Murad • Oil-Control Mattifier • Moisturizers

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adlynnz on 12/12/2009 11:47:00 AM more reviews by adlynnz

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

bought this after much persuasion on the reviews page (see how much i rely on mua to buy my products.. hahah) i don't normally believe in gunking my face with loads of products but was really keen to try this one.
and, what can i say... not a decision that i regret at all. living in hot and humid singapore, and make-up goes away 4h after i put on (sometimes i wonder why i even bother) but with this, it just stays and stays and stays. make-up looked fresh at end of the day (after 12h out) and even stayed on after a swim. this is really great.
oh, and a little goes a long way. made the mistake of putting on too much the first time round and face felt like plastic. hahaha.
love this.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Jocky80 on 12/10/2009 12:35:00 PM more reviews by Jocky80

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I have wanted to try this for sooo long, but I could find it anywhere.
I read the first time about this on Beautypedia and Paula gave it a happy face :) almost a Paula's pick as an moisturizer for normal-very oily skintypes with and UVA-UVB 15. It was the cinnamon the "problem". It is an antimicrobial and antioxidant, but it can also be a skin irritant. She sad it is so low on the INCI list so it is no problem. I have zero problems with it.
I love this and I have used this since the beging of summer. I loved the Clinique superdefense, but jars are bad. This comes in an tube so all the goddies are safe. And that is a good thing because this contains antioxidants and other great stuff for you face.
Murad says that it is clinically proven formula reduces shine on contact and prevents excess surface oil build-ups up to 78% for 8h
Is it that good? Yes! For me this it great. Nothing I have tried works so good as this does. It does absorb my oil and shine and my face is fresh much longer.
The texture of this thick and dry, and smells tea tree and "glue". It can be hard to blend, but it goes on smooth, and my face absorbs it fast.
People are using this as an prime so I did try it. Used it under both Mineral foundation (Maybelline, Laura mercier) and Liquid foundation (Revlon beyond natural, Estee Lauder double wear light), and worked well under both. I was shine and oilfree much longer and both foundations did stay better on. Also the liquid foundations did grab better to my face, so much easier to apply them.
Update: I have been using this for 6 months and still loving it. An HG for me! I have tried others but this is still nr 1.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Hothead on 11/30/2009 12:12:00 PM more reviews by Hothead

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Another of my skin staples. I don't need the oil control any more but it has worked for years and I refuse to change what does work.

This product is the first moisturizer I use in the morning -- by first, I mean I use a moisturizer, a serum, a wrinkle cream for day just around the areas more prone to wrinkling, a sunblock and a primer before I put on my makeup.

so yes, this is an excellent way of providing easy moisture oil control to any skin..

I highly recommend this product.

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thisgirlnga on 11/29/2009 12:34:00 AM more reviews by thisgirlnga

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

HG moisturizer!!!! I have tried every moisturizer and primer available and nothing has worked as well as this! I was used to blotting my face within 2 hrs of my makeup being applied and continuously throughout the day. With this moisturizer, I blot maybe twice a day. This has kept my tzone oil free and has kept my face blemish free. I use a special face wash and night cream formulated for my acne prone skin and this moisturizer does not react to it like many other moisturizers. Only downside of this is the fact that it was $39USD and I have to use a lot of it to cover my face...

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*TOP REVIEWER* XP0S3D on 11/2/2009 11:54:00 PM more reviews by XP0S3D

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I HIGHLY ADORE this product. I normally don't give out all 5's when it comes to rating products, but I feel that this product deserves nothing, but all 5's (from my experience atleast)! I found out about this product through a YouTube review video (thank you, Lisaz09). I consider my skin oily, especially in the t-zone, cheeks and chin area. I have tried A LOT of mattifiers and primers that promised matte skin, but none satisfied my expectations. I am aware that a mattifier or primer can't keep my face matte the entire time it's on my face, but I expect a product do its job as it promised. A few products I've used before were: Smashbox's Anti-Shine (didn't live up to its name), Smashbox's Photo Finish primer (which I still use, but only for the under eye area) and Make Up For Ever's HD Primer (liquidy consistency and works well). While both primers from Smashbox and Make Up For Ever made my powder foundation/mineral make up application faster and smoother, it didn't hold oil at bay. I always found setting my face with MAC's Prep & Prime Translucent Finishing Powder after applying concealer and setting my make up.


The nice thing about Murad's Oil-Control Mattifier SPF15 is that it's a multi-tasking product (for me). This product alone is both my moisturizer and primer IN ONE. My make up stays matte majority of the day and I only have to blot once if anything. When first applied it on my face, it's somewhat sticky, but after it settles into my skin, my skin becomes velvety smooth. My face is shine free and oil doesn't surface after 30 minutes of applying make up. My make up doens't shift with this product and it stays in place. I HIGHLY recommend this product to anyone who's looking for an oil control product. I hope it works out both as a moisturizer and primer in one like it did for me!


For reference: Shade 205 in MUFE's Duo Mat Powder Foundation, Medium Plus in MAC's Mineralized Skinfinish Natural; Sandy Olive in Everyday Minerals' foundation (Intensive Formula finish)

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RISHAA98 on 9/22/2009 2:40:00 PM more reviews by RISHAA98

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Ok I got this in a swap because I did not want to purchase another oil control agent that did not work. The price was not for me until i knew it would work. Well this is now a Staple.....I used this with my primer. I applied this at 6:30 am and around 1:30PM still no blot I would have blotted by now maybe even twice. . Blotted once around end of day Just because. I had a sample from sephora as well same results. The only thing is with the sample after being in the sample Jar for longer than 2 days the consistency changed. I love this and will be putting other items away for a while. Cleanse first, Moisturize, wait a minute then oil control then wait and prime..I know it seems like a ton of steps but it does not take long at all. This helps if you are supper oily like me...The steps do not bother me because of the great outcome....

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xiaopengyou7 on 9/1/2009 3:03:00 PM more reviews by xiaopengyou7

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Loved this product! It works especially well for me when I apply it right after an exfoliating cleanser. It has a sticky consistency right out of the bottle (partly due to the zinc sunscreen) but melts right into the skin. For me it primed, lightly moisturized, and helped reduce the oil that piles up on my skin on hot sticky summer days. It also helped heal blemishes. Definitely repurchase!

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*TOP REVIEWER* MMarie on 8/26/2009 9:18:00 AM more reviews by MMarie

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I decided to try this after listening to someone on Youtube who highly rec'ed this for oily skin, said it was the best primer she ever used. HA-what a joke! For almost $40 it was a huge waste and I sent it back. It didn't come close to controlling my oiliness much less help as a primer. I am sticking to Shiseido lotion or cream. This stuff is like most products out there they claim a ton of stuff but fail miserably! Don't waste your $$$

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1spell4u on 8/11/2009 6:15:00 PM more reviews by 1spell4u

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I'm so glad to finally have found a mattifying product that has SPF included. Its usually a 2-step process for me. The mattifying effect didnt last as long as some of the other mattifiers that dont have SPF ( maybe about 2 hours before I got shiny) but I like not having to mix my SPF with mattifier.

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josie24 on 7/18/2009 5:30:00 PM more reviews by josie24

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I just had to add my own 5 lippies for this one. I am glad to reduce the number of layers I am putting on my face during the summer months, so I use this as a sunscreen+light moisturizer+primer. I sometimes use an additional pore-filling primer on my t-zone but if your pores are small I think this product would be a fine primer all by itself. It does a great job of both controlling oil and helping my makeup stay put on my face. This product would be true perfection if it was SPF30 but since it is only 15, I only use it for office days and use something stronger if I am going to be outdoors for a while. Perhaps if it sells well they will make a version with higher SPF. I predict this will become a cult favorite among oily skinned gals!

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*TOP REVIEWER* PinkSoFoxy on 7/16/2009 12:27:00 AM more reviews by PinkSoFoxy

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I cannot live without this product! It keeps my combination/oily skin dry and matte ALL-DAY which is amazing especially since I live in the Tropics and it's frickin' HOT and Humid year-round. I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance and MAC Paint Pots to lock down my eye makeup but I always had problems with my face makeup staying put until I found Murad's Mattifier. Usually my MAC msf natural would disappear and I'd be shiny by mid-day but now my makeup stays matte and flawless from morning till evening. Hurray! No more gross shiny T-Zone! The packaging isn't pretty or flashy but don't let the boring appearance turn you off, this stuff is strictly business and it does it's job extremely well!

If you have an oily T-Zone...I highly recommend trying Murad Oil-Control Mattifier.

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HLC on 7/11/2009 5:47:00 PM more reviews by HLC

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Botton line: it reduces my oiliness somewhat, but not as much as I was hoping (I am still quite shiny at lunch-time). Confusingly, it is advertized as “maintaining moisture balance,” but provides only very little hydration itself (though it did not dry my skin at all).

PROS: reduces oil somewhat; spf 15; contains ingredients to minimize breakouts; is invisible on face; not at all irritating or drying.

CONS: cost ($42 online); does not reduce oil as much as I would like; very little moisturization.

I am currently looking for something cheaper and with better oil control -I'll stick with this until I find it, though. Anyone out there know of a good product, please let me know :)

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ipanchuk on 7/10/2009 1:12:00 PM more reviews by ipanchuk

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

This is a good sunblock and does mattify without drying the skin out too much.
BUT it did cause me to break out on my forehead and it's hard to blend and is a bit thick and whitish on the face.
CONCLUSION: I'm still looking for a good day lotion for my sensitive/blemish skin :(

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*TOP REVIEWER* Jocky80 on 7/4/2009 12:34:00 PM more reviews by Jocky80

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I have wanted to try this for sooo long, but I could find it anywhere.
I read the first time about this on Beautypedia and Paula gave it a happy face :) almost a Paula's pick as an moisturizer for normal-very oily skintypes with and UVA-UVB 15. It was the cinnamon the "problem". It is an antimicrobial and antioxidant, but it can also be a skin irritant. She sad it is so low on the INCI list so it is no problem. I have zero problems with it.
I love this and I have used this since the beging of summer. I loved the Clinique superdefense, but jars are bad. This comes in an tube so all the goddies are safe. And that is a good thing because this contains antioxidants and other great stuff for you face.
Murad says that it is clinically proven formula reduces shine on contact and prevents excess surface oil build-ups up to 78% for 8h
Is it that good? Yes! For me this it great. Nothing I have tried works so good as this does. It does absorb my oil and shine and my face is fresh much longer.
The texture of this thick and dry, and smells tea tree and "glue". It can be hard to blend, but it goes on smooth, and my face absorbs it fast.
People are using this as an prime so I did try it. Used it under both Mineral foundation (Maybelline, Laura mercier) and Liquid foundation (Revlon beyond natural, Estee Lauder double wear light), and worked well under both. I was shine and oilfree much longer and both foundations did stay better on. Also the liquid foundations did grab better to my face, so much easier to apply them.

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meliae on 5/6/2009 6:13:00 PM more reviews by meliae

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I have combination skin and normally have to use multiple blotting tissues several times throughout the day to control oil. This product really lasts a long time and I see a noticeable improvement in the amount of oil on my face throughout the day. With it, I only have to use blotting tissues at the very end of my work day. So in that way, it's fantastic. And I love that it includes sunscreen, without feeling heavy or at all greasy like most sunscreens and moisturizers do. I've tried just about every moisturizer with sunscreen and facial sunscreen out there under $50, and this feels the best and kept me the most matte.

However, I have noticed that it makes me break out a tiny bit, which is a tiny bit too much since normally I don't break out at all. My skin is pretty sensitive though, so it might not clog everyone's pores in this way. Still, I won't be buying it again. I'm going to continue using a light moisturizer along with powder sunscreen, and try to find another mattifier that works better for me.

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Bunnybear9 on 4/3/2009 6:22:00 PM more reviews by Bunnybear9

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

***Re-Edit 05/19/09: I tried so many other mattifiers and primers and nothing worked as well as this one. Smashbox anti-shine, Fyrinnae's silica gel primer, Korres, Boscia's skin perfecting primer... this one was the only one that really kept me matte for more than a few hours. I used this yesterday and I still looked great after 6 hours--a little dewy but not and oily mess. It took over a week of everyday use for this to start breaking me out, so I am going to try just using it for a few days at a time and then giving my skin a break for a day or two, and try different moisturizers underneath.***

***EDIT 4/6/09: This ended up breaking me out. I exchanged it today for Korres Silicone Free Primer, I'm hoping to have better luck with it***

I have been using for 2 days, and so far I love this! It has definitely cut back on the oil and shine, and it's a great base for makeup. I can't use most silicone primers, as they break me out terribly...so far I haven't had any breakouts from this, I will update if anything changes. The only drawbacks are that it smells a little weird and it's a little thick and hard to apply.

