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Achieving that perfect matte look with your makeup can sometimes be a challenge. One day it looks gritty and dry, the next it looks like you’re wearing a mask. The outcome of your matte look has so many factors to it that will truly make a difference in achieving a natural matte look. In order to get the best look possible, it is important to take a look at the products you’re using and how they are being used.
Like any look, start at the base. If you want that super matte look without looking like a mime, take a look at that primer you’re using. In previous articles I’ve mentioned ‘Smashbox Photo Finish’ as one of my absolute favorite primers because of its versatile formula to prepare the face for, both, matte and dewy looks. Getting hold of a great primer will prevent that super gritty look as well as creases.
Once you’ve tested a few primers and found the best fit for your skin type, it’s time for foundation. For this type of look it is crucial, I repeat, crucial that you have the absolute perfect complexion match. Matte foundations tend to have a full coverage formula which will completely cover everything and if you don’t have the correct color and correct undertones you will end up looking like the cutest mime out there. During application it’s better to start off with a little and add more if needed because once you have too much there’s no going back. Be sure to bring the foundation down to the neck if you intend on wearing open or low collar clothing. This will insure that your neck, chest, and face are the same color.
The point of a matte look is to resemble smooth, perfected skin, which goes into concealing and contouring. When concealing for a matte look, you don’t want to go too light. In order to get the most natural look possible, only go a shade to shade and a half lighter than your foundation. The same concept goes for contouring, not too light or too dark. The best way to decide the right shade to contour with is by looking at the natural shadows of your face. Before applying anything to the face, look around the cheek bones, mouth, nose, hair and jawline. Whatever darker shades you see, that’s the tone you want to go for when contouring. For my matte looks I like to use a cream concealer and contour then go in to set with a powder.
Setting powder can go wrong so quick. Too much setting powder, especially if it’s too light, can make you look like a ghost. We all know that person that turns the flash on their camera for a pick, and then that makeup look you thought was so cute is exposed. Luckily, there are brands like ‘Huda Beauty’ and ‘Fenty Beauty’ that have setting powders that set the face according to skin complexion. This gives the opportunity to go in on the concealed areas with a lighter setting powder and the contoured areas with a darker setting powder.
The last two products to focus on are highlighter and setting spray. You’re look could be perfect but if you use the wrong highlighter, the entire look turns into a gritty hot mess. Cream highlighters that have smaller specs of glitter or shimmer look the best on matte looks because they don’t have that chalky look. These types of highlighters also match well with matte finish setting sprays. This prevents us from having to use setting sprays that have a dewy finish because those setting sprays mess with the formula of the foundation and usually give an odd greasy look the face.
I hope that some of these tips help in giving the best matte look you’ve had so far. Be sure to share the tips you have with others as well. Until next week, stay beat with whatever bomb looks you have going.