boscia normal to oily moisturizer with spf. Eventually, I returned it and bough cetaphil gentle cleanser and moisturizing lotion (without spf). My skin is less oily now and my acne seems to go away. At least skin is no longer irritated.

Mar 20, 2015

Shauna S.

Milk of magnesia contains sodium hypochlorite which is bleach. It is approved by the laws where it is safe to be ingested in small quantities. Milk of magnesia is meant to be a very short term laxative. Using this daily has harmful effects whether it is ingested or used topically. Your best bet would be to try and find one that does not contain sodium hypochlorite.

As for the ph, your skin requires a slightly acidic ph so that it can fight off bad bacteria. A high ph means that your skin is more Alkaline and is therefore not acidic enough to fight off bad bacteria and could cause flare ups of other skin irritants such as acne or eczema.

I'm sorry if any of this sounded rude or like I'm trying to argue, it is definitely not intended to! :) I've just had a lot of problems with my skin and my skins ph over the past few years and I've done an insane amount of research on what's good and bad for your skin. A lot of people don't realize how greatly your skins ph affects your whole body. Milk of Magnesia should be okay for a short term use but it can be dangerous for long time use. People's skin have different tolerances for different products but just do some research to pro's and con's. :)

Mar 20, 2015

Ema C.

Ok I know some of you will say milk of magnesia is not good for our skin and probably you are right but girl that works wonders!! I am not using it every day, I only use it on special occasions when I go out or something.
I did not break out and I only use it for my T zone as that is where I tend to be oily.
Please try it it's like magic really, no oily skin for the next 12 hours!

Mar 21, 2015

Nikki D.

I agree with Shauna. Also, I heard that not drinking enough water can cause your skin to be even more oily. With skincare, I suggest not to use products that dry out your skin or else your skin will just produce more oil than before to make up what is lost. For makeup, I know about several foundations that are useful for oily skin.


Full coverage:
KAT Von D Lock It Tattoo Foundation (matte finish)
Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation (matte/semi matte)

Medium/Buildable:
MUFE MattVelvet +
Boots Matte Foundation
Revlon Colorstay Whipped (which I actually use with the colorstay powder and a mattifying primer underneath, lasts for 6 hours before oil breaks through without touch ups. This foundation gives a semi matte effect but still holds oil pretty well)

I also heard Kat Von D's spray (not sure if it's for setting or finishing, or the difference between those 2 sorry) is a good product. Blotting sheets are helpful to have too, so you don't have to cake up on powder.