Matte magic! Learn how to avoid facial shine all summer with tips on blotting papers, primers and sprays from Kaley Cuoco's make-up pro Jamie Greenberg
- Hot, humid weather can make your face look like an oil-slick before you even leave the house
- Products ranging from oil-free moisturizers to primers and setting sprays help
- Get recommendations for the best grease-reducing items from celebrity make-up artist Jamie Greenberg and Dailymail.com's beauty team
Hot, sticky summer weather brings about a whole new crop of annoying skincare issues, but one of the most popular questions we, as beauty editors, get asked the minute temperatures rise is: How can I control the shine on my face?
We get it. Whether you have acne-prone skin year-round or are plagued by seasonal oiliness, no one wants to deal with a shiny T-zone day in and day out. It can be even worse if you've spent time putting on make-up, only to have all of your hard work undone in a matter of hours, if not minutes once you leave the house.
Luckily, from the start of your skincare routine to the very end, there are products specifically formulated to help - and you can find them at every price point.
Along with Dailymail.com's own recommendations, we tapped celebrity make-up artist Jamie Greenberg, who counts Kaley Cuoco, 31, and Tracee Ellis Ross, 44, among her A-list clients, to give us her must-have mattifiers.
Read on, shine off:
No shine here! Before Kaley Cuoco, 31, hits the red carpet, her make-up artist Jamie Greenberg preps her skin with mattifiers, like the Mally Beauty Evercolor Poreless Face Defender
OIL-FREE MOISTURIZERS
Many people are tempted to skip moisturizer entirely in the summer, thinking it only makes them appear greasier.
That's the wrong way to think about it, though. Your skin needs moisture to stay healthy, regardless of the temperature.
You may, however, need to adjust the formula you're using if your typical face lotion feels too heavy. Look for an oil-free version, too, to help combat shine.
Great buy: Beloved drugstore brand Cetaphil celebrated its 70th anniversary this year, and there's a good reason the brand has been around for so long - it works.
This oil-free moisturizer is specifically intended for those with acne-prone skin, but if you also suffer from rosacea or redness, the brand just launched a redness-reducing line.
PRIMERS
If you want your make-up to stay on throughout the day, a primer is a must.
These miracle-workers minimize the look of pores, even out skin texture and create an ideal base for the rest of your face products to stick to.
Oh, and did we mention that many also help reduce unwanted shine?
Editor's pick: We could write a love letter to this primer, that's how fond of it we are. It smooths fine lines, all but makes our pores disappear, keeps our make-up in place and ensures we don't look oily for hours at a time.
Included in this limited-edition set is a free mini size, so your travel needs are handled, too.
One to watch: If you haven't heard of the Tel Aviv-based Natasha Denona, you will. The line is being sold in Sephora stores across the country, just opened a standalone location in New York City and has become an insta-hit among beauty vloggers.
This primer, according to the brand's founder, Natasha, 'allows those with combination and oily skin to use a glowy foundation in order to enjoy the glow look without looking greasy.'
Make-up artist must-have: Jamie likes this affordable primer for its ability to 'make your skin matte but not like concrete'.
That unique quality means you can use it under make-up in morning and over make-up as needed throughout the day for touch-ups.
POWDERS
A good powder can help set your entire face of make-up or just areas that you want to stay matte during the day.
If you love the look of dewy skin, for example, but hate when grease starts to collect on your forehead, nose and chin, brush a powder only over your T-zone before you leave the house in the morning.
Loose powders can be a bit messy to take on the go, but pressed versions are great to keep in your bag for touch-ups during the day.
Editor's pick: When Dailymail.com staffers come to us for help looking less shiny when they go on TV, we give them this pressed powder, which comes in four shades and sucks up oil on contact.
'It's all I use now,' said one reporter who makes regular TV appearances. 'It's simple to apply, blends insanely easily and makes me look like a polished professional instead of a greasy mess.'
Fan favorite: We've never heard a bad word uttered about Laura Mercier's setting powder.
It's staple in the make-up bags of red-carpet pros and everyday Jo's because its foolproof to apply (you really can't mess it up) and sets make-up while simultaneously keeping away shine all day.
Great buy: Maybelline has developed something of a cult following for its Matte + Poreless Powder, but this just-released loose finishing version could give it some competition.
