Light Layering: Clinique Men Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer Review

Finding a good moisturizer for my oily skin is a hard task; I prefer products that are oil-free, alcohol free, fragrance free, and recently fatty alcohol & fatty acid free. I was using this Cerave cream that totally broke me out and I realized the high amounts of fatty alcohol was to blame. Then I came across a blog post on fungal acne and decided I want to reduce/cut out fatty acids too.

Luckily, I came across the Clinique Men Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer. It’s exactly what I needed and fit most of my requirements. Plus it’s perfect for daytime layering; it’s lightweight, doesn’t make me greasy, wears well under makeup and…. Well read the review to see what I think!

Clinique Men Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer

Claims:

Lightweight formula controls oil
Matte finish
Oil-free formula

Clinique Men Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer ingredients:

Water / Aqua / Eau, Isododecane, Butylene Glycol, Polypropylene, Dimethicone, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate / VP Copolymer, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract / Extrait D’Orge, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Oleth-10, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Hexylene Glycol, Laureth-23, Tromethamine, Laureth-4, Acrylates / C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Red 4 (CI 14700), Yellow 5 (CI 19140).

*Note the ingredients are almost identical to the cult favorite Clinique Dramatically Different Gel. Except this has Isododecane as the first ingredient giving it a slightly lighter texture. In regards to fungal acne, this contains sunflower seedcake which has fatty acids. But because that ingredient isn’t heavily included, I think it’s ok for fungal acne.

Application

Housed in a large squeeze tube, it’s kind of a good value and a little goes a long way. The slightly yellow gel-lotion spreads on the skin easily. It’s lightly hydrating and dries quickly. I like to layer this under sunscreen, especially my EltaMD UV46 (unfortunately it pills up with thick mineral SPFs). It layers great under makeup and I like how it contains some nice ingredients like antioxidants and hyarulonic acid.

Don’t go into this expecting a true matte finish. After applying this “Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer”, skin is left feeling hydrated with a natural skin finish – not powdery matte or dewy. In terms of oil-control, this also doesn’t deliver – I have other moisturizers that control oil better such as my Murad Oil Control Mattifier.

Results

So far it seems like I would be disappointed because it does not deliver the claims stated! There’s no matte finish or oil control! But that’s ok – I did a little research beforehand and other reviewers have said the same. For me this Clinique Men Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer is a great lightweight moisturizer that I like to layer under sunscreen and makeup. It’s perfect for daytime and adds no extra grease. I just pair it with an oil control primer and my shine is under control.

But most importantly this doesn’t break me out! The ingredients are totally safe for my oily acne-prone skin. I spent a lot of time researching moisturizers that contain little-to no fatty alcohols because they break me out. Also if you suffer from fungal acne this may be a good option as it contains only one fatty acid (Sunflower extract). Overall, this has been a solid and safe bet for my skin.

Pros: