The matte look is so passe (and needless to say, one dimensional). The trend to look like a girl with hydrated, glowing skin has been in for quite some time ━ but in sunny Singapore, looking dewy is most often mistaken for oily.
But having a fresh-faced complexion isn’t impossible in our climate. With these three tips and tricks, you will be on your way to look like you just came out of a K-Pop ad.
TIP 1: HYDRATE
I know it seems ridiculous, but in order to make sure your skin is in tip top condition for this look, you need to hydrate. Moisturising your skin will make sure it doesn’t overproduce sebum later in the day; which will just make you look like you crashed into an oil spill. Having supple skin will also mean your makeup sets better and is well-prepped to last throughout the day.
In terms of moisturisers, oily skin sufferers should opt for an oil-free formula such as Sloane Inc’s Aqualicious or a mattifier like Yves Rochers Sebo Vegetal Pore Minimising Serum as these products will help keep your skin hydrated without the extra shine.
TIP 2: GO WITH THE FLOW
Without stating the obvious, achieving the dewy look requires that you use makeup that gives a velvet or semi-matte finish. And although there are a thousand options on the market, I trust Korean brands as they tend to give me the best “dewy” finish catered to our skin types and humid climates.
For heavy coverage, I like Clio’s Kill Cover Realest Wear Moist Foundation. The liquid foundation gives me buildable coverage with a slight glow, while at the same time not making me look too oily. But if you prefer a lighter option, The Face Shop Cushion Screen Cell is a great alternative. Somewhat like your BB cushion but with an added ‘screen’, the Cushion Screen Cell is a lightweight base that supposedly fits your skin like a natural veil.
If you’re worried about piling on too much coverage, don’t be. You can afford to be generous with your makeup, you just have to take note of tip number three.
TIP 3: COVER THE RIGHT AREAS
Don’t worry about being too “dewy” because you will be covering it with a touch of anti-shine magic. The trick to maintaining the right amount of glow on your face is using a powder that will help to absorb shine throughout the day.
Instead of skimping on the foundation (in the hopes that your skin doesn’t develop an oil spill), layer on a generous serving of loose powder instead. The rule of thumb is to cover your whole face with powder (yes, trust me on this), while dusting twice the amount on your T-zone area.
Dusting your face will help to set your makeup, while also making sure your face doesn’t become an oil farm in the later parts of the day. The key is to make sure you have enough loose powder to absorb excess sebum, while not dusting too much that it mattifies your dewy look.
My go-to favourite for setting makeup is bareMinerals’ Mineral Veil. The light powder does wonders in sealing in glow while not mattifying it too much, and its mineral base works well even if I’m breaking out. For more heavy duty coverage, Dr Young’s Pore Eraser HD Powder is said to be great in absorbing sebum. The brand even claims this nifty powder works well in masking the appearances of pores too.
Now that you’re armed with these easy tips, you can stay shine-free and bask in dewy goodness!
bareMinerals Mineral Veil is available at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.bareescentuals.com or www.sephora-sea.com and follow the brand on Facebook.
Clio Kill Cover Realest Wear Moist Foundation, $35.90, is available at selected Watsons stores. For more information, visit and follow the brand on Facebook.
Dr Young’s Pore Eraser HD Powder is available from August at www.dr-young.com.sg. For more information, visit www.dr-young.com.sg and follow the brand on Facebook.
The Face Shop Cushion Screen Cell, $49.90, is available at The Face Shop stores. For more information, visit www.thefaceshop.com.sg and follow the brand on Facebook.
Sloane Inc Aqualicious S8.8, $128.40, is available from The Sloane Clinics, and online at www.sloaneshop.com. For more information, visit www.sloaneclinic.com and follow the brand on Facebook.
Yves Rocher Sebo Vegetal Pore Minimising Serum, $30, is available at Yves Rocher stores in West Gate and Ngee Ann City. For more information, visit www.yves-rocher.com and follow the brand onFacebook.