Our idea of dewy makeup has certainly changed in recent years.
No longer just an alternative to matte foundations, the pursuit for a buttery, radiant, just-like-skin complexion (oh and if it can catch the like just right, that’d also be good) is something many of us are after for our day-to-day.
And while the quest for this level of glow is a journey that most definitely starts with skincare, it doesn’t mean it can’t be elevated with makeup. Or rather, the way we work our makeup with our skincare.
Highlighters have already given us so much, but for a glow that’s as good as being genetically blessed, here’s every makeup hack we know to help.
Make moisturising part of your makeup routine
Ask any glow-giving makeup artist for their foundation step-by-step and moisturiser will most definitely be involved.
Glass skin genius Nikki Wolff starts every tutorial by applying moisturiser before any base makeup, really working it into the skin with a quick massage.
If you’re in a rush, try mixing your moisturiser into your foundation. It will create a more sheer, hydrated finish in a flash. The same goes for face oils if they take your fancy more.
Chrissy Teigen’s makeup artist Mary Phillips also likes to use moisturiser, only as a final step after makeup. “It’s my highlighting hack; I lightly buff a brush over the high points of face; it’s one of my ultimate glow tips,” Phillips told InStyle.
But moisturiser isn’t the only skincare step that can be used to achieve *the* ultimate dewy glow with a skin-like finish.
Our marie claire Australia editors swear by applying a hydrating serum under their makeup to achieve the perfect base for a flawless finish.
Our current favourite? The endota spa Radiance Boost Serum. This hydrating serum amps up illumination and awakens a healthy looking glow without being to heavy or cakey.
Radiance Boost Serum, $60 at endota spa
Damp blenders are best
Wetting your sponge before applying your foundation not only stops it from soaking up the product, but helps to create the super-sheer finish that allows skin to shine through.
In fact, beautyblender founder Rea Ann Silva told necessite, using her product dry is the biggest mistake people make. “You have to wet and squeeze your beautyblender fully until it doubles in size and then it becomes super soft and it won’t absorb your makeup.”
Creamy cheeks
If you want wet-look, glowing cheeks, ditch your powder for a cream or liquid.
Makeup artist and creator of the ‘dewy dumplings’ phenomenon, Namvo, took it one step further by mixing Fenty’s Cream Blush in ‘Bikini Martini’ ($33 at sephora.com.au) with Kevyn Aucoin’s Glass Glow in ‘Solar Quartz’ ($51 at mecca.com.au) for extra juicy, dewy apples.
Mix liquid highlighter with a balm
Speaking of being your own mixologist, if you want your highlighter to appear more skin-like than shimmer-central, try adding a little bit of beauty balm.
Makeup artist Nikki Wolff told Allure this helps to achieve a more ‘glossy glow’ and creates dewy, spa-like skin.
Or you could just skip the highlighter part altogether, and go straight in with a clear balm on the cheeks, as Zendaya does with Aquaphor. “It’s like sweat, but it’s not”, she said on her Youtube channel.
Mist instead of powder for longevity
Rather than using powder to prolong the life of your makeup, try a mist or setting spray instead.
A mist will hydrate the skin as it provides longevity, without the mattifying effect of a powder.
Model and glowing skin guru, Jasmine Sanders told Allure, “When I’m done putting on my makeup, I like to use MAC’s face spray that has glitter in it.”
“Any time I do my makeup—even if it’s a touch of concealer—I always use that spray. I feel like it just rehydrates you.”
