10 Best Primers for Oily Skin in the Philippines 2024 | Buying Guide Reviewed by Dermatologist

It's best not to aggravate your skin's shine by layering an oil-based product over it. This is why you should choose a primer with little or no oil in the ingredients. Try to look for oil-free primers. This means it does not contain petrolatum, lanolin, palm, or coconut oil in its formulation, as these oils tend to clog pores. 

Instead, oil-free primers tend to use water or silicone as their base and won't exacerbate your skin's oiliness. Keep in mind that your foundation and primer need to have the same type of formula to blend well together. This means you should also avoid using oil-based foundations.

Like with all other skincare and makeup products, the ingredients that your primer contains can do more harm than good for your skin if they're not beneficial for your skin type. Here's what you should be looking for.

Dimethicone is an excellent example of this. It is great for filling in fine lines and textures while controlling oil production. This gives your skin a velvety-smooth finish that doesn't look chalky.

Silicone gets a bad reputation for clogging pores, but that is not always the case. By itself, silicone is hypoallergenic and non-irritatingーthat is why they are used in medicine sometimes! And they also wash off if you remove your makeup. 

When choosing primers, look for ones that are non-comedogenic to avoid clogging your pores. Non-comedogenic means it contains less oil so it will not block pores and aggravate acne. It is also lighter on the skin, thereby allowing it to breathe. 

However, there is no universal standard for non-comedogenic and it can vary across brands. This can make it quite difficult to determine if a primer is actually non-comedogenic. In this regard, take a look at the ingredients list and try to avoid ones that contain isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, butyl stearate, as well as beeswax and cocoa butter. 

So, select a primer with at least SPF30 as it can filter 96.7% of UV rays while it is 98% for SPF50. Also, take a look if it has a broad spectrum rating. This means it doesn't just protect against UVB radiation, which is associated with skin burning but also UVA, which is responsible for skin aging. 

Don’t forget to check for ingredients such as titanium dioxide. It is responsible for blocking UV rays as well as brightening skin and hiding blemishes. Another helpful ingredient is zinc oxide. It helps control excess oil production, combat acne, and protect against UVA and UVB rays. 

Color correction is a technique that involves cancelling out discoloration in your skin tone. It makes use of opposite colors in the color wheel to neutralize certain colors. For instance, green is the opposite of red, so a green primer is great for dealing with redness from acne or rosacea. 

If you are dealing with yellow undertones like under-eye circles or dull skin a purple primer can help with that. Conversely, if you have prominent purplish or bluish veins or bruises, a yellow primer would be best. And pink and red primers can correct dark circles and give you a bit of luminosity. Remember, it’s all about balancing your complexion.