10 best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India

10 best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India

I remember my time as a beginner hunting for foundations. It was daunting! I did not know which one looked good me, which shade was an ideal match, if the foundation was causing breakouts on my skin, if the texture was emphasizing my pore size and so much more. The worse one being giving in to the pressure by pushy sales assistants and walking out with a foundation which was a complete fail (Read: Bad shade and moisturizing for my oily skin! Ugh!).

You can read my best tips on how to shop at makeup counters to avoid the mistakes I made.

Anyhoo, I have tried a lot of foundations over the past few years. As much as my skin could afford without reacting. I have linked all the foundations to their full reviews where you can find more information on them. The ones I haven’t reviewed, I talk about them in detail.

Hope you find this list on the best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India useful:

L’oreal mat magique 12H bright mat foundation

L’oreal mat magique is one of the best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India at an affordable price tag. It delivers a proper matte finish whilst still feeling so lightweight on the skin. Since it dries fast, you need to be quick with blending it. It offers the perfect coverage for day wear and wears for long in the heat of Delhi.

The only disappointing part here is the shade selection. Only 5 shades are offered by the brand and women with dark complexion will find it difficult to get a match in this range.

Price in India: Rs.595 for 30ml

Chambor sheer delight ultra oil free matte foundation

This oil free foundation from Chambor is another amazing foundation for oily skin large pores. Neither does it oxidize nor does it emphasize my pore size. It offers a soft matte finish and blends easily. It doesn’t offer more than medium coverage, making itself ideal for beginners.

In my opinion, beginners should not go for a complete matte finish in foundation as making it look neat can be a task.

Read more: Basic makeup kit for beginners in India

The shade selection range is again disappointing as only 3 shades are available in it.

Price in India: Rs.799 for 30ml

Estee Lauder Double wear foundation

If you don’t mind the price tag and are in for an investment, Estee Lauder double wear foundation is worth the hype. It is one of the best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India.

It offers more than medium coverage and covers redness very well. The finish it offers is a soft-focus matte. I have worn it in the sweltering heat of Delhi and can safely say that it hardly moves. Even after 10 hours, it looked neat with just a little disintegration around the T-zone.

I am amazed by how breathable the formula is. I can’t even tell that I’m wearing it. There’s no calling attention to pores or cakeyness with it. Also, there’s little to no oxidization when wearing it even for an entire day.

I have to prep my skin more than usual with it in winter for wearing it on my dehydrated skin but I’m not complaining. It stays and stays.

My only complaint has to be the absence of a pump. It’s really not funny sporting a serious look and not being able to listen to your heart beat when you’re pouring the foundation from the bottle a little bit too carefully at the back of your hand.

I visited the store 3 times to make sure I got the right match. My shade is 2W2.

Price in India: Rs.3,300

L’oreal Paris The true match foundation

If you have an oily skin that’s dry in the same places (dehydrated) and are looking for a foundation that’s ideal for day as well as night time without a mask-like finish, this is the one to check out. That was a long sentence! Huff!

I love the formula of this one. It provides a medium coverage for my acne scars and after setting it with powder, I can stay oil-free in air conditioned environment for 4-5 hours easily. It’s only after that I find myself reaching for an oil blotting sheet.

This is one foundation I’ve used in summer, winter and any season between them. I have never been disappointed. It’s one of the best foundations for oily skin in India. Even for combination-dry skin.

See the second bottle of this very foundation in the picture here? The formulas has been changed by the brand. The same shade is not the same, it’s slightly dark. Not just this, the formula doesn’t feel the same. L’oreal ruined it, at least for me.

Has it not been for the changed formula, this would definitely be one of the best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India. I included it here because if you can your hands on the old formula, do! Please tell me too 😛

Price in India: Rs.995 for 30ml

Lakme absolute white intense skin cover foundation SPF25

This is the best Lakme foundation for oily acne skin. It’s an oldie but goodie for me. I’m on my second bottle now. It doesn’t oxidize, flare up my textured acne skin or disappear after 3 hours. I like the coverage which is perfect for daily wear. It keeps shine at bay and the shade match is perfect.

