Yes, Black Girls can Have Dewy Skin Too - But How?
Ahh, how we all would love to have the perfect dewy skin…
As summer approaches, the commercials and ads for clothing and swimwear all start to have a similar theme, featuring the same things - sun, beaches, swimwear, hot bodies, glowing skin. People scurry off to the gym months before summer starts and try to hurry and get their beach bodies together. Because lets be real, in the scorching heat, the most comfortable place to be (that isn’t your living room), is near some water.
Even though getting an entirely new body in a couple months isn’t necessarily realistic or fun, we can still get that sexy summer time look with glowy, shimmering, dewy skin. It’s definitely easier than going for the abs. As black women, the thought of trying to create an extra glow might be off-putting, because many of us have oily or combination skin. By mid-day, our faces are once fresh and clean faces are looking shiny and sweaty if left unchecked. Add to that the summer weather, and we think our only choice is to go full for a completely matte look. Everything matte!
But no one wants to layer on a bunch of makeup in summer, even if it is mattifying. So the key to the perfect summer makeup look is layering just a few special products, carefully and strategically. Let’s go through a few tips and tricks that will help make your melanin pop this season.
Moisturize
Believe it or not, adding moisture to our skin - even in the summer - is essential to oil control. Skin that is lacking moisture tends to overproduce oil, therefore the intake of lots of water, as well as topical application of moisturizing products are vital. In addition, a hydrated face is the perfect base for glow products.
Use Foundation Sparingly
A huge misconception about everyday foundation application is that it must be applied to every inch and crevice of your face, from your hairline to your clavicle. But that’s simply not the case. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Sir John (Beyonce’s makeup artist), gives us this tip “When your face is still wet from your moisturizer, take a damp Beautyblender or an egg sponge and gently dab on a tiny amount of foundation at a time for a soft, flawless finish.” The intent is not to give your face a flat look and all one color, you just want to give yourself a nice sheer base that looks like your skin, but a little better. Not a mask.
Powder Your Nose
Powders are important, even when you’re going for a dewy, almost wet look. But before you go grabbing a huge puff or “baking,” remember that the intent is to be light-handed with everything. Add a little bit of powder ONLY to the areas where you tend to oil up. For me its on my nose, and right where my nose meets my cheeks. Those are the spots you will want to be conscious of throughout the day, but powdering should help slow down the oil build up for a few hours.
COVER FX Custom Enhancer Drops
Get Your Glow On
Now’s for the fun part. According to legendary celebrity makeup artist, Danessa Myricks, “Layering a variety of glowing products throughout your application locks in the ultimate glass skin look for all day wear! There are so many ways to achieve the dewy glass skin look. You can use oils, balms, powders or liquid or my favorite , a combination of them all! “ While using these products however, keep in mind how a natural glow radiates - from the high points of the face. I find the easiest, and safest products to use are liquids and creams, like MAC’s strobe cream (which can be applied before and after foundation), COVER FX Custom Enhancer Drops, and the Danessa Myricks Wet Balm. These can be applied ever so gently with your fingers or a damp beauty sponge.
A Very Important Last Step
Setting spray is the final step to keeping your look looking as fresh as possible for as long as possible. To add a bit more oomph to your glow, you could try a setting spray like the COVER FX Dewy Setting Spray, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dewy Set, or Fix Plus in Goldlite. To keep your look lasting longer, my favorite spray to use is the Urban Decay All Nighter. Either way, setting sprays are also great for moments when you’ve applied too much powder, or in combination with a loose or pressed highlighter (if you don’t have a cream or liquid).
Have you tried any of the above techniques? What are your favorite ways to glow? Share with us in the comments below.
Cover Image Source: Danessa Myricks’ Instagram
