How To Fix Forehead Shine (And Prevent It, Too)
Shiny forehead folks, take note: Mattifying moisturizers, primers, and powders are your best friend.
July 15, 2024
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Obviously a lot of problems with forehead shine fall in line with having oily skin. And while I hope you’ll read up on the best products for oily skin, it focuses a lot more on long term oil prevention and routine essentials (think cleansers, toners, masks, etc). However, I think it’s also important to have those same-day solutions for shiny forehead, too—the products that promise to reduce shine immediately, almost on command. And that’s what we’ll cover in this article.
There are three types of products that I think work above and beyond to prevent shine; by taking preventative measures in the morning, you’ll have much more success than taking a midday corrective approach (that is, by addressing the problem as it arises each day). And the best shine-stifling prevention products are: mattifying moisturizers, primers, and face powders.
Jump to: Mattifying Moisturizers | Primers | Powders | Blotting Papers and Face Wipes
The Best Products for Forehead Shine
These are some of the products for forehead shine that appear throughout the article.
- The Best Mattifying Moisturizer for Men: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer
- The Best Mattifying Moisturizer with SPF for Men: Cetaphil DERMACONTROL Oil-Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30
- The Best Primer for Menn: Sephora Smooth + Blur Primer
- The Best Matte Facial Sunscreen for Men: Supergoop Mineral Matte Screen SPF 40
- The Best Pressed Powder for Forehead Shine: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed Setting Powder
- The Best Powder Brush for Forehead Shine: NuNorm Okuni Brush
- The Best Blotting Papers for Forehead Shine: Clean & Clear Essentials Oil Absorbing Sheets
- The Best Face Wipes for Forehead Shine: Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes
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Mattifying Moisturizers
Mattifying moisturizers might come with a bunch of different names, so it’s important to look for indicator words like “oil-absorbing” or “mattifying” or “shine-reducing”. You might see some listed as “pore minimizing”, too, which teeters into the next recommendation I have.
As for these matte moisturizers, they’ll use ingredients that absorb oil like clay, charcoal, or various starches. Two other common ones are silica and dimethicone; silica improves the texture and “wear” of products, providing a silky and matte finish, while dimethicone (a synthetic derivative of silicone) can act similarly to “fill in” void spaces in the skin and provide a smooth, matte finish. Both silica and dimethicone are thus emollient, in that they trap moisture inside the skin (which is a good thing; it prevents skin from becoming dehydrated).
The above ingredients are common in all kinds of moisturizing products, but they are used more heavily in mattifying products to fight and reduce shine.
The Best Mattifying Moisturizers
My favorite mattifying moisturizer is La Roche-Posay’s. It is lightweight and absorbs oil with silica and dimethicone, while salicylic acid actively balances oil levels in the pores. It’s probably your dermatologist’s favorite moisturizer, too.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer
buy on:
Cetaphil has two outstanding anti-shine moisturizer that need attention here: First, they have an SPF30 daily moisturizer that allows you to get your requisite SPF defense for the morning, and uses starch, dimethicone, and silica (plus more) to absorb oil.
Secondly, their mattifying acne moisturizer combines dimethicone and starch with 0.5% salicylic acid to simultaneously prevent shine and clogged pores.
And I’d be remiss not to mention Lab Series’ fantastic anti-shine moisturizer, which I will use for days I am wearing concealer—and need to ensure that the tinted coverup product won’t disappear throughout the day. This one combines dimethicone, silica, clay, as well as exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids and salicylic acid, all in an effort to promote smoother, less shiny skin (and reduce breakouts, too).
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Primers
Primers are, I believe, the most effective way to ensure your skin stays matte all day. It’s what many makeup wearers apply to their skin as a foundation to absorb any sebum so that the makeup doesn’t get disturbed. (And to protect their pores from getting clogged by the makeup.) These will usually deploy the same oil-absorbing ingredients as mattifying moisturizers, like dimethicone or silica, but minus much nourishment as a secondary benefit.
So, if you need maximum defense against shine, get yourself a primer and apply it as a naked layer beneath your lightweight moisturizer. There are even some mineral facial sunscreens that double as primers, combining the aforementioned ingredients with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide to bounce UV rays while keeping things matte. If you go for one of those, I suggest applying it as the last layer in your regimen, after the moisturizer.
