5 Things You Might Not Know About Mattifying Moisturizer

TL;DR: If you suffer from oily skin, mattifying moisturizer is worth trying. It handles hydration without making shine worse, and the better formulas do a lot more besides, such as smoothing texture and keeping your makeup in place longer.

Anyone with oily skin will know the catch-22 you can find yourself in. You put on moisturizer because your skin needs it and just a couple of hours later, your skin is shiny again. It’s frustrating, for sure, and it’s the kind of thing that can stop someone from using moisturizer altogether. It’s also why mattifying moisturizer is so popular.

You see, the issue isn’t that people with oily skin shouldn’t use moisturizer, but that there’s a particular type that will hydrate while not adding to that heavy feeling. Designed for exactly this type of skin, they can be introduced into your routine without causing chaos.

The best products on the market also offer additional skin support, which is what this blog is about. Here we look at some of the less-well-known facts about this product.

There’s a Lot on Offer With Mattifying Moisturizer

Mattifying moisturizer is quite easy to misunderstand because it sounds like something that only does one thing and one thing only: make your skin look less shiny. That is obviously part of the appeal, especially if your face tends to look oily halfway through the morning, but there’s a lot more on offer than that.

The best way to think about it is simply as a moisturizer made with oily or shiny-looking skin in mind. It still has to do the basic job of moisturizing, but it is also designed to leave behind a more balanced-looking finish. That makes it a great choice for anyone who wants to hydrate their skin without a heavy, greasy feeling.

So, sit back and buckle up as we delve into those additional benefits you get when you use a product like this every day as part of your daily regimen.

Fact #1: Mattifying moisturizer provides just as much hydration

The word “mattifying” can make it sound like the product is only there to soak up oil, but that is not quite right. A moisturizer like this still has to support your skin with moisture, otherwise it is not really doing its main job. It’s just that it’s able to do that job while leaving your skin feeling a lot less greasy.

Fact #2 – Not all mattifying moisturizers feel dry on the skin

Many people assume that a moisturizer that mattifies will leave their skin feeling tight or overly dry. In reality, formulas can vary quite a bit from one to the next. Some focus on controlling excess shine while still feeling lightweight and comfortable, making them easier to wear as an everyday moisturizer.

As such, if you’ve been put off from using one because of a similar experience, don’t assume anything, as it really does depend on the formula in question.

Fact #3 – Mattifying and oil-free are not equivalent terms

If, like many, you’ve ever been standing with two bottles in your hand, trying to work out the difference between ‘mattifying’ and ‘oil-free’, this next fact will likely be a welcome one. The truth is that they’re not the same thing, at all.

The term ‘mattifying’ is only referring to the finish the product leaves on your skin after being applied. On the other hand, ‘oil-free’ describes what’s not in the product. You might even find both terms on the same bottle, providing more evidence that they don’t mean the same thing.

Fact #4 – Some mattifying moisturizers protect you from the sun

Now, this one applies to some products, but not all. That’s an important distinction to make because we don’t want anyone going out wearing one thinking they’re protected when they’re not. However, if it says SPF on the packaging, you should be good to go outside for up to 2 hours without reapplying.

The reason for this is that some ‘AM-Control’ products are designed for daytime use specifically, and it means you don’t end up having to wear both sunscreen and moisturizer at the same time.

Fact #5 – It Isn’t Just for Acne-Prone Skin

Mattifying moisturizers get mixed in with acne products a lot by people, mostly because that’s how they tend to be marketed. But you don’t need to be breaking out to get something useful from them. Plenty of people use them simply because they don’t like looking shiny, particularly in warmer weather or when they’re wearing makeup and want it to actually stay put.

If shine is your main gripe and spots aren’t really part of the picture, a good quality moisturizer that mattifies is certainly worth trying out.

Make Mattifying Moisturizer Part of Your Morning Routine

If your oily skin makes moisturizer feel like something you want to avoid altogether, a mattifying moisturizer might make you feel differently once you’ve given it a try. You still get hydration, but in a format that won’t have you reaching for the blotting paper in your bag by lunchtime.

What’s more, it’s a product that makes it much easier to control oily skin in just one step each morning. Not only that, but you’ll get to enjoy SPF protection, too. Not too bad at all, we think you might agree.