If it’s very luminous, I always feel like it’s sliding around my face and almost emphasizes my skin texture. I like a natural finish so that it doesn’t look flat or mask-like, though.
— Christine
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I’m combo/oily, so this is easy: Without an A+ mattifying primer, dewy foundations make me look like an oil slick.
There’s a fine line between “luminous” and “greasy” and using a rich moisturizer or an illuminating primer or spray can make an otherwise luminous foundation cross that line through no fault of its own. Summer is coming too in hot, humid southern Ontario so the weather can also push an otherwise perfect foundation into the oily, greasy, breaking-down territory. Generally, my rant is luminous foundations that don’t set and which transfer and move/slide around all day.
I can go for luminious finish depending on how much luminosity there is. Normally, as long as use a primer, I set with a powder, and use my Bosica oil blotting sheets, I’m usually good with my oily/combo skin
I’m Asian and really into the K-beauty trend of the dewy/water skin look. However, if I need something to wear all-day and I know it’s going to be a vigorous day, I usually default back to my bareMinerals (which in comparison, much more matte). Although, I do feel like sometimes I come off as slick/shiny rather than dewy/watery transparent. Sigh. The BB cream I was using the other day kind of horrified me a little because I was touching my face (I had a blemish rearing its ugly head) and I completely disturbed the makeup by touching so much. Also, I apparently had set it unevenly and had faded into odd, textured patches by the end of the night (I try to use a light hand or it defeats the purpose but at the same time, I use a powder blush so if I don’t use some setting powder, I can’t blend my blush well). Oh, well. That’s why it washes off at the end of the night, right?
I stay away from anything called “dewy.” It just does not work at all on my skin.
I’m going on 60, so one would *think* that my skin would be dry enough to go all-out dewy, right? Well, no, because I have one very oily t-zone, so that type of formula would break down inside of 30 minutes! I like it to have a slightly dewy look, without being dewy. So, I mix a little bit of MAC Strobe Cream or MJ Dew You Dew Drops to a matte long wearing foundation to get it. Now, though, I’ve found that I may have to return to Lancome Teint Idole as Fenty ProFilt’r is doing a number on my skin.
I really love dewy foundations. My skin is dry so I like the feeling of hydration and the look of glow but not greasy. I don’t like to have my makeup sliding around. I also don’t want it to feel so tacky that if you touch your face it feels like your hand is sticking to your face. Some very dewy foundations don’t set down well with powder as they become cakey looking. After applying different foundations for a number of years you get a feeling for those that are going to need to be set and those that will dry down enough to go without heavy powdering. Ultimately, I am all about the glow on skin so I am willing to work with products to help them retain the glow factor. The other thing I like about dewy foundations is that they generally flow very well across the skin and you can get away with using less product to get it on your face. When I pay $50-$100 dollars for a foundation I try to make it go a long way!
I don’t like them at all. If I want a luminous finish, I add a drop of face oil to whatever foundation I want to wear. I want control over how my foundation looks.
I don’t like them on me. I have oily skin, so they just make that look worse. They slide off my face.
I love a natural-looking luminous foundation for the most part of the year, except during the hot and humid summer days. I don’t buy a specific luminous/dewy foundation, I just use the regular ones to which I add either a few drops of light face oil, or a moisturizer and/or illuminating drops.
During the hot and humid weather here in southern Quebec (Montreal area), I find that it’s very difficult to wear any foundation, more so a dewy one, without having the natural oils/sweat coming out from the pores, especially in the T-zone, and messing up the foundation. I have dry/dehydrated skin but still, the nature always finds a way. We have the large St. Lawrence River surrounding Montreal and the humidity can easily go up to 80%+ and you feel like you’re in a sauna, especially when there’s no breeze. During these periods, I find it’s best to wear either a natural light CC Cream (Juice Beauty) or the Bare Minerals Mineral Foundation (the original one), as they will melt with the natural oils/water from your pores. I apply a loose mattifying powder on the T-zone (CoverFX one) in the morning, and I keep in my bag the Clinique Stay-Matte Universal Blotting Powder.
