Do you have a matte foundation that you love but wish it were a little more dewy?
Or maybe you just can’t find a foundation that gives you the right level of hydration.
Well, today, we’re going to show you how to make matte foundation dewy in 5 different ways, so by the end of this article, you will have a nice and dewy foundation with just a few simple steps!
This DIY hydrating foundation hack is perfect for those hot summer days when you want your makeup to look fresh, dewy and skin-like
Or even for those winter days when your skin is asking you for hydration, and simply your matte foundation doesn’t do the job right anymore.
So, without further wait, let’s get started!
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Can you make a matte foundation dewy?
Yes, you can customize your foundation finish and make any foundation dewy by adding other hydrating products either to your face or mixing them up with your foundation.
The following method to make your own dewy foundation is not only to turn matte foundation into a dewy foundation but also for any type of foundation.
For example, if you want to get a more sheer look with your satin foundation and make it look more dewy.
Even when most foundations in the market are made for main skin types, a matte foundation won’t necessarily look the same on me as in another person, even when we fall into the same “skin type.”
Because every skin is different.
So you are probably in a situation where your matte foundation is not leaving you a flawless matte finish, and it’s drying out your makeup.
This usually ends in a flaky or cakey-looking face. Which nobody wants.
It sometimes happens that a foundation that time ago was good on your skin is not working anymore,
and this has to be with several factors like your current skin health, weather/season, changes in your skin prep routine, or the introduction of a new product like a new setting spray or face mist.
How to make matte foundation work for dry skin
Matte foundation is not ideal for dry skin. I don’t usually recommend it for mature skin, either, no matter the skin type.
The matte foundation was the most popular type of foundation a decade ago,
but now we have a variety of types of foundations available in the market, and when satin and dewy foundations become more popular, we now have more choices to pick that best suit our skin and desired look!
However, if you are in the case where you already have a matte foundation, and you are in the look of ways to make it work for your dry skin, the following steps should help:
Pay more attention to your skincare routine.
It’s never too late to analyze what you are using and start a good skincare routine that suits your skin and improves there health and appearance.
The best tip we can give is to seek professional advice from a dermatologist.
But in general, a routine with a soap-free cleanser, hyaluronic acid serum, moisturizer, and face oil is normally good for dry skin.
Eventually, this will help to make your foundation work on your skin.
Method #1 Mix your matte foundation with moisturizer
This is the most common way and the fastest way to make your matte foundation more dewy.
It works with any type of foundation, but it’s especially good for foundations that are too drying or have very full coverage, like an extreme matte or long-wear foundation.
The idea behind this method is to sheer your foundation and make it hydrating by adding some of your regular moisturizer preferably, use one without color or fragrance like this one.
The right way to do this is by mixing your foundation and moisturizer first and then applying it to the face.
I have a step-by-step tutorial on how I did this to one of my matte full-coverage foundations, you can check the result in this post here.
This method is perfect for you if you want more like a satin finish.
If you are looking for a juicy natural dewy, check out the next method.
Method #2 Mix your matte foundation with face oil
I have always recommended using face oil on the skin before makeup.
No matter your skin type (yes, even the oily ones, but for this, I recommend using a tiny bit of face oil and only as a skin prep routine, not how we are going to use it this time)
What face oil does in a skin prep routine is that it locks in all the moisture and good ingredients into the skin and creates a protective barrier from the hydrating coming out. So this is a good thing to do for all skin types.
But to get your matte foundation a flawless dewy look, take some of your favorite face oil (I use rosehip oil) and mix 2-3 drops with your matte foundation, and then apply it to your skin.
Depending on how dewy you want your foundation, apply fewer or more drops. I found 2-3 the sweet spot for my personal preferences.
Method #3 Wear a hydrating primer
Hydrating primers have a water-based formula that will help to add hydration and luminosity to the skin. Apply it before your matte foundation to try to achieve a more dewy look.
You can also use it on its own for a natural makeup look or to no-makeup days.
There are several ways you can make matte foundation work if you have dry skin, but the most important is to improve your skincare routine and use hydrating products.
Some good primer recommendations are the Neutrogena hydro boost glow booster primer and the NYX Hydra touch oil primer.
Combining a hydrating primer with a matte foundation would result in a soft matte or satin finish.
This is a good routine to do if you are looking for these types of finishes on your skin and you don’t want an excessively oily/dewy look.
Method #4: How to make matte foundation dewy but not oily
A good setting spray or face mist can do the job!
Just hold your setting spray about eight inches away from your face and give your foundation a light spritz.
Just make sure you are using a hydrating setting spray or face mist like this one by Milani, because there are mattifying setting sprays and hydrating setting sprays. Pick the latter.
Let it dry for a few seconds before continuing with the rest of your makeup routine.