Read more: The makeup mistake that was worsening my acne

Also, it doesn’t suit my skin if worn continuously. So, I like to wear it in breaks.

I wish the quantity was more.

Price in India: Rs.700 for 15ml

Faces ultimate pro xpert cover compact

If you like the idea of a portable foundation, Faces ultimate pro xpert cover is the ideal one for those with oily acne skin.

It has a mirror as well as a sponge housed in it. It starts with a creamy texture which sets into a powdery matte finish after some time. Since it feels ultra light on the skin, it’s perfect on a day to day basis. It offers a presentable coverage for my acne scars. However, it starts fading from the oilier areas (T-zone and forehead) after some 5-6 hours. A touch-up can be done.

It can cling to dry patches. So avoid it if you have to frequently deal with them.

Price in India: Rs.795

Kat Von D Lock lasting foundation

It took me a while to get on board with this full coverage, heavy foundation but now when I know how to make it work for me, I lub it!

I purchased it in Paris and spent close to 20-30 minutes deciding my shade. The shade selection was quite overwhelming. If you’re looking for a full coverage foundation for oily acne skin that stays and stays, I recommend it.

You have to spend a while blending this foundation and make more than your usual efforts in prepping your skin with it on. With a few practice sessions, I found the result worth the trouble. If you have dry/dehydrated skin type, know that this foundation clings to dry patches and makes them a lot more noticeable. It’s crucial to go beyond a moisturizer to avoid it from bunching up around the dry patches on the skin. I wouldn’t recommend using it on your under-eye area as it does settle in fine lines a bit.

A lot of times, I just use a tiny bit of it and then, follow up with powder for daily wear. A little goes a long way.

I just wish I had gone for the next lighter shade I currently own (Medium54) because it does oxidize throughout the day.

Price: 34.50 Euro (Rs.2,756)

Ponds BB cream

Wondering what this BB cream is doing in a post on the best foundations for oily acne skin in India? Well, this baby can give a few drugstore foundations a run for their money.

It glides smoothly on the skin, fills in the pores to a good extent and wears well on oily skin for a considerable amount of time. It also offers SPF30PA++  protection. The best part is that it is so affordable!

The worst part is that it comes in only one shade!

Read more: How to minimize pores on face with makeup

Price in India: Rs.125 for 30 gm (Smaller variant is also available)

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation

I’ll start by saying that the old formula was way better than the new one. That said, the new one works amazingly well too for my oily skin.

If you want a foundation for oily acne prone skin that has a very breathable formula, offers a low-medium coverage, feels very comfortable and lasts for 7-8 hours without turning cakey as the time passes, I suggest you try this. Even after wearing it for 10 days straight, it didn’t cause any reaction on my skin. The finish is also very natural instead of being a flat matte. I have also noticed that it does dial down the size of pores. Once set with a damp beauty blender, it moves very minimally throughout the day.

Since it dries quickly, you need to work with faster hands. Also, this is a foundation I strictly limit only for summer because it has the tendency to stick to even minor dry patches and make them look noticeable.

My shade is Y245.

Price in India: I think somewhere between Rs.3,500-Rs.4,000.

L’oreal Infallible 24hr foundation

Another contender from L’oreal Paris which again is one of the best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India.

This one is slightly heavier than L’oreal Paris the true match foundation. I reserve it for special occasions or to be worn frequently in winters. It offers medium-slightly full coverage. The texture is beautiful as it sits neatly on my oily as well as parched skin well. It gives a luminous matte finish. For long wear events, I bake my face with it on and I’m set.

I also noticed that the shade oxidizes a bit. If you also find your foundation turning darker most of the times, you can check my post on why I don’t buy foundation that matches my skin tone.

The best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India

If I had to pick my top 3 out of these, they would be:

• Estee Lauder double wear foundation
• Lakme Absolute white intense skin cover foundation
• L’oreal Infallible 24H foundation 

I’m so mad for L’oreal having changed the formula of true match. It was my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE! 

Anyhoo..

Hope you found this post on ‘the best foundations for oily acne prone skin in India’ helpful. Don’t forget to tell me about your favourites!