This Dewy Summer Makeup Routine is Perfect for Mature Skin: Your Glowiest Skin Yet
Celebrity makeup artists dish the secrets to this season’s hottest look—starting at just $2
We’ve seen dozens of makeup trends circulate through the trend cycle in recent years with quirky, buzzy names: take latte makeup, tomato girl makeup and strawberry girl makeup, to name just a few. But there’s one common denominator between nearly all of these trends: they embrace the dewy, glowy look. It seems we’re far from the days of ultra-matte makeup and instead are leaning into more natural-looking, skin-like looks—and this type of makeup is golden for mature skin (and summer!). Here, we spoke to celebrity makeup artists to talk all things dewy makeup, including why it works for mature skin, how to get the look and some dewy makeup products to try for yourself.
Dewy makeup makes mature skin glow—here’s why
Our skin goes through many, many changes as we get older and transition through life. Your oily, acne-ridden skin you may have suffered from in your teenage years may have dried out like the desert once you hit your 40s. Or, maybe you’re suddenly dealing with the onset of texture issues, hyperpigmentation or rosacea since entering menopause. Regardless, it’s very common to experience skin changes with age, and therefore, you may need to tweak your makeup routine a bit—enter: dewy makeup.
“As we age, our skin naturally loses moisture and can look a little dull or flat,” says Laura Geller, celebrity makeup artist, Founder of Laura Geller Beauty and expert in mature makeup. “A dewy finish gives the illusion of plumper, more radiant skin. It softens the appearance of fine lines and creates that fresh, healthy glow we all love without settling into creases.”
Further, much of creating that dewy makeup look involves proper skincare prep beforehand or even using skincare-makeup hybrid products. Your skin will thank you for this! And even more, if you’re looking for a soft summer makeup look, going for a dewy finish will leave your makeup feeling lightweight and non-cakey.
Dewy makeup routine: how to
When it comes to achieving a dewy makeup look, it’s all about ditching the powder and instead reaching for cream products. (JD let me know if this should be formatted instead to H3s rather than steps)
1. Start with skincare
To start, you want to ensure you have the best skin base possible for the makeup to lay on, which means you need to do the right skincare! After washing your face, you want to slather on a hydrating moisturizer. “Make sure you moisturize—hydrated skin holds makeup better and looks more luminous,” says Geller. We love Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Water Gel Moisturizer, which is lightweight for the day time and packed full of hydration. For a serum, Sarai Martinez, celebrity makeup artist at Sarai by Day likes Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Moisture Repair Balm Serum, and I personally love Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum.
2. Prep skin with primer and glowy base
Next, apply a gripping primer, which will not only get your makeup to last longer but will also create a smooth base for your makeup. “I think skin preparation is everything—making sure you have the right primer and exfoliation before applying the foundation,” says Martinez. “You want to make sure you have a good base to sit with so that the makeup can last all day.” Try Laura Geller Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 or e.l.f. Power Grip Primer.
Before I go in with foundation, I like to add a glowy, light base on top of my primer to amp up the dew, such as L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion or Saie Glowy Super Gel.
3. Apply lightweight foundation
Now comes the foundation. However, rather than opting for a standard foundation, we recommend something lighter if you’re going for the dewy look. “I can’t stress this enough: formula is everything on those hot summer days. The wrong one, and your makeup will melt right off,” warns Geller. Opt for a tinted moisturizer or serum (we love Typology Tinted Serum with Vitamin C + Aloe Vera) or BB cream (try Kosas BB Burst Tinted Moisturizer Gel Cream), or if you do prefer a foundation, look for a very lightweight, dewy foundation like Jones Road What The Foundation (Martinez’s pick), Laura Geller Better Than ‘Block Skincare-Infused Serum Foundation with Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ or Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick.
4. Add bronzer and blush
Next, add your bronzer and blush. “When you are contouring and adding the glow, use a cream base and bronzer to give you that nice dewey warm look. You’ll want to choose cream formulas, rather than powder, for a dewy glow,” says Martinez. Use a brush to apply a cream bronzer (Beauty Pie Awesome Bronze Sunkissed Bronzing Cream is genuinely one of the best I’ve ever used and is my newest obsession) on your temples, along your cheekbones and the jawline. I also like to add a little on my neck to make sure there’s not a stark contrast.
For blush, you can apply to apples of cheeks or, for a more lifted look along your cheekbones, with either a brush or simply your fingers. Try Charlotte Tilbury Lip & Cheek Glow (I love shade “Pinched Cheek Glow” which makes me look like I just got a tad of color from laying out at the beach) or Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush (this is ultra-easy to travel with thanks to its small, compact size and has a beautiful finish). Saie Dew Blush is also amazing, and as its name suggests, really does have that perfect dew finish.
5. Do subtle eye makeup
For the eyes, I like to keep it simple by just adding some bronzer all over my lid and into my crease and then just add a bit of shine in the inner corner with a shimmery eyeshadow. Then, I just follow with 1-2 coats of mascara. For my brows, I prefer a tinted brow gel for summer as it will hold my hairs in place even with I’m sweating during hot and humid weather. My favorite is Refy Brow Tint, but a great drugstore pick is Maybelline Superfluff Volumizing Eyebrow Gel Mousse.
6. Gloss up the lips
Lastly, for the lips, choose something light, moisturizing and shiny to complete your dewy makeup look. A tinted balm or lip oil is perfect for summer, like Kiko Milano Coloured Balm or Merit Shade Slick Hydrating Tinted Lip Oil. If you like a lip liner, we recommend choosing a lightweight, cream liner like Merit Signature Lip Sheer Lip Liner or e.l.f. Cream Glide Lip Liner (it costs just $2!)
How to get dewy summer makeup to last all day
With the sweat you’ll accumulate through the day and the humid, hot weather, you need something to “lock in” your makeup. Enter: setting spray. The key to maintaining the dewy finish is to choose a dewy setting spray. Look for picks that are also made with skin-loving ingredients. We like e.l.f. Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray, made with aloe, hyaluronic acid, squalane and green tea seed oil. Kopari Sunglaze Sheer Setting Mist Sunscreen SPF 50 is another stand-out pick, especially for summer since it’s made with SPF. Also, don’t forget your primer!
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