Dewy Skin 101

There are many ways to get a dewy look. I’m going to outline different techniques that you can mix and match.

• Primer: An illuminating primer can give you a glow from within look. Ex: L’Oreal Lumi

• Foundation: A very easy way to get a dewy look is to use a dewy foundation. I recommend this mostly for dry skin. If you have dry skin you might not even want to powder over to keep the dewy-ness. If you have oily go for a demi-matte foundation. When oily you can use a matte powder or a luminous powder depending on how much you want to glow. Ex: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk (dry) / Urban Decay Naked Skin (oily)

• Concealer: A highlighting pen can help give a glow. People with dry skin can use this where ever. If you have more oily it’s great for putting under your eyes. It gives a more awake look to the face. Plus it will help with dry under eyes.  Ex: YSL Touche Eclat 

• Setting Powder: There are two types of setting powders that can give a glow, loose and pressed / tinted and translucent. If you have dry skin you might skip this step completely. Light reflecting powders help bounce the light off your face. This give as glow to the skin while keeping it matte. This is also great to give a more natural finish to your makeup. Ex: Nars Light Reflecting Powder / Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

• Blush: Cream blush can be a great natural glow on the cheeks. If you like a powder blush look for a blush with shimmer in it. Ex: NYX Cream Blush / Nars Orgasm (powder) Tip: you can always do both for a long lasting blush.

• Bronzer: Bronzers can help make your face look more alive. With a good bronzer on you can look like you’ve been out at the beach, tan, and with an inner glow/sun warmth to the skin. A non-matte bronzer can help add a nice sheen to where the face would naturally tan first. Ex: Too Faced Sun Bunny

• Highlight: A highlighter is the easiest way to achieve a glowy look. The main places to place a highlighter are the tops of cheekbones, under brow bone, inner corner, cupids bow, tip of nose / bridge of nose, center of forehead, center of chin. (You do not have to do all of these places.)
• Liquid: A liquid highlighter can be applied to the specified areas before foundation for a subtle highlight, on top of foundation for a glisten, or mixed in with foundation for a inner glow. Ex: Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer
• Cream: This is the same effect as a liquid but is easier to use. Liquid/Cream will give more of a glisten than a shimmer. Ex: Benefit Watts Up
• Powder: Powder is the most common and my personal favorite type of highlighter. Using both a liquid and a powder can give max glow effect!
• Glitter: Some highlighters are shimmer but contain a small glitter in them. Ex: MAC Soft and Gentle / Most extreme
• Shimmer: Some highlighters have a strong shimmer. Ex: theBalm Mary Lou-Manizer / Average 
• Sheen: Some highlighters give a soft sheen. Ex: Stila Kitten Duo / Most natural

• Setting Spray: A dewy setting spray is a great way to get a dewy look with a matte face. If you over powdered your face a quick spray will help get rid of the powder-y look. If you have dry skin a dewy setting spray can bring back to life a dull appearance. Dry skin will suck up any moisture so the more you add the more chances you have as looking dewy. If you have dry skin carrying some in your purse is a great idea! As your face starts to fell tight add a couple of sprays to wake up your foundation. Ex: MAC Fix+, MAC Charged Water

For maximum dewy fairy goodness use all these tips. I personally only like using 2-3 because I have oily skin. The drier your skin the more of these products you can use without looks greasy. My favorite is to use a powder highlight, shimmer blush, and a luminous setting powder. Note: if you were to do all of these either use a luminizing primer or mix a luminizer with foundation. I wouldn’t do both with all the other steps.
In conjunction with all these steps have the proper skin care is crucial. If you skin is flakey adding a dewy foundation, highlighter, etc will only accentuate the flakes. Make sure you have a good moisturizer and exfoliate regularly. 

Here are a few brushes I would recommend with using the products listed above:

• Liquid/cream highlight: Fingers or a duo fibre brush are my favorite!
• Powder: fan brush for a light application, Real Techniques setting brush for medium application, and a MAC 215 to really pack a punch.
• Everything else I use my normal brushes for.