Top 10 Best Powder for Oily Skin UK 2026 (Setting, Pressed & Loose)
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Spotted: one T-zone, shining like a disco ball by 11am, blotting paper in one hand, pizza slice in the other. Who am I? You know you love me. 💅✨
omg, no like seriously. If you've got properly oily skin you already know the drill. Foundation slides, your nose turns into a mirror and that "natural glow" is really just grease having its main character moment. I've spent my whole adult life hunting for the best powder for oily skin, and my handbag currently looks like a powder museum lol. 🙈
So I did the deep dive. I went through what actual oily-skin people say on Reddit and beauty forums (not just what the box promises), dropped the ones that didn't hold up, and pulled together the top 10 that are genuinely worth the hype in the UK right now, from pocket-money compacts to cult classics.
Real talk: I'll tell you what I actually use. Everything else is on my wishlist or has real potential based on what oily-skin reviewers say. Always patch test anything new. 💕
Best powder for oily skin UK: the quick answer ✨
Best loose setting powder for oily skin: Huda Beauty Easy Bake or the cult Laura Mercier Translucent
Best viral baking powder: ONE/SIZE Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder
Best pressed powder for oily skin UK: NYX Can't Stop Won't Stop Mattifying Powder
Best drugstore setting powder for oily skin UK: essence All About Matt! and Rimmel Stay Matte
Best mattifying powder for a quick shine fix: innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder
Best powder foundation for oily skin UK: L'Oréal Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Powder Foundation
Top 10 best powder for oily skin UK 2026
Quick translation before we start: setting powder locks makeup in place, loose powder is the fluffy stuff in a jar (great for baking), and pressed powder is the compact you chuck in your bag for touch-ups. Oily girls usually need at least two of the three, haha.
Best setting powder for oily skin UK (loose & translucent)
1. Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder
Okay, full disclosure: I always have a Huda powder rattling around in my bag, and Easy Bake is the one the oily crowd rates the most. Reviewers with greasy skin say it blurs like a filter and keeps foundation sitting where you put it. 😍
Is it perfect? No. Plenty of very oily people (hi) say the nose starts peeking through after a couple of hours. But for that soft, blurred, photo-ready finish, it's the one to beat.
Best for: Oily and combination skin that wants a blurred, baked finish.
Heads up: Very oily T-zones may need a blot and a top-up later in the day.
2. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
The OG. Allure named it Best Loose Overall in its setting powder guide, and it has barely changed in about 25 years, which tells you everything. Oily and combination reviewers say it keeps makeup set and soft-matte for hours without adding colour.
It's on my wishlist for sure. Just know it can cling to dry patches, and the very oiliest faces still report some shine creeping back by the afternoon.
Best for: Oily, combination and normal skin that wants a classic, invisible set.
Heads up: It can emphasise dry or flaky bits, so prep well.
3. ONE/SIZE Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder
The viral one. 🔥 Lots of oily-skin reviewers say it locks makeup down and blurs texture for most of the day, especially when you bake under the eyes and down the T-zone. Real potential for nights out where your face has to survive a dance floor.
A few of the very oiliest reviewers say it can feel heavy if you keep piling it on, so blot first and go light on reapplying.
Best for: Oily and combination skin that wants a strong, blurred set.
Heads up: Can build up if reapplied lots; pick a shade close to your skin.
4. innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder
The tiny K-beauty pot with a huge oily-skin fanbase. Reviewers say it soaks up shine for hours and works over makeup or on bare skin, which is very "post-gym, no time, just need to not look like a glazed doughnut". 🏋️♀️
It's small and can leave a white cast on deeper skin tones if you overdo it, so tap on a tiny amount.
Best for: Oily T-zones that want a light, quick shine fix.
Heads up: Small pot; white cast on deeper skin if over-applied.
5. Revolution Loose Baking Powder
The savvy swap for luxury baking powders. Oily and combination reviewers say it sets concealer without creasing and keeps shine down, with very little flashback when you dust the excess off properly. Big tub, lasts ages. 💸
Drier under-eyes may find baking a bit much, so press lightly there.
Best for: Oily and combination skin that wants budget baking.
Heads up: Dust off well to avoid flashback in photos.
6. wet n wild Photo Focus Loose Setting Powder
A proper bargain loose powder that budget oily girls rate. Reviewers say it keeps makeup set and matte for a solid chunk of the day with a smooth, not chalky, finish. The jar is messy though, so do it over the sink lol.
