I like something lightly dewy, almost hydrating, with some natural glow. I want it to look skin-like with a bit of added sheen, so I can still apply translucent powder on top without totally mattifying it.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Always matte. Dewy looks greasy on me.
Same here Seraphine.
I like a natural matte finish with buildable coverage. I find that I get a very skin-like, almost dewy finish with a damp sponge and setting spray, and depending on the formula, I can also go more matte and fuller coverage if I need to.
I have combination skin that leans oily, so I prefer a satin matte finish. Frankie Rose’s Matte Perfection Foundation fits the bill perfectly. It mattifies enough that the oiliness doesn’t come through, but it’s not devoid of hydration. If I want to make it even more matte, I’ll just add a heavier powder on top. If I want to make it more dewy, I’ll use less powder and a hydrating setting spray. I find that the satin matte finish is just really flexible for whatever look I’m feeling on a given day.
I prefer more natural/satin to lightly dewy as well. The more natural and skin-like, the better! And if it’s light to medium coverage to boot, even better!
My skin has changed so my once beloved demi-mattes are out and now I go for a natural finish or dewy finish. With dewy I will powder a bit on top because I don’t like looking shiny (any time I see lots of dew it just reminds me of when I had oily skin so not my preference) – and thankfully dewy formulas are easy enough to manipulate… whereas anything matte just makes me look like the sahara. I was very sad when my skin changed and I had to get rid of a lot of foundations that I could no longer get to work for me.
I’m satin to dewy depending on the season. Winter, I gravitate to dewy because my skin becomes so dry. Summer I love when a satin finish when it is well worn and turns to the dewier side. I gave up on matte many years ago, it’s just horrible on my aging dry skin. Same goes for full cover… full stop. Shudder.
I am still searching for my HG foundation – I like a natural finish, not too matte, not too dewy. I want to even out my skin but I still want a skin-like finish.
I like a good high-coverage powder. Matte liquid doesn’t quite sit right, and anything less than matte liquid is too dewy immediately, then too heavy when powdered down.
When I was young, I got away with concealer and Corn Silk powder, especially when I was waiting tables to put myself through college. It really protected my skin from the grease. I also lived in South Florida.
Now, thanks to aging, I lean towards dewy finish and cannot stand how dry mattes make my skin. I moisturize all the time and love days when I work from home…I keep applying face oils until they stop absorbing. I do have some full coverage foundations but I mix oils and lightly apply. It has taken me over a year to get through my Estee Lauder full coverage foundation and it certainly isn’t matte when I get done with it. I also love Caudalie grape water spray. I have a big one and a travel size that I spray on my face during winter months when the heat dehydrates my skin. It really works well at setting foundation and giving that dewy look.
Like woodstock_schulz, I haven’t found my HG foundation. I am going to be trying a new Clinique hydrating foundation soon when my order comes in.
I like a finish much like you described, Christine – something a big dewy (but not greasy and still long-wearing) that leaves my skin looking youthful (hahaha!) and not too dry or matte but also not sweaty looking.
Something that looks like “my skin but better”! Which is why I love the formulas of Fenty Hydrating Longwear foundation and MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation. They don’t look dry or cakey. Nor greasy, either. My only complaint about the MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation is that it is a VERY full coverage foundation, so I do need to add with MJ Dew You Few Drops or MAC Strobe Cream to prevent myself from having a plastic looking mask face. Obviously, I prefer Fenty’s formula for a natural appearance. But MAC for lasting power during monsoon season.
I also vouch for the capabilities of MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation to last on humid and hot conditions! In my vain early 20s I would use that one and Double Wear during competitive runs and mud races (hey, there were pictures taken), summer and winter (snow) hikes. I wasn’t wearing any other make-up and most time it was sheered down (not full coverage)… but I did tested them and stayed put.
I definitely don’t encourage people to do like I did… but if I’m caught up in the rain or it’s an very humid hot day… it’s good to know.
Don’t feel bad, Ana Maria, I actually wore it while going for a swim! Not purposefully, but hey, I already had it on from wearing it all day, so on it stayed when I went to the hotel pool. It didn’t budge, either!
I’m all about a matte foundation, satin might be acceptable. The issue is that I like a natural (not flat) matte finish, which is usually hard to find. I also like medium to full coverage, but in a formula I can sheer down with a moisturizer if I need lighter coverage (no need for an additional foundation).
I mean… my favorite foundation finish is clearly summarized by my 3 favorite foundations: Estee Lauder Double Wear, MAC Prolongwear Waterproof, Becca Ultimate Coverage. Most people consider these foundations very matte and very flat, but on me they are the most flattering.
I don’t like dewyness on my skin, and if I want more hydration I apply a more moisturizing SPF or serum before make-up (but I rarely do).
In the little rose-coloured-glasses world that I live in, I would prefer a glow with a high medium or build to full coverage foundation. So far, I haven’t found it. I have dry skin so I have to avoid anything that is cakey when applied. I still love the Chosungah formula but there is no way to get that to even medium coverage. I think that is true of a lot of Korean/Japanese foundations. They all are pretty minimal when it comes to coverage in foundation. On my next trip to Seattle, which I don’t have planned yet, I want to try out the new Sulwhasoo cushion as it is suppose to be more coverage. I think Cle de Peau was releasing a cushion also so may check that out.
Natural and slightly dewy. I’m older so matte just helps me look even older and like I’m prepping for the grave.
Semi matte to matte foundations all the way for me.
I have oily skin, so matte or satin. Anything luminous or dewy just makes me think I look greasy.
Even though I’m not as young as I once was, I still have combination skin, going toward the oilier side. I can have a bit of dryness around my lips, but most of the time I don’t have any dry parts on my face.
I like foundations to be satin-matte to matte. I don’t want them to be more than medium coverage, but buildable.
Also, the foundation mustn’t settle into my pores so it’s hard to find a really good one, I’m still searching.
Satin-matte to matte, heavy enough to cover up my dark circles and any acne that pops up but light enough to blend well with my skin and not cover the beloved mole on my chin.