How To Get a Gorgeous Dewy Makeup Look

There’s nothing quite like the look of a beachy, lit-from-within glow. Fortunately, achieving a dewy makeup look is possible anytime—not just on those sun-soaked summer days. With the right products and techniques, the enviable, ever-trendy glass skin effect is achievable whether you’re a beauty obsessive or a makeup rookie. Here, we’re sharing five simple steps to get your glow on, plus a look at the best dewy makeup products for the job.

What Is Dewy Makeup?

Before we dive into our dewy makeup tutorial, we thought it’d be useful to review the differences between matte and dewy face makeup. Matte makeup has a velvety finish that does not reflect much light. These types of makeup products are often medium to full coverage and can help minimize shine, making them popular amongst those with oilier skin types.

Dewy-finish makeup, on the other hand, is glossy and reflects light, making the skin appear youthful and plump. These formulas may offer additional benefits (like hydration) and typically offer lighter coverage than matte makeup. As such, they’re often used to create natural makeup looks, like no-makeup makeup.

How To Get a Dewy Makeup Look

Step 1: Prepare your skin

How you prep your skin before you apply your cosmetics will have as much of an effect on your final look as the products you choose. You’ll want to make sure your skin is clean, hydrated, and primed before applying any makeup products to ensure you have a smooth, even base. As for which primer to use, we recommend NYX Professional Makeup Plump Right Back Primer + Serum. The supercharged, skin-loving primer is infused with five electrolytes and vitamins and helps moisturize the skin for a plump, radiant look. It’s suitable for all skin types and has a lightweight formula that absorbs quickly, making it ideal for fresh, dewy makeup looks.

Step 2: Apply your foundation and concealer

Once you've prepped your base, it's time to get dewy. When shopping for a foundation, look for a lightweight formula that will enhance your natural glow without looking greasy. We can’t get enough of the Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Natural Glow Foundation. The glycerin-infused formula helps blur imperfections and hydrates, delivering a luminous, lit-from-within glow. It comes in 24 shades and is buildable, so you can tailor your coverage to your liking.

If you need to cover any spots or blemishes, use a cream concealer and blend well into the skin. For a cohesive dewy look, we recommend using a concealer formula that complements your foundation, such as the Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating & Brightening Concealer.

Editor tip: If you have a matte concealer that you love and want to use it for your dewy makeup look, try applying it before your foundation. This reverse technique will allow you to cover unevenness or blemishes without compromising your dewy finish.

Step 3: Add bronzer and highlighter

Next, add dimension with bronzer and highlighter. The key to mastering this step (without compromising your dewy appearance) lies in using the right products. For a natural dewy makeup look, recommend opting for a blendable liquid bronzer, like Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Liquid Bronzer. Use a makeup sponge to dab the lightweight formula onto areas you’d naturally tan (like your cheekbones, nose, and forehead) for a convincing sun-kissed look.

Then, reach for a liquid highlighter with a subtle, pearlescent sheen, like L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer. Opt for a shade slightly lighter than your base and use your fingers or a beauty sponge to tap it into the high points of your face—in other words, your cheekbones, cupid’s bow, brow bones, and along the bridge of your nose. Be careful not to go overboard—the goal is to look naturally dewy, not obviously shimmery.

Complete your makeup look

While you can pair your dewy makeup look with any eye or lip makeup of your choosing, we think the natural dewy finish pairs best with softer, subtler makeup. Try swiping a shimmery neutral-toned shadow, like Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Glitter Eyeshadow Singles in Space Cowboy over your lids, or forgo eyeshadow altogether and emphasize your eyes with a volumizing mascara. We’re fans of L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Washable Mascara, as it offers up to 24 hours of flake-free wear and easily coats each lash for a fanned-out effect.

When settling on a lip look, we love how glosses and sheer lipsticks complement and enhance the overall fresh-faced appearance. Try adding shine and a hint of color with Maybelline Lifter Plump Lip Plumping Gloss. It comes in eight juicy shades and instantly leaves the lips looking plumper.

Set your makeup

Baking your look with setting powder is great for long-lasting makeup, but it'll take your look from dewy to matte in an instant. Instead, set your look with a hydrating makeup setting spray like IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Setting Spray+, which helps to instantly soothe, hydrate, and replenish your skin. You’ll enjoy dewy makeup that lasts up to 16 hours without melting, fading, or settling into fine lines.

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