Best for: Oily and combination skin on a tight budget.
Heads up: Messy jar; tap off the excess.
Best pressed powder for oily skin UK (best drugstore picks)
These are the compacts for your handbag, gym bag, desk drawer and coat pocket. Yes, I keep one in all of them. 🙃
7. NYX Can't Stop Won't Stop Mattifying Powder
I always have a little NYX powder somewhere in my bag, and this is the NYX compact oily-skin threads keep recommending. Reviewers describe a natural matte finish that doesn't crease or look cakey, and it's super easy to touch up.
Very oily faces may still need a blot and a second pass after a few hours, but for a high-street compact it punches way above its weight.
Best for: Oily and combination skin that wants a natural matte touch-up powder.
Heads up: Comes in multiple shades, so match it to your skin.
8. essence All About Matt! Fixing Compact Powder
The pocket-money powder that super-oily Reddit swears by. 🙌 Reviewers say it keeps them matte for around four to six hours, goes on clear and doesn't look powdery when pressed in lightly. Honestly, real potential for the price of a meal deal.
Best for: Oily and very oily skin that wants a clear, cheap touch-up powder.
Heads up: The pan can crumble if you drop it, so handle with care.
9. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
The compact so many of us grew up with, and oily-skin reviewers still rate it for a few solid hours of shine control. Basic packaging, but a savvy top-up powder to keep in every bag. 💁♀️
Best for: Oily and combination skin on a budget.
Heads up: Packaging feels flimsy; the darker shade range is limited.
10. Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder
A lightweight compact that normal-to-oily reviewers love for softening the look of pores when buffed on with a brush. If your skin is oily but not "fry an egg on my forehead" oily, this has real potential.
Best for: Normal to oily skin that wants a light, pore-blurring finish.
Heads up: Very oily skin may need to blot later; UK shade range is smaller.
Best powder foundation for oily skin UK
Bonus: L'Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Powder Foundation
If you hate the faff of liquid foundation plus powder, oily-skin reviewers keep pointing to this one for buildable coverage and a matte finish in one compact. Reviews are mixed on how long it lasts on the oiliest faces, and a few notice it warming up slightly, so swatch on your jaw first.
Best for: Oily and combination skin that wants coverage and matte in one step.
Heads up: Wear time varies on very oily skin; test the shade.
And my actual everyday base? Laura Geller Baked Balance-n-Brighten in Medium. It's a baked powder-style foundation and it's the one I keep coming back to. I sometimes reach for a famous long-wear liquid instead, but on my grease face it can feel heavy and go a bit blotchy, so the baked one wins most days. 💛
How to stop your face getting oily with makeup (my powder routine)
Start with a light, oil-friendly moisturiser. Skipping it can make things worse, not better.
Use a gripping or mattifying primer only where you get shiny.
Press powder on with a puff or sponge on the T-zone, then sweep a fluffy brush everywhere else.
Bake under the eyes and around the nose if you're going out-out.
Mist a setting spray to melt it all together.
Through the day: blot first, then powder. Powder on top of oil = cake. 🎂
Need the steps before powder? Here's my edit of the best moisturiser & primer for oily skin UK. And you can shop every pick on the Makeup page or the full Worth The Hype list.
Powder for oily skin FAQs
Does setting powder help with oily skin?
Yes, for most people. It soaks up surface oil and helps foundation stay put. It won't change how much oil your skin makes, so blotting and touch-ups still matter for very oily skin.
Does setting powder clog pores?
Powder on its own isn't usually the issue for most people, but layers of makeup left on overnight can be. Remove it properly every night, look for non-comedogenic labels if you're breakout-prone, and patch test anything new.
Does setting powder go on last?
Powder goes on after foundation and concealer. Setting spray, if you use one, usually goes on after powder to melt everything together.
Does setting powder have to be your shade?
Not always. Translucent powders work for lots of skin tones, but tinted powders should be close to your shade, and some translucent ones can look white on deeper skin or in flash photos.
How do I stop my face getting oily during the day?
Blot before you re-powder, keep a compact and blotting papers in your bag, and use thin layers rather than piling it on. If oiliness really bothers you, a pharmacist or dermatologist can help with your skincare.
So that's the tea. ☕ My grease face is still on the hunt for the one powder that lasts until the pizza arrives, and the moment I find it, you'll be the first to know.
XOXO, The Savvy Edit 💋
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