And I don’t wanna hear you whine about how makeup is for women, either. You know what’s not for women? A pizza-gloss forehead. We could all do with less of that.
The Best Primers
I recommend Sephora’s in-house primer; it’s as straightforward as an oil-absorbing base product can be. And it’s blue, so you know it’s for boys!
As for facial SPFs that double as primers: Supergoop Supergoop Supergoop. Their Mineral Matte Screen is always stocked in this household. It’s so effective on hot, sunny days when I’m otherwise prone to intense sweating—and it is moisture-resistant for up to 80 minutes. It does have a slight tint to it—that will blend in seamlessly (no stains, works fairly universally on all skin tones) and will help neutralize any discolorations on the face.
Powders and Powder-Based Creams
Face powders are grossly overlooked by male consumers, probably for the same reason that primers have been ignored. (Powders are often the final step in one’s makeup regimen, to “set” the makeup and prevent it from smearing.)
I don’t even need to tell you how these powders work on shiny skin—but in one word, WOW. However, what you should know is that you need to get one that either matches your general skin tone or is translucent. If you get something off color (namely too white), it makes you look ghostly.
Always apply powders lightly and as a final step in your regimen. I especially love SPF powders because they add that additional UV-deflecting benefit with the use of mineral SPF ingredients. (Just don’t count on them for the same level or protection as a liquid SPF; instead, think of them as an SPF-boosting benefit on top of your other daily SPF product)
The Best Face Powders for Forehead Shine
Here’s Supergoop again: Their 100% Mineral (Re)Setting Powder SPF 35 is my absolute favorite face powder. I use it almost daily, and love applying it after I use concealer, too, to prevent that from smudging during the day. It comes in light, medium, and dark tones as well as translucent (my go-to). I also like that it applies with the brush instead of the powder pad—the latter of which can start to look grimey from face oils and concealer.
IT Cosmetics’ pore-disappearing pressed powder is a brilliant option for a standard facial powder. It won’t spill, either (that’s the whole “pressed” part of it). The translucent option should work universally, though they carry a few tones to also help center one’s complexion. It also comes with an application pad, so you won’t need a separate brush.
Another brand I love for powders is NuNorm. They have terrific makeup products targeting male consumers, and their anti-shine powder is also applied with a brush. They have three shades that help reduce shine but preserve the natural brilliance of your skin—think “radiance” without the grime—and they also have a great brush to go with it.
Consider Also: Blotting Papers and Face Wipes for Shiny, Oily Skin
While the above three product categories are your best bet for shine prevention, it’s worth shining a light on two products that can help temper active shine accumulation—you know, if you’re dealing with shine and need a refresh midday without applying your morning products all over. (For what it’s worth, many powders will help here, but it’s not something you want to cake on egregiously all day.) Specifically, let’s talk about blotting papers and facial wipes.
Blotting Papers
Blotting papers are like little joint-rolling papers, often made with rice paper, cotton, bamboo, and more. You should dab at skin with them, instead of wiping egregiously across the brow. Blotting papers remind me of when people dab their greasy pizza with napkins, as if the surface grime is the only grease that slice contains. I find them a little “extra”, but they are terrific if you need to go on camera, or quickly fix shine ahead of an important meeting. I wouldn’t count on them for routine brow wiping though; just carry a handkerchief, chief, or wipe your brow with the backside of your clean hand, eh?
Also, don’t spend a fortune on these products. So many brands sell them for insane amounts. Clean & Clear has a 150-count pack (3×50) for like $20 total.
Face Wipes
Face wipes aren’t necessarily going to reduce oil for more than an hour or two, but they can do you a huge solid by reducing buildup entirely—and the best face wipes will hydrate, tone, and purify skin simultaneously, without ever parching skin. They’re also fantastic for a post-workout cleanse, if you aren’t able to shower immediately and need to at least flush out your pores and reduce sweat buildup.
I’m a sucker for Ursa Major’s face wipes, which do all of the above—cleanse, purify, tone, hydrate—plus these wipes (and their packaging) are biodegradable, and come individually wrapped so that you can tote them easily in your work bag, Dopp kit, or pants pocket. That toning ability will also help reduce oil buildup for the next half of the day, too.
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