With this, you will not only add hydration to your skin, but it will also help on fixing the matte finish of your foundation without trying an oily method.
A setting spray will give you a dewy look that lasts all day long!
How to make matte foundation hydrating
These were my four best tips on how to make matte foundation dewy without looking oily. Try them out, and let me know which one is your favorite!
Let me share with you my routine when I want not only a non-matte foundation but a hydrating foundation that hydrates my skin once applied:
1. I apply a hydrating cleanser (this step is optional, a cleanser is a product that stays on the skin for a very little amount of time, so it’s not really relevant getting a hydrating one, but it still helps)
2. Then, I apply my serums. I use hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
But this step can obviously vary by your own skin necessities. For example, if you are trying to fight acne, a serum with niacinamide or salicylic acid is also a good option to add. (My serum step is the same no matter the type of foundation finish I’m seeking)
3. Next, I apply my moisturizer.
Don’t get complicated with moisturizer, basically, any moisturizer is good.
You just need to avoid those with fragrances and colors. And if you have oily skin, use a water-gel moisturizer like this one.
4. After that, I apply a hydrating primer.
My favorite hydrating primer of the moment is the Smashbox hydrating primer with hyaluronic acid.
I apply 1-3 drops of my face oil, I’m currently wearing this one. To lock in all the hydrating ingredients, I applied and set the skin prep steps for the foundation.
5. Then, I apply my matte foundation. I start by applying a small amount of product, and I add more product as needed for the coverage I desire on that day.
6. After that, I apply my hydrating mist and a touch of highlighter, and I avoid wearing any powder at all.
This makes my skin look dewy and fresh even when I’m wearing matte foundation.
So by this point, you might have been asking, why would I do all these steps to make a matte foundation dewy or hydrating if I can just get a hydrating foundation in the first place?
Well, some brands have Excellent matte foundations that simply match your skin tone and desired coverage, BUT the matte finish is not something you always want to have on your looks.
So for the days that I want to rock a flawless, long-lasting matte finish, I go ahead and use my mate foundation as is.
And for the days I want to have a fresh, dewy skin finish, I employ these tips.
And that way, you have one foundation with multiple uses! It all depends on how you want it to look at the end.
How to make matte foundation less dry
Sometimes happen that the beautiful matte foundation you bought time ago and was doing flawless on your skin is not working for you anymore and now makes your skin look dry.
If you haven’t already, you need to check my post on why your foundation looks dry and patchy here.
But the most common reason I have found (especially if this same foundation was working for you before) is that either the weather change or your skincare routine is not helping you, and it’s drying your skin.
And when you apply a matte foundation that, some time ago, was doing wonders, today makes you look dry.
For this, I found helpful the routine I just shared above in the section “how to make matte foundation hydrating,” or simply mix your foundation with a moisturizer and see how that works.
If, after that, you still feel dry patches, you probably need a change in your skincare routine.
How to set a dewy foundation
Well, by this point, I have shared my best tips to convert your matte foundation into a dewy foundation.
But wanting a dewy finish doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t need to set our foundation.
To be honest, I love just to wear my dewy foundation alone for everyday makeup, but usually, this is not long-lasting. After 2-4 hours, I do not have nearly any foundation at all.
So the way to set a dewy foundation is by applying a dewy setting spray, then a translucent powder or a hydrating setting powder, and after that, applying a hydrating mist or the same hydrating setting spray.
For me, this has been the best way to make my foundation last longer without making it look matte.
Can you use dewy setting spray on a matte foundation?
Yes, you can use a dewy setting spray on a matte foundation to add hydration and luminosity.
Just make sure to set your foundation with a powder first to avoid any oily areas.
We recommend the NYX Professional Makeup Dewy Finish Long Lasting Setting Spray.
You can also use a setting powder that has light-reflecting properties to set your foundation.
This will help to give your skin a more luminous appearance. We recommend the Hydrating Mineral Veil finishing powder by BareMinerales.
Conclusion on how to make a matte foundation dewy/hydrating
In this blog post, we have shared a few tips on how to make matte foundations dewy or hydrating.
We have found that the most common reason matte foundations look dry is that either the weather has changed or your skincare routine is not helping you, and it’s drying your skin.
We also shared how to set a dewy foundation so that it lasts longer without making it look matte. Lastly, we answered the question of whether or not you can use a dewy setting spray on a matte foundation.
The answer is yes, but be sure to set your foundation with a powder first to avoid any oily areas if you have oily skin.
So, if you’re looking to create a dewy makeup look that still has some coverage, try using a matte foundation and adding a touch of hydration to it (hydrating primer, moisturizer, face oil, hydrating face mist, and/or hydrating powder)
We hope this article was helpful in giving you some tips on how to make matte foundations dewier.
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