e.l.f. Poreless Face Primer for oily skin
Dimethicone
Tridecyl Trimellitate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate mattifying for your oily skin due to the presence of silica, which absorbs excess sebum, but lacks stronger seboregulating ingredients for optimal results.
- The product provides general skincare benefits like hydration and soothing, but the mattifying effects from dimethicone and silica are mostly supportive rather than directly addressing your oily shine.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 3.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this primer for its ability to create a smooth, matte canvas that blurs large pores and fine lines. Many appreciate the inclusion of Tea Tree and Vitamins A & E for skin health. Some users find the silicone-based formula too greasy or slick, and others are put off by the medicinal scent.
Highlights
Affordable price Mostly Mentioned
- “Great price point”
- “Beats expensive brands”
- “Best drugstore primer”
Smooths skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “Makes my face feel soft and smooth”
- “Foundation glides right on”
- “Creates a perfect canvas”
Minimizes pores Often Mentioned
- “Pores are visibly reduced”
- “Blurs imperfections well”
- “Fills in my large pores”
Controls shine Sometimes Noted
- “Keeps shine at bay”
- “Matte finish lasts all day”
- “Helps with my oily T-zone”
Lightweight feel Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't feel cakey”
- “Goes on like a moisturizer”
- “Very light and not sticky”
Greasy or oily feel Sometimes Noted
- “Feels a bit greasy”
- “Left my skin shiny”
- “Too slippery for my liking”
Strong medicinal smell Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like medicine”
- “Strong tea tree scent”
- “Scent is overpowering”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Broke me out”
- “Skin reacted poorly”
Pump and packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump stopped working”
- “Deceptive packaging size”
- “Hard to get product out”
Short-lasting effects Rarely Noted
- “Makeup slid off”
- “Didn't last 8 hours”
- “Oil came through quickly”
Sources: lovi.care, target.com, ulta.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does e.l.f. Poreless Face Primer work for oily skin?
This primer works moderately well for oily skin by using silica to absorb excess shine, though its mattifying effects are mostly supportive. A product of this type needs stronger oil-balancing ingredients like Niacinamide and Ceramides to truly keep oily skin under control.
Which ingredients make this primer a good fit for oily skin?
Silica and dimethicone help absorb extra oil to keep your oily skin matte and smooth. Because this primer only offers moderate oil control, an oily skin type needs a product with ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to better manage shine and support skin health.
What does Dimethicone do for oily skin?
Dimethicone helps protect skin and lock in moisture, though it may have limited performance compared to petrolatum. For oily skin, a product of this type needs a lightweight, oil-free formula that hydrates without clogging pores.
What does Tridecyl Trimellitate do for oily skin?
Tridecyl Trimellitate helps soften and smooth oily skin by creating a light barrier that seals in moisture without feeling heavy. Because it can sometimes feel a bit rich, people with very oily skin may prefer to use it in smaller amounts.
Where does this primer go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This makeup primer goes in your morning routine after you apply your moisturizer and SPF, right before your makeup. Oily skin works best with products that contain stronger oil-controlling ingredients like targeted active complexes or sebum-regulating extracts.
Can I use this primer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup primer with retinol by applying your retinol treatment first, letting it absorb fully, and then smoothing on the primer before your makeup. This product is unlikely to cause irritation on your oily skin.
How often should I use this primer?
You can use this makeup primer daily as part of your morning routine to help control shine and smooth your skin. It has a good safety profile and is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, though this skin type needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide for the best results.
Can this primer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This primer is unlikely to cause breakouts for oily skin since it has a good safety profile with no harsh ingredients, though a few reviewers have experienced minor breakouts. To properly manage shine and avoid clogged pores, an oily skin type needs products that include stronger oil-controlling ingredients.
What the research says
Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023
Why other products fit oily skin better
Topical application of tocopherol succinate ethosomal gel decreased erythema, melanin, and sebum levels while improving moisture content and skin elasticity in 34 human women.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Silica
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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