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mpittman on 3/20/2009 1:57:00 PM more reviews by mpittman

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I actually just got a sample of this from Sephora and it did very little for my oil control. I have extremely oily skin and this really hasn't helped at all. I will continue the search for something to get rid of the slick on my face!

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*TOP REVIEWER* watergirl78 on 3/4/2009 3:41:00 PM more reviews by watergirl78

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This SPF mattifier beats the pants off of my prior favorite, Cosmedicine Medi Matte. I have checked the ingredients of Murad and found some other beneficial ones in the list, including niacinamide (sp?), and tea tree oil. I have never broken out as a result of using this Murad mattifier, which I use all over my face.

Like the prior reviewers, I have tried everything to keep my skin matte - including Bliss instant mattification, Philosophy The Makeup, PTR, Smashbox, Cosmedicine, etc. This Murad mattifier is BY FAR the best of the bunch. It mattifies better and longer than all the others. I'd say I'm completely shine free for about 4 hours, then a bit dewy for 2, and some shine begins peaking through between hours 6 and 8. I don't find it too hard to spread on my face. I am also impressed that I get more for my money (1.7 oz. for something like $36) over Medi-Matte, which is 1.3 oz. for $42. The SPF in this product is VERY effective - I never burn with this on.

I will definitely keep buying this again and again!

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cwalters1218 on 2/25/2009 5:55:00 PM more reviews by cwalters1218

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I have to agree with the previous reviewer. I have tried almost everything out there to help with the oil slick that is my face. I used this product at about 5 am and by noon at work I don't see a very shiny nose or greasy forehead. Instead...I see some shine on the nose and a dewy forehead. It is not a miracle product but it is effective! The smell does resemble Elmer's glue faintly and it does at first feel a tad tacky and thick to put on...but working quickly and spreading it out it dries and sinks in quite nicely. It leaves a smooth and soft surface that is perfect for my tinted moisturizer. I'll update if anything changes but I think I can quit hunting for a better product.

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*TOP REVIEWER* RavenBeauty on 2/19/2009 9:30:00 AM more reviews by RavenBeauty

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I've spent nearly 15 years searching for a primer that could live up to it's hype without causing problems for my super sensitive, acne prone skin. All have been disappointments in one way or another. They either made my skin greasier or they would often break me out terribly. If I found one that did not do those two things (which would be miraculous and only happened maybe twice) then they would make my foundation look cakey and piled on. There was always some problem and always a return to make. I was getting exhausted from the endless search. I really have tried them all and I do mean ALL of them out there.



I began to realize that what I really needed was a mattifier that would also double as something that could help with acne because all primers did was make my acne worse. If the protective barrier between your face and your foundation is loaded with pore clogging silicone's, then all I was doing was suffocating my skin and only asking for more trouble. The primers I tried without silicones did nothing so I was back to using no primer at all and of course foundations by themselves can cause acne if they are allowed to sink into your bare skin all day (I was ready to give up entirely). I tried some of the primers with acne control ingredients, but they burned my skin and left it red and irritated.



In walks this new beauty from Murad. I saw it at Sephora and just had a feeling about it. It works a bit differently than most primers. It comes in a very nice and easy to use hygienic tube (it is expensive at nearly $40.00). It comes out as a luxurious, completely unscented fresh and clean feeling cream meets gel type formula. When I spread this over my face, I was immediately struck by the clean feeling I got which is unusual since anything even remotely moisturizing usually feels too heavy or greasy on me.



My parched, yet super oily skin sucked this up and felt completely soothed and surprisingly comfortable. I was also struck by the fact that I had no burning at all (my skin was torn up by Differin and anything I use it on seems to burn these days), so this was another wonderful sign. I felt my face a few minutes later and it was comfortably dry, yet moisturized which is the perfect balance I was seeking in a primer. This stuff leaves your skin feeling very clean (not tacky or sticky at all). My foundation smoothed over this nicely and I was able to go 4 hours without any shine even breaking through (a first for me although I was also using Jane Iredale's Pressed Base over my foundation which also made a huge difference in how long my face stayed fresh and dry). This really kept the oiles at bay and left my skin feeling wonderful. Here's the miraculous part, no break outs whatsoever! This really did help to combat bacteria throughout the day due to some of the antibacterial ingredients in this, so I am stoked here! My foundation still looked beautiful after 6 hours and I had no irritation or break outs! I'm done! I finally found my HG Primer!

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