No Shine

Having a flawlessy matte finish is one of my obsessions. I've been using a cocktail of products to keep me shine free for years and I've tried even more. Some I love, some not so much. Basically, I use a foundation primer and then pressed powder. I touch up with a mattifier throughout the day, since I've never found a product that kept my shine free with no touch up.

Foundation Primers

Paula Dorf Foundation Primer

The primer for normal/oily skin contains cotton fibers to aid in oil absorbtion. It has a glossy and silky finish and foundation glides on smoothly over it. However, it has a slightly opaque color that left a little of a grayish/purplish tint on my face. Women with darker skin tones take note.






Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

Despite its slightly greasy feel, this actually is a great foundation primer. It has an SPF 15 and contains antioxidants - two ingredients that will protect your face from wrinkles for years to comes. Again, your makeup will melt into your skin after applying this, especially stick foundation and creme concealers. I prefer this one to the Paula Dorf, especially because the added SPF takes a step out of my daily routine.



Mattifiers

Smashbox Compact Anti Shine

This has truly become one of the loves of my life. I never leave my house without this compact. Smashbox has taken its traditional mattifying liquid, Anti Shine, and put it into a compact. Genious! This mattifier is a thick white creme that goes on flawlessly. I use it on my nose and eyelids, two telltale places that will give away an oily skin secret. Plus, the compact is so small, less than two square inches, and comes with a mirror and sponge so you can apply it anytime and anyplace. And, since oily skin and acne often go hand in hand, the creme contains tea tree oil to fight pimples. You can reapply all day with no worries of breakouts. This definitely comes highly recommended from me.


Chanel Precision T-Mat Shine Control

This product goes on silky, but does little else. It was not a strong mattifier and really did not take the shine off my nose more than momentarily. The only thing that you get for that price is the Chanel name. Skip this one.





Blotters

Some people swear by blotting papers. I do not. I've found that the absolute best blotters are free. My favorite thing to catch the excess oil is a cheap brown napkin from almost any restaurant or takeout place. They absorb oil as well as any blotting paper I've used. Also, toilet seat covers (unused of course!) do a great job as well. Something about that cheap, almost raw paper grabs onto oil better than anything else. However, pulling a toilet seat cover out of your purse is not the most appropriate thing to do in public.

I have had good results from the Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets.
They are the best value for the money and available at any drugstore. The more expensive blotting sheets tend to have a light dusting of talc on them. But, women with darker skin have to be careful on too much powder, lest they end up looking like Casper. These sheets are just plain and absorb oil without smudging makeup.