4 Ways To Make Your Matte Foundation Dewy

how to make matte foundation dewy

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We all want the dewy look but not all of us have the proper products for dewy skin at our disposal at all times. These times require some creativity. Glowing base makeup is amazing in the summer. It also looks fresh during the winter. So, you may want to achieve a dewy look in the summer with a matte-ass foundation. Or you may want the wet finish in the cold-ass winter. Whatever it is, here are 4 ways that show you how to make matte foundation dewy.

How to Make Matte Foundation Dewy

1. Adding oil to foundation

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate - How to Make Matte Foundation Dewy - Adding Oil to Foundation
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

This is the best and easiest way to make your matte foundation dewy. It’s a Wayne Goss-approved trick to achieve a glowy look with a matte foundation.

Face oils are usually inherently glowy. Mixing your foundation with a few drops of face oil turns your matte finish into a dewy one. It makes the foundation glide easily on the face.

This is especially helpful in the winter for all skin types. But it’s particularly helpful in making a matte foundation work for dry skin.

It’s very easy to create an even complexion. Because normally, matte foundations are really difficult to move. If you mix a few drops of face oil with your foundation, you don’t have to use a primer.

Midnight Concentrate is not as heavy as traditional face oils but just emollient enough to turn your matte foundation into a dewy, illuminating one.

2. Mixing illuminator with foundation

Ilia Liquid Light Serum Highlighter - How To Make Matte Foundation Dewy
Ilia Liquid Light Serum Highlighter

Another no-brainer way to make a matte foundation dewy is by mixing it with a face illuminator. Ideally, liquid illuminators are the ones to go for. Some liquid illuminators have a thick texture.

That makes it harder to mix with the foundation. Make sure your illuminator is as liquid as possible. Think glow drops! Mix your illuminator/liquid highlighter with your foundation until you get a consistent form.

Some illuminators can be highly pigmented. The finished look can be too glowy. So, it’s best to add a little illuminator and see if you like the texture. You can then add up and decide how much of a dewy look you want to go for.

This one by Ilia is a multi-tasking goldmine. You can play around with it and make your foundation dewy in all the right places.

3. Matte foundation with a dewy setting spray

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist - How to Make Matte Foundation Dewy - Matte foundation with dewy setting spray
Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

Some setting sprays and mists do such a great job that they turn your matte foundation into a dewy one. To make your matte foundation luminous, spray a dewy mist after you’re done with your makeup.

The good thing about dewy setting sprays is that you have full control over how dewy you want to look. You can either create an overall dewy base makeup by spraying it all over. Or you can spray it on your cheekbones to create a highlighter effect.

Dewy Skin Mist is a dewy skin staple. You can even use it on your bare skin to bring some healthy glow to your complexion.

4. Dewy primer with a matte foundation

Nars Radiance Primer - How to make matte foundation dewy - dewy primer with a matte foundation
Nars Radiance Primer

If your foundation is matte, you can always prime your face with dewy products to change the outcome. A dewy primer is a great way to make your foundation look natural too.

Apply evenly like you’d apply a moisturizer. You can get an amazing glowy look with a matte foundation when you use an illuminating primer underneath.

And it doesn’t end with primers either. There are some moisturizers that have a dewy finish. You can prime your face with glow moisturizers as well.

Nars Radiance Primer is one of the best illuminating primers I have ever used. The shimmer is so consistent that it doesn’t look streaky on the skin.

So these are the best ways to make your matte foundation dewy. Hold on to the products you already own even if you don’t use them. You can never know when they might come in handy. If you don’t want the hassle, take a look at our round-up of the best dewy foundations.

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