They say that oily skin is the best-kept secret in the war against aging skin because oil helps to keep the skin naturally moisturized, making the incidence of unwanted lines and wrinkles less apparent. That’s great and all—especially as we get older—but what about getting oily skin under control in the meantime?
Mattifying lotions, anti-oil production serums and blotting papers have always been the go-tos simply because they work. But a new oil degreaser just hit the shelves and it’s pretty much everything that anyone with oily skin could ever want. And, Murad MattEffect Blotting Perfector ($39), which is part of the brand’s Pure Reform collection, may also be the prettiest anti-shine product we’ve ever seen, too.
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While you might do a double take and mistake this compact for a cushion compact, it’s not really one—it doesn’t contain makeup like most cushions do but the product is housed and applied similarly to a cushion compact. Comprising French green clay and marshmallow extract, which soaks up oil and special mattifying spheres that keep skin matte and also blur out imperfections, this translucent, liquid blotting formula works to mattify skin for hours on end.
Intrigued by the formula, I had to put it to the test. Here’s how it fared.
Starting with clean skin, I pressed the enclosed sponge into the formula and made sure to really load up the sponge (I was working with pretty oily skin here). Next, I pressed the sponge all over my skin, making sure to concentrate on the T-zone and chin area. Within about 15 seconds, the formula, which feels similar to a serum when it’s first applied, dried down but left my skin smooth and matte—and smelling so good—but not dry or dull.
Then it was time for my normal makeup routine. By the time I was in the office, I did a quick skin check—no oil or grease noted. A few hours later, my skin still looked pretty good. I even did a midday touch-up with the cooling formulation just for extra security and it didn’t mess up my makeup in the least.
Hands down, this is a makeup bag must-have for those with oily skin, as well as those who just want a more matte look, too. With blotting papers, there is always the concern of having to reapply makeup. But with this, there’s none of that.