The eight, finely milled, lightweight powders control shine as well as their pressed counterparts and are tinted with a hint of color, meaning they give an extra oomph of coverage but these never look cake-y.
'I don't think I'll ever use anything else! Love it.' wrote one commenter on Ulta's website.
SETTING SPRAYS
Make-up setting sprays don't get enough attention outside of the beauty-junkie world.
During the summer, though, they can be lifesavers. For one thing, they really do keep your make-up from moving, and versions like the ones below with mattifying properties will keep shine at bay, too. For another, the cool mist they give off will provide a much needed dose of refreshment anytime you apply it.
The key to setting sprays is to apply generously. Oftentimes, people worry that they're actually ruining their make-up because the spray feels like water, but rest-assured, it's not and you won't.
Make-up artist must-have: Jamie didn't hesitate when we asked her to reccommend a shine-controlling setting spray and promptly point us toward this one from Cover Fx.
We like that it's alcohol- and fragrance-free and that the mist comes out in a nice cloud instead of a harsh stream or weird line.
Fan favorite: At less than $10, you can't beat the price of this matte-finish setting spray and buyers say they love how long-lasting it is, which explains why it's always a top-seller at Ulta.
Editor's pick: To be honest, we never had a problem with shine when we used the original Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, but we can certainly attest to this newer version's shine-repelling qualities, especially if your skin is on the oilier side to begin with.
BLOTTING PAPERS
If you suffer from any type of shine, keeping a pack or two of blotting papers on-hand at all times is crucial.
If you've never used one, they work just like you'd imagine: See shine, blot with tiny sheet of paper, and watch shine disappear.
In a pinch, the clean paper toilet seat covers found in public restrooms will have the same effect, but at roughly $10 for a pack of 30, there's no reason not to opt for the real deal.
Make-up artist must-have: Jamie recommends these blotting sheets made from unbleached hemp fibers from cool-girl brand Milk Makeup. They absorb excess oil and reduce shine - without messing up your make-up.
Editor's pick: Leave it to Tatcha to make blotting oil look chic. We love whipping this pretty packet out when we need a quick touch-up during the day. It never fails to make us feel just glamorous - even if it's only for a moment.
Great buy: The plastic compact these sheets come in is handy if you, like us, have the world's most jam-packed make-up bag. It keeps the oil-absorbing tissues from getting smashed and has a mirror, so you can actually see where you're blotting.
Plus, it comes with an adhesive sponge applicator, so your fingers don't need to go anywhere near your face. Less bacteria, less shine, more to love.
Most watched News videos
- Former Playboy Girl Bridget fighting for fertility rights
- Shocking bodycam video shows Shia LaBeouf's arrest in Georgia
- Ivanka Trump arrives for World Bank women event at G20 summit
- Don Jr offered Clinton info during Russian meeting: New York Times
- Russian lawyer speaks about the meeting with Donald Trump Jr
- Shocking moment Volvo slams into cyclist in Tennessee
- 1 dead, 8 injured in shooting at Ohio gender reveal party
- Rattlesnake attempts to board boat full of screaming friends
- FBI search farmland for four missing Penn. men after arrest
- Man given fright when he mistakes 'ghost' for his sister
- Out-of-control bus crashes into cars on South Korean motorway
- Madonna opens paediatric hospital in Malawi with her adopted twins
- Big spender Johnny Depp's costly lifestyle which saw him...
- Happy family? Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner take their...
- Promising female soccer player, 15, dies after man...
- Didn't anyone tell her? The Queen's warm welcome for...
- EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea Clinton is sued for $150,000 by writer...
- 'We don't do dark skin': What South Korea's first black...
- Desperate search for Oklahoma mother who vanished with...
- Married teacher's aide, 40, who avoided jail after...
- The aviator's crash pad: Beverly Hills home damaged...
- NYPD cops turn their back on Mayor Bill de Blasio as he...
- Russian lawyer at center of Donald Jr meeting scandal...
- Now that's a liquid-ation sale! College student banned...
- Bear that viciously mauled a Colorado teen on a camping...
- 'It looks like this girl was punched in the stomach':...
- First man court-martialed over 'Marines United' scandal...
- EXCLUSIVE - Work hard(ly), play hard: Chelsea Clinton and...
- EXCLUSIVE: NBC's The Biggest Loser CANCELED after...
- Spanish teacher, 25, is sentenced to three years for...