Desperately need foundation help for oily & slight blemish skin, please!!

[JoyceDivision]

Am a bridesmaid soon, and looking at photos from our hen party, I've realised how bad my skin is with makeup.

I have slight spots and blemishes, but the main problem is my oily skin goes into overdrive when it's warm or I'm nervous (hmm, bridesmaid at summer wedding....) On the phots, we hadn't been out an hour when my face is one huge shine zone and t looks really bad.

I have tried Lancome perfect something or other foundation which is pants, a Blemish balm and primer and they're all useless

Please can you recommend a foundation tht will actually do the job, but preferably where I don't look or feel caked? Pref lower rather than higher budget thanks!!

I have oily skin and tbh all foundations usually end up the same if i don't put primer on. I would recommend getting a really good primer (ive heard good things about oc8 on here) and any oil free foundation, and I also use loose powder on top and even then after about 5 hours my face will become shiny/oily, and I use blotting sheets these which will soak up the oilyness but not ruin my make up.

You need a primer, oil free. You just haven't found the right one yet. I se an Avon skin perfector which keeps me matt all day

Also a light foundation and a good concealer

Watch Lisa Eldridge videos on you tube to help with spot cover ups

I like clinique Even Better Make up foundation. With a primer stays put all day.

Definitely agree with all the above, Laura Mercier's Oil Free Primer is good, Lisa Eldrige is brilliant, she has an excellent video about making up blemish prone skin and the oil absorbing sheets are really easy to transport around and very effective. Not sure what foundation to recommend but EL Doublewear Light is very good and pretty matte.

Maybelline whipped mousse foundation is good. It is lightweight, gives good coverage and seems to absorb lots of oil. It gives my skin a sort of velvet finish too. Mac studio fix one was ok but wouldn't keep the skin shine free for long.

I have tried loads of different brands. Re the primer, I tried the Avon one and when I put anything on top of it, it sort of balled/separated up on the skin and would not blend. Same thing with no7 one.

Definitely agree re primer. I had given up on liquid foundation till I read MN S&B and tried primers. So far my favourite is the one YSL do. It's pricy but you only need a pea size blob for your whole face. Foundation either won't even go on my greasy tzone or drips off within an hour. But with primer and Dior foundation (I use Diorskin Nude but you might want one with more coverage if you have break outs). It's water based and looks very natural and along with primer does the job.

thanks for all the replies, would a liquid or a compact, like a powder of the stuff you wipe on your face (oh god, this is how useless I am!)

Poppedout, is that the YSL matte touch primer you use? I'm umming and ahhing over this one because of the price. Does it really keep the oilies at bay?

MAC spf 50 primer is good for oily skin, by the way. It really makes a difference. I still get oily, but not as bad, and the oil doesn't break through for a while. If I don't use it, oil breaks through within 20 minutes and foundation slides off my face. But I'm curious about the YSL matte touch.

I've recently gone back to Clarins Haute tenue which is great on my oily skin. Lasts all day and v matt. Not cheap though.

Thanks everyone, Drjohnsonscat, do you just use the Clarins Hatue Tenue and nothing else? May pop into boots or somewhere at w'end, ask to try some on then wander round for a bit and see how t fares on my skin...

No 7 do a really good anti shine primer. It's in a white tube. I really recommend it, not too expensive either

Estee Lauder do a good powder foundation that's designed for oily skin. Their matte primer or MACs SPF50 primer are both good at controlling oil. The best combo for my shite really oily skin is Boots anti shine primer (in white tube, about £10) and the EL powder foundation. If you try the Boots primer, it is quite 'dry' compared to the silicone-based primers so you need to apply quite quickly after a light/oil free moisturiser.

I have the oiliest skin ever. I use MD Formulations glycare lotion after washing my face. When that dries I then apply OC8 mattifying gel. I let that sink in for 10 mins or so then use Lily Lolo mineral foundation.

I start with a dusting of their matte finishing powder then apply the foundation powder (2 coats normally or 3 if I'm going out and want it to last all day) and I buff it into my skin for ages and ages as this helps the staying power. I finish with another dusting of finishing powder.

All this effort does actually ensure I can go for 5 or 6 hours before getting oily. When it does eventually break through I use blotting papers to absorb the oil and then another dusting of finishing powder.

Agree about primer. I'm a massive fan of Urban Decay for foundation. I have their Surreal Skin Compact and I love it. They also do a setting spray.

I used ysl matte touch on my wedding day, no shine got through all day and I wasn't wearing powder.

I use aldi foundation and powder now, seems to controll it.

Joycedivision, yes just that. It's really quite matt and doesn't slide off or go shiny even on my chip-pan skin!

I have exactly the same skin type and used SUpercover foundation on my wedding day. My pictures are amazing right until the end! I was given powder if needed but I didn't reapply at all.

Bare Minerals.

Make sure you dont wear anything with an SPF in it, you'll be photographed a lot and the spf makes your face look paler than the rest of you on the photos.

Try Nice Things mattifying moisturiser. It is amazing and only costs about £8 for a big tube (500ml I think).

Don't want to totally contradict Fluffy as this is true for a lot of SPF products, but I use the MAC Prep & Prime SPF50 and it photographs really well. doesn't look pale or weird, I promise! I have horribly oily skin in t-zone and the difference between oil breakthrough without the primer is astonishing. Breakthrough in 1 hr without primer, more than 4 hrs with primer. Have tried a lot of different primers, all disasterous except this particular MAC one. God help me if they ever discontinue it. I have used Estee Lauder double wear powder foundation over this primer (give the primer a good ten mins to 'set' first). It's been a good foundation and is easily portable for touchups. Tried other powder foundations (MAC, Chanel, L Mercier) all hideous and ghastly in different ways. Grrr.

Other anti-oily-face tips: use a light, oil freee moisturiser before priming (I use cheap Simple brand), carry plain tissues for blotting, a translucent powder (Blot by MAC is excellent). Buy a decent brush for applying the powder foundation or Blot powder, and wash it weekly. After blotting, a little touchup of powder foundation may be needed. I find I can apply at 7am, a quick touchup at noon, and a quick touchup at 6pm, then it will be OK until bedtime. Good luck, finding the right products for oily skin is really tough.

Like fluffy I used the YSL matte touche primer on my wedding day and oil didn't creep through (got a bit sweaty on the dance floor but only at the end of the night) and it was SUCH a hot day.

I would not recommend pressed powder as it will simply build up over the day and you will get oily cakey bits.

Smashbox primer for oily skin is often recommended though I have never tried it.

As a cheaper alternative to Smashbox I would definitely recommend Lanacane Anti-Chafing gel ( check the youtube reviews on it). Exactly the same consitency and only about £6 a tube in Boots...I used to buy expensive primers when I was still working but they're really not worth the money now....Also recommned EL Double Wear foundation...I get this when Mum is feeling generous and treats me to a bottle. Cheaper alternative is Revlon Colorstay which is pretty matte and long lasting..