So the weather’s getting warmer – great! Not so great, however, is the fact that warmer weather and humidity invariably results in oily looking skin. In general, men tend to have oilier skin so add that fact to the weather and you get some seriously shiny-faced guys walking around in summer months.

No need to worry though, there’s a plethora of products out there that’re fantastic at keeping your skin looking completely matte all day!

Firstly, I’ve written a few posts such as this one on oil control cosmetics in the past so definitely click on the Oily Skin category if you want more information and tips.

Right then, onto the products!

Illamasqua Matt Primer
This is a fresh feeling white cream that applies very light and goes on colourless. I’ve found this to work exceedingly well on oily skin, one application in the morning will keep you matte all day! Probably the best for really oily skin.

Murad Oil-Control Mattifier
Yet another light cream with outstanding oil-control properties. It’s very mattifying so a small amount is all you need – use too much and you risk making your skin look overly matte and a bit dead looking. This also contains the added benefit of antioxidants and other beneficial ingredients so it’s a mattifier and treatment all in one!

Shiseido Very High Sun Proteciton Lotion
Firstly make sure you’re buying the lotion and not the cream, there’s a big difference between the two. I know I recommend this almost non-stop but it IS really good! It’s a great sunscreen for day to day wear and it keeps the skin looking nice and matte all day. What more could you need, right? The only thing I’d warn against is that this is a bit hard to wash off completely. Make sure you wash your face thoroughly after using this, maybe use a cleansing oil if you can.

Fryrinnae Velvet-Gel Silica Primer
This is a ridiculously cheap (five dollars!) yet highly effective oil-control product from cult brand Fyrinnae. It’s a light gel texture that dries down to a powdery matte finish that’ll last until you decide to wash it off. The only problem with this is that if you use too much or take too long to apply it, it will dry on your skin in white streaks. Slightly annoying as you’ll then have to wash it off and reapply but that method of action is what makes it so good at oil control. However as long as you use a small bit of it and blend it into oily areas quickly you’ll have no problems with it at all. It dries down quickly so if you haven’t done it properly you’ll see almost instantly, don’t worry – you won’t be walking down the street with white marks all over your face!

Alternatively you can mix this in with any moisturiser to give it a matte effect and avoid any difficulty applying it.

And that concludes the latest and greatest oil control products this summer! Remember that with all of these products, there’s no need to apply them all over your face if you’re only oily on certain areas of your face. Spot-application will probably make your product last twice as long and it’ll prevent drying-out bits of your skin that need moisture – not mattifying. Personally I apply mattifiers to my forehead, nose, sides of my nose and chin – the usual suspects when it comes to oily skin.