A perfectly dewy face is currently all the rage. It’s basically the look of supple and glowing skin that was previously reserved for the very young - but makeup artists everywhere are showing us that it can be done. The problem is, to pull this look off means achieving an incredibly delicate balance: too little shine? You’re left with a dry and thirsty (and not thirsty in a good way) complexion. Too much? You have everyone curious as to why you doused your pores with baby oil. However, using the right products and applying them the correct way will leave you with that movie star-worthy, perfectly dewy skin look.
Image: Valeria in Who What Wear
Facial Spray
Start with a clean, well-nourished canvas because this look is all about moisture (It’s not just an optical illusion). Get well-acquainted with your facial spray because this aloe, herbs, and rosewater tincture is going to be your best friend throughout the process. Don’t be afraid to give yourself a spray or two at any stage in this routine. A staple in any makeup artist’s kit, a good facial spray is going to revitalize dry skin and give you a dewy and radiant glow. Start with a few spritzes at the beginning of this process to lock moisture into those skin cells for a healthy glow that will transcend through your finished look.
Skin Tint Serum
A light, natural skin tint serum offers great, glowing coverage while leaving your face as a workable canvas. A lot of concealers go on thick and heavy forcing you to spend the rest of your routine trying to cover it up. We love this specific Skin Tint Serum because it plays triple duty as skincare, makeup, and sun protection with SPF 40. It softens lines and evens out our complexion, like any concealer, but the serum also enhances our natural skin barriers which locks in moisture (the key to any dewy look). We love to embrace our own unique skin textures but if there is any preference to cover up blemishes or imperfections, now’s the time to do it.
Brow Wiz
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the brows must be… well pretty darn important too. That’s why we like to tackle them early on and work around them for the remainder of the look. Whether you need to fill your brows in where they’re sparse or you want to tame an overly bushy brow, this duel-ended, fine tip brush has you covered. What’s great about this tool is that it's not heavily pigmented so if you're not the strongest makeup artist, your mistakes aren’t going to show. You can be a little bit more 'kindergartener death-gripping a pencil' when you tackle those brows and still end up with a great look.
If you need some visuals for the perfectly full brow, here's Valeria's quick tutorial on the 'feathering' technique.
Cream Eyeshadow
Next, we’re going to build off the brows with a creamy eye shadow. We love a cream consistency because it comes with built-in moisture and there’s no need for brushes. If you want, you can just pick a shade that compliments your skin tone and apply it directly with your fingers. Mistakes are easily covered up by just spreading it out and diluting the pigment so you can start again. Valeria loves a rose gold, gold, or brown tone when going for a natural look because it’s subtle; but when it catches the light it gives this great glowing tone. Don’t be afraid to extend a little under the eye as well, almost like a liner. When you use a light shadow under the eye it gives this effect of a wider eye, as opposed to the shrinkage you sometimes see with darker eyeshadows.
Setting Powder
When you’re starting to like the look you’re creating, it’s time for a set & refresh powder. This is a super light dusting that’s going to set your makeup to last all day with a silky, non-oily, finish. We’re staying on trend as this powder is made with 50% water and glycerin to top up the moisture factor.
Bronzer
Add warmth to your face with a moisturizing bronzer made with smooth and hydrating ingredients like shea butter to give you that sought-after 'golden hour' appearance all day. The bronzer we link above is strongly pigmented so use a brush and be careful to avoid those harsh lines that were 80’s staples. When done carefully, bronzer is great for sculpting out cheekbones and jawlines sharp enough to cut someone. Don’t forget to extend it down onto your neck so there isn’t a disconnect.
Blush
Who doesn’t love a two-in-one product? A multi stick can be used on both your cheeks and lips to add a bit of color and life to your face. When going for a dewy, natural look we like to pick a soft tone and stick with it throughout. So, we’re going with another rose gold tone here and just extending the work we did with the eyeshadow to bring the whole face together in one monochromatic look.
Skin Illuminator
Last, but certainly not least, a skin Illuminator is going to make your skin glisten and glow and can be used as either a base or a finisher. We like using it last when creating that more natural look because it acts as a highlighter giving you all the glow you want, exactly where you want it. This is another great chance to finger paint, so to speak, when you’re adding more shape and highlight to your temples or wherever you feel needs a little bit of definition. Look for a brand that offers different shades so you can play with what hue and how much shine you're going for in your ideal dewy look.
