Ever look in the mirror in the morning and think, “Wow, my makeup looks great!” and by the end of the day you’re wondering, “How did my face get SO shiny, and where did my makeup disappear to?” Well, these have been my thoughts on numerous occasions.

Between exposure to humidity and the icky heat while waiting for subway trains, it can be a challenge to maintain a shine-free face and perfect makeup all day long. My morning beauty routine usually consists of washing my face, applying moisturizer and dabbing on powder or BB cream to create a matte finish. But, depending on the products I use, keeping up with this look all day can work or really not work.

So, I’ve rounded up my favorite oil-free and mattifying products from my skin and makeup routine in hopes you’ll find them as helpful as I do!

Especially since the matte trend is HUGE for this fall.

Oil-Control Cleanser

If you read one of my previous skin posts, you already know I have acne-prone skin. With that said, oil-control and oil-free products are always my go-to skincare items. One product I have been using for years is Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub. There are so many things I love about this face wash: it’s acne-fighting, oil-free, an exfoliator and it smells AMAZING. If you’re looking to remove stubborn grime at the end of the day, or remove dead skin for easy makeup prep in the morning – this is a great cleanser to try.

Moisturizer

The trick with moisturizer is that you need to let it set. When you’re in a hurry, sometimes it can be tempting to immediately apply makeup over your moisturizer (which I’ll admit I have done a few times, and the results are never good). But, if that is a beauty hump you can’t get over, I recommend Revision Skincare’s Hydrating Serum (oil-free moisture for all skin types). This product absorbs quickly, doesn’t leave your face super shiny and it really hydrates.

Mattifying Powder

As we all know, a “shine-free” look is easy to create in an air conditioned  apartment – but the goal is to keep it that way on your commute to work, and then do as few touch-ups as possible throughout the day. That’s why I’ll forever be obsessed with Clinique powders. I have yet to find one that I don’t like. My favorite is Almost Powder Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15. Compared with other powders I have used, this one gave me the most coverage, not to mention it is super light-weight. I love it because I don’t have to use a heavy foundation first. All I need is the powder – and I get a long-lasting matte finish!

And there you have it – three simple steps to stay oil-free and mattified!