Even if you haven't been around the beauty block you probably know how moisturising is important, basically what water is for your body moisturiser is for your skin. If you have oily skin like me you probably fight with your moisturiser from time to time. With me it's simple if I don't use the right one that is matifying enough I will end up shiny before I know it. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind blotting in the middle of the day, but I don't want to be shiny before I even finished my makeup (which happens with some moisturisers). Also, I want my skin to be hydrated, but not greasy from heavy creams.
These are moisturisers that worked best for me over the years and that I keep going back to.
Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF15

I love this moisturiser. At first I thought it won't hydrate my skin enough because it matifies a lot, but I still gave it a shot and wasn't disappointed. It hydrates, keeps breakouts at bay, is a great makeup base and matifies my skin for almost a whole day. Some people don't like the way it smells (apparently it reminds them of Elmer's glue). To me it smells fresh and clean, I actually like the smell of it. 
It has the SPF 15 which is definitely a plus. This moisturiser has been a part of my daily routine for years. It has never let me down, during hot summer days or in overly heated rooms during winter my skin was never too oily. 

 Ingredients:
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Corn Starch Modified, Butylene Glycol, Chitosan , Ascorbic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Farnesyl Acetate, Panthenyl Triacetate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Betaine, Sorbitol, Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Arginine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Capryloyl Glycine, Sarcosine, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Magnesium Carbonate, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Dicaprylyl Ether, Niacinamide, Yeast Extract (Faex), Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Algae Extract, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Zinc Gluconate, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Biotin, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Propyl Gallate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.
Decleor Aroma purete Shine control oxygenating fluid


One winter I tried not to use my Murad moisturiser and decided to try something more hydrating in spirit of all beauty tips that tell you you should moisturise more during winter. This experiment ended up with me learning two things: a) that is just another magazine myth and b) Decleor aroma purete is really good. It does the same two things like Murad: hydrates and matifies. It's a bit lighter in texture and smells nicer. Only thing why I don't use it daily is because it doesn't have SPF and I like to have SPF in my moisturiser in case I use foundation without it.
Ingredients:
Madagascan Water lily, Bamboo and Lotus Extracts, Chrono-Purity Zinc Spheres, P-refiner Technology, Pure Oxygenating Complex.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar mat



My relationship with La Roche-Posay skincare is a love-hate one. Efaclar duo made my skin break out (and I'm talking extreme breakout, my cheeks were like the face of the Moon) so I decided never to use La Roche-Posay ever again. But then I was curious enough to dip a toe in their thermal water and it turned out to be good for my skin. One day I was packing for a trip and at last minute went to a pharmacy to buy my Murad mattifier. They didn't have it in stock and all the other pharmacies were closed so I looked around for any paraben free shine control moisturiser. I ended up buying Effaclar mat. I know you shouldn't try new products when traveling especially if product of the same brand made your face into a hot mess. Luckily this turned out to be quite decent moisturiser, really gentle on the skin and a nice makeup base. For me it's not matifying enough (the truth is I like my skin really mat) but If you like a dewy look Effaclar mat is the moisturiser for you.
Ingredients: 
AQUA / WATER, GLYCERIN, DIMETHICONE ISOCETYL STEARATE, ALCOHOL DENAT,SILICA, DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER,
ACRYLAMIDE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE COPOLYMER, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PEG-100 STEARATE, COCAMIDE MEA, SARCOSINE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, TRIETHANOLAMINE, ISOHEXADECANE, PERLITE,
POLYSORBATE 80, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER
SALICYLIC ACID, PARFUM / FRAGRANCE


Bioderma Photoderm Akn Mat SPF 30


While SPF 15 is enough for every day (at least I convince myself it is) for longer exposure to the Sun or vacations you need more protection. And you need something of a sunscreen type. The problem is sunscreen can be thick and pore clogging. Sure, there are piece of art oil free sunscreens, but they can cost a fortune and I don't like to spend that much on sunscreen because I reapply them often, and therefore use them up pretty fast. Luckily there are amazing face creams that are not that expensive, have high SPF and aren't heavy or sticky. Bioderma Photoderm Akn Mat is one of them. I've been using it last summer and I couldn't be happier with it. It didn't clog my pores or broke me out and I didn't look like an old, wrinkly handbag when summer was over.
Ingredients:
WATER (AQUA), DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE, OCTOCRYLENE, METHYLENE BIS-BENZOTRIAZOLYL TETRAMETHYLBUTYLPHENOL, BUTYL METHO- XYDIBENZOYLMETHANE, PTFE, METHYL METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, C20-22 ALKYL PHOSPHATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG-100 STEARATE, SILICA, TRIDECYL SALICYLATE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ECTOIN, MANNITOL, XYLITOL, RHAMNOSE, FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES, LAMINARIA OCHROLEUCA EXTRACT, GLYCOLIC ACID, GINKGO BILOBA LEAF EXTRACT , CITRIC ACID, DODECYL GALLATE, C20-22 ALCOHOLS, DECYL GLUCOSIDE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE COPOLYMER, XANTHAN GUM, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, DISODIUM EDTA, CHLORPHENESIN, PHENOXYETHANOL, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM).

Oriflame Ecobeauty Smoothing Day Cream

 When Oriflame developed this cream I have to say I was a bit sceptical. At that time I was trying all natural skin care like black soap, so I gave it a try and I liked it. Smell is a bit weird at first, you learn to love it over time. The matifying power of this cream is amazing and it prevents breakouts while making your skin soft. All of its ingredients are fair trade and vegan.
Ingredients:
AQUA, GLYCERIN, COCOS NUCIFERA OIL, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE, STEARIC ACID, BENTONITE, TAPIOCA STARCH, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE, SORBITAN OLIVATE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER, GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE, XANTHAN GUM, VACCINIUM VITIS-IDAEA SEED OIL, PHENETHYL ALCOHOL, PARFUM, CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES SEED OIL, LIMONENE, MALTODEXTRIN, LINALOOL, SIGESBECKIA ORIENTALIS EXTRACT, QUARTZ, SODIUM CARBONATE, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT