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In my 9 years of blogging I feel like I’ve tried it all. It’s only been recently that I’ve found the BEST Primer & Foundation combo for my oily, acne-prone skin.

The Best Primer/Foundation Combo for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin is the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation & Too Faced Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer.
I love a lot of foundations but only ONE primer has really made a difference in keeping the shine at bay, not making me break out and it works with every single foundation I’ve ever tried it with. That gold nugget primer is the Too Faced Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer. It keeps the oil down as much as humanly possible and hasn’t underperformed no matter what foundation I match it with.
With the Summer months coming the best foundation to use it with is the Estee Lauder Double Wear. ELDW is a medium coverage foundation that I’ve found becomes more of a medium-to-full coverage foundation when I apply it using the Sigma 3DHD Kabuki Brush. The reason this foundation tops them all is because it not only lasts all day but it doesn’t budge. I’ve rubbed hair dye off of my forehead and while the dye comes off the ELDW is still there. My hairdresser couldn’t even believe it!
Other foundations that I’m loving that also work great with the Too Faced Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer are Cover FX Power Play, Huda Beauty #FauxFilter, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear, Maybelline Super Stay, Milani Conceal + Perfect and Physicials Formula The Healthy Foundation. I tend to rotate all of these foundations depending on the day and my mood, but in the Summer it’s 90% always ELDW. If I’m melting I have to know my foundation isn’t going anywhere.
Unfortunately I’ve never met a drugstore primer that works with my skin type. I’d love your recommendations in the comments!
SHOP MY FAVES!
What primer/foundation combo are you loving? Find out what the other Makeup Wars bloggers picked by clicking on the icons below!
I am so glad I found this post! I currently wear Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation but I could not seem to find a primer to match it that controls oil. Every primer that I have tried seems to not control oil and does not help the foundation stay put. I also use Laura Mercier translucent powder on top and my Foundation still rubs off. Hopefully this primer will work wonders! Thank you
You’re welcome! I used to use the LM too until one xmas I saw some serious flashback and had to edit family photos for hours. It was SO BAD lmao The Too Faced Peach Mattifying Loose Powder has been a Godsend in that respect!
Thanks for sharing this great ideas with us. My skin is so much oily and it is going to oily after every 4-6 hours. I used lots of foundation combo but didn’t get proper result. I think I should use this one for my last attempt.
Hi Brooke,
thank you very much for linking my blog post! That is super kind of you! It’s such an old post I’m surprised anyone still reads it! I absolutely loved your post and the TF Peach Primer is now on my list to buy! xx Shaz
Hi! Thank you for stopping by! It was one of the first that popped up when I was trying to figure out the formula change. It seems they did it again lol I’m buying another from another retailer to see if I got a bad batch!
I haven’t tried either of these products. I have normal skin – if anything, a bit more on the drier side. I wonder if the Too Faced primer will be way too drying on me given that it does such a good job at oil control. I use the Fenty foundation and it works excellently on me. The Estee Lauder one will be the next for me to try given that I’ve heard so many rave reviews on it.
Hurriya
TF is mattifying so since you have the normal skin type you likely wouldn’t need the mattifying part of it. I know some bloggers are major fans of Hourglass Veil and TF Primed & Poreless. I’ve also hear their Hangover primer is good but the first two I mentioned are the ones I hear people raving the most about!
I picked up this primer but haven’t tried it yet. I just checked ingredients (I have sensitivity to bismuth oxychloride) on Double Wear and they must have reformulated it – no BiOCl, yay – I could never wear it before! Double Wear Light still has it. Now to see if they have the right shade. I just tried out NARS Radiant Longwear and YSL All Hours Full Coverage Matte foundations; both melted off my face by noon. Today I have Fenty – 2 pm and it’s still on my face but I’m not thrilled witj the color match.
ELDW is so hard to match! Fenty worked ok for me too but I had to be really careful to be moisturized and even then my face always looked like it had a weird texture to it. It was too finicky for me lol
I JUST got the peachy primer in a Too Faced Gift set and I’m so excited to put it through the ringer. I too have oily skin, and I’m hopeful this will finally be the primer that stops me from looking like an oil slick by noon. So far, I’ve been impressed. I’ll have to give the foundation a try too – currently using Too Faced Born This Way foundation but it’s not as full coverage nor as oil controlling as I was hoping.
xx
I can’t find a match on that foundation =( The Peach foundation I found a match but it was terrible =( Which surprised me because I LOVE the primer and the loose setting powder.
With all the raves for the EL I’ve got to get a sample even though my skin is dry. I don’t think the Tarte primer was ever on my radar.
MarciaF recently posted..Budget buys for foundation and primer the Makeup Wars way
What lovely choices, Brooke! I see a few that I need to try!
Lola Seicento recently posted..THE MAKEUP WARS TEAM PICKS THE BEST FACE PRIMER & FOUNDATION PAIRINGS
I’m not too oily, but that primer sounds awesome… and I need to try Double Wear!
Ashley recently posted..Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller (Review)
Definitely give them a try! It seems like everyone is a fan of ELDW!