How to Make Dry Skin Look Dewy—Even When It’s Flaking Off
Generally speaking, the summer is just one huge battle against grease—on your face, in your hair, lord-knows-where else—which means a ton of face blotting sheets, dry shampoo, and between-the-thighs deodorant. And while the cold weather seems like a ticket to a perfectly clear, balanced complexion, I’m meant to struggle to look presentable all year round: My face swings like a pendulum with too much force from oil-slick to oh-my-god-it’s-flaking-off—but only sometimes!—leaving me to upend not only my entire makeup bag, but my application strategy every day, too. If I skip the powder, I end up having a super-greasy day. If I concede to using it everywhere as my last step, my natural shine (grease) won’t come through the way it does in the summer.
MORE: How to Get Rid of Large Pores When You Have Dry Skin
Until recently, it’s been practically impossible to nail a dewy look with skin this finicky. But luckily, I’ve found one makeup hack that gives even the driest skin a lit-from-within glow that seems like such a no-brainer, I’d assumed everyone was doing it this whole time. Here’s how to make dry skin look dewy: After you’ve exfoliated and applied your base—serum, moisturizer, primer, and BB cream or foundation—powder your entire face to your desired coverage. (I like to dip my hyaluronic-acid-drenched Beautyblender in Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder or Arbonne Setting Pretty Translucent Loose Powder and press it lightly into my skin, focusing on my forehead, which tends to look greasy while it flakes off. Fun.)
Wait a few minutes to be sure everything’s set, then dab a cream or liquid blush (like Tata Harper Lip + Cheek Stain) and a liquid highlighter (like Perricone No Highlighter Highlighter) on top of your powdered base. Spritz with a face mist (I like Caudalie Beauty Elixir), then repress your already-powdered Beautyblender onto any problem areas (mine’s my forehead), and you’re done! You’ll have a slight sheen where you want it—and nowhere you don’t.