I always preferred matte foundation to dewy—to me, the finish looks like it emphasizes parts of my skin/bone structure that I’d rather not, and I’m really sweaty so I prefer to start with less shine!
I won’t wear anything oil based – I tried the Josie Maran Vibrancy foundation and it looked great – for about 10 minutes! Nope.
I do love the Designer Brands Luminous Hydrating foundation – the finish is fab, lasts reasonably well and is affordable but it has a very poor shade range. I tend to prefer fuller coverage, so anything sheer or really shimmery is a no go for me but I do like to set with powder and then use a a very subtle gleaming finishing powder if I want to up the luminosity factor. I recently got some Inglot medium sparklers and holy smokes, they were not kidding. I have to apply them under setting powder if I don’t want to look like I got smacked in the face with a disco ball.
I feel like it looks dirty and greasy more often than not… I’m not a fan and think matte or natural finish is much more flattering.
On my radiant water-based foundation…
Love: the moisture on my extremely dry skin, not cake-n-breaking on fine lines
Don’t Love: the coverage doesn’t cover enough, it doesn’t last all day, too shiny finish
If I had a magic wand I’d create: a natural/satin finish that moisturizes/hydrates like a radiant in fair-light with a pink undertone (Beige Rose 12) that has true medium coverage in a single-layer. (No “building” coverage.)
Rave: It can give a soft glow to your complexion if it’s the right shade and consistency.
Rant: Can easily end up looking too oily, especially in humid climates. They also don’t set well, making it difficult for your blush/bronzer to not migrate.
Most of my foundations have a dewy finish that provide light to medium coverage. I have dry to combination skin, so I definitely need something that is hydrating. In the summer when it’s humid, I just use a mattyfing primer and powder the T-Zone. I also like dewy foundations because I find color matching more forgiving than matte, full coverage. Mac Face & Body, MUFE Water Blend & Becca Aqua Luminous are some of faves <3. I also like mixing dewier foundations in with other foundations to give it more luminosity.
I’ve always meant to tell you that I love your image. I’m not sure if it’s actually you, but either way, it looks like it belongs in a Mucha poster. Or maybe on the side of World War II bomber.
You’re so sweet! That is me <3 I love a red lip and eyeliner.
I’ll do a dewy foundation during our mild but incredibly arid winters here in northern India- but in the hot, humid summer & spring? NO WAY!
I been loving L’Oréal Lumi and I apply it over my Cera Vé moisturizer. It’s been working real good! My daughter got close to my face and asked if I had applied foundation yet as we were getting ready at my home for a wedding and having fun with our makeup skills. She’s wearing Giorgio Armani and I’ve heard mine is a dupe so I think it must be. Hers looks flawless too of course. I have combo dry skin and aging just turned 55 in April (so aging faster than you can say Bob’s your uncle! Lol! I do have great skin actually at least some tell me? and wear a very small hint of foundation). i have always preferred the dewy kind on myself but not a gready mess just that healthy little bit of glow.
I really love dewy foundations as my skin is very dry, it makes me looks healthy and hydrated! Although I wish they lasted longer and didn’t break down on my chin and around my nose or go into my smile lines and (faint) forehead lines. I don’t want to put powder on as I love this glowy finish though!
I can feel, without touching, that my face is shiny and it feels very uncomfortable to me. I have to go with a matte makeup. Once a MAC employee talked me into letting him spray my face with a finishing spray. I immediately felt uncomfortable. Before I could leave the store, I had to powder my face!
I’ve never tried one, unless you consider IT’s Bye Bye Foundation dewy. I blend it 50/50 with their CC cream for its moisturizing properties, but it would likely be too much so on it own. I suspect I wouldn’t like a straight-up dewy foundation because of my skin’s oil and texture.