The 7 Best BB Creams for Oily Skin

When you have oily skin, chances are much of your skin care-related efforts are spent keeping excess oil in check. Many cleansers, masks, and moisturizers are formulated to help control excess shine, but many times, finding a makeup that lasts all day can be difficult. Luckily, living with (and managing) your oily skin doesn’t mean you have to forgo makeup altogether in order to avoid that dreaded T-Zone slick by noon. It also doesn’t mean that powder foundations are your only option. To achieve fresh-faced perfection—while still donning your favorite makeup looks—reach for a BB cream. These creamy, hard-working products can help enhance the skin, and many formulas offer shine-control for your oily-looking complexion.

As a refresher, BB cream is the ultimate multi-tasking product that combines elements of our favorite skin care products in a unique tinted formula. BB Creams can offer the benefits of a moisturizer, anti-aging cream, sunscreen, primer, and foundation all in one. Oily skin types are great candidates for this multi-purpose power player since the consistency of BB cream is often lighter than foundation. 

Be warned though, not all BB creams are created equal. Some formulas leave our skin feeling greasy by noon, or simply don’t offer enough coverage. Curious as to which are the best BB creams are for oily skin? From lightweight formulas to mattifying finishes, we share our top seven beauty balm picks—from the L’Oreal portfolio of brands—for oily skin types, below.

GARNIER 5-IN-1 SKIN PERFECTOR BB CREAM OIL-FREE 

This oil-free BB cream formulated with mineral perlite, antioxidant wild berry, and tinted mineral pigments is specifically designed for oily to combination skin to give five skin-perfecting benefits. This wonder product can help control shine, minimize the look of pores, even skin’s tone, hydrate, and can help protect against skin-damaging UV rays with SPF 15. You’re just one quick step away from a more even-toned complexion!

Garnier 5-in-1 Skin Perfector BB Cream Oil-Free, $12.99 MSRP

MAYBELLINE DREAM PURE BB

The brand’s first blemish-fighting BB cream formulated with salicylic acid is a huge hit, and it’s easy to figure out why. The formula helps to minimize the look of pores and conceal imperfections while hydrating and smoothing the appearance of skin. Dream Pure BB is also non-comedogenic and boasts a lightweight feel, deeming it an ideal choice for oily, combination, and/or blemish-prone skin.

Maybelline Dream Pure BB, $8.99 MSRP

L’OREAL PARIS MAGIC BB ANTI-REDNESS

Looking for a color correcting BB cream that can help neutralize the look of visible redness? Look no further than this feather-light green cream emulsion by L’Oreal Paris! This standout product combines all the benefits of a typical BB cream with color-correction. The green-tinted formula helps cancel out visible redness on the skin (like blemishes or rosiness), to improve the appearance of the complexion. Plus, the perfecting cream provides flawless coverage, perfectly even skin texture, long lasting hydration, and a bare-skin finish.

L’Oreal Paris Magic BB Anti-Redness, $10.99 MSRP

LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFACLAR BB BLUR

Formulated with oily skin in mind, this oil-free, non-comedogenic BB cream helps minimize the appearance of large pores, visibly cover imperfections, and absorb oil for all-day matte, even skin. It even boasts Broad Spectrum SPF 20 for daily UV protection! What’s not to love? Use La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur daily to help conceal imperfections. The brand recommends layering this BB cream over Effaclar Duo.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur, $29.99 MSRP

NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP BB CREAM

Brighten, prime, and moisturize your skin with this mineral-enriched BB cream formula. The luxe formula can help cover blemishes in a pinch for skin that appears smooth, even, and radiant. Choose from three shades: nude, natural, and golden.

NYX Professional Makeup BB Cream, $13 MSRP

KIEHL’S BB CREAM – ACTIVELY CORRECTING AND BEAUTIFYING WITH SPF 50 PA+++

Meet: a dual-action, skin care-inspired BB cream that can enhance the appearance of your complexion and temporarily mask imperfections. Formulated with antioxidant-rich vitamin C and UV filters, it can help reduce the appearance of large pores for a virtually flawless-looking complexion. Plus, its formula is free of parabens, fragrances, mineral oil, and silicone, and is non-comedogenic, meaning you can rest-assured that the formula won’t clog your pores.

Kiehl’s BB Cream - Actively Correcting and Beautifying with SPF 50 PA+++, $37 MSRP

LANCÔME BIENFAIT TEINTÉ BB CREAM

This lightweight BB cream—with Broad Spectrum SPF 30—provides skin with natural-looking and even coverage, as well as long-lasting hydration without an uncomfortable greasy feel. Available in seven shades, the formula offers skin a healthy hint of color to cover imperfections, as well as enviable glow. 

Lancôme Bienfait Teinté BB Cream, $49 MSRP

Editor’s note: BB cream can offer the benefits of multiple products—think: moisturizer, primer, sunscreen, etc.—at once. As far as sunscreen is concerned, BB cream should not be viewed as a replacement to your traditional Broad Spectrum SPF. Most BB creams are not formulated with enough Broad Spectrum sunscreen to provide adequate sun protection. So, while it’s a great perk if your BB cream does offer SPF benefits, don’t view it as a green light to toss your Broad Spectrum sunscreen use to the wayside and take other sun protection measures. In addition to wearing Broad Spectrum SPF (and reapplying at least every two hours), seek shade, avoid peak sun hours, and wear protective clothing for the best line of defense against harmful UV rays.