Hey beauties! Tired of that matte, cakey makeup look you've been seeing all over instagram? yeah me too..
But great news! Glowing Skin is in. This is GREAT news for you oily ladies! Its finally time to embrace the shine! Here are a few of my favorite products, tips & techniques to achieve that healthy, glowing from within skin.
Step 1: Skincare. I cannot emphasize this ENOUGH! I know I say it over and over and over again and I probably sound like a broken record, but YOUR MAKEUP WILL ONLY EVER LOOK AS GOOD AS THE SKIN BENEATH IT! So get yourself on a serious regimen. Once you get your skin hydrated, applying your gorgeous glowy makeup will be a piece of cake!
Oily gals - don't be afraid of oil in products! You don't always have to use oil free products. Oil can be good for you and very helping in repairing and rehydrating your skin as long as you're using the right kind! Familiarize yourself with the comedogenic scale. As long as oil has a low comedogenic rating, it is safe to use on your skin, and won't clog pores causing breakouts. Some ingredients to look for in skincare products that are non comedogenic or have a low rating on the comedogenic scare are hemp seed oil, mineral oil, shea butter, safflower oil, sunflower oil, castor oil, rosehip seed oil, grapeseed oil, aloe vera gel, partroleum (believe it or not), glycerin, and argan oil. There is plenty of information on this available on the internet! One oil to absolutely avoid contrary to popular belief is COCONUT OIL.
So one of the most important things in achieving a healthy, glowy complexion is making sure you exfoliate regularly. You should be exfoliating your skin 2 to 3 times a week. (NO MORE THAN THAT as it can damage the surface of your skin). Also - try not to use an abrasive exfoliator. I know so many people who use St. Ives Apricot Scrub. This is the absolute worse thing you can do for your skin. The granules in this product are so rough that they actually cause micro abrasions on the skin which result in severely damaged skin in the long run. There is actually a class action lawsuit out on this product. If you are using this - get rid of it immediately. There are plenty of gentle exfoliators on the market. Personally, I like to use chemical exfoliators as I feel they are more gentle on the skin and do a better job getting rid of dead surface skin. My favorite as I've mention before is the Sonia Roselli "Sexapeel" ($42 http://www.soniaroselli.com?p=SyNA6u9FN)
Moisturizing is the next best thing you can do to achieve glowing skin. Again, I use the Sonia Roselli Line of products which have changed my skin IMMENSELY! My skin has cleared up, the texture has improved, it is soft as a baby's bottom, my makeup goes on so smooth, and it lasts so much longer with these products! The "Waterbalm" ($49 http://www.soniaroselli.com?p=SyNA6u9FN) is a MUST have. It is an all in one product that acts as a moisturizer, toner, serum, day cream, night cream, and makeup primer. If you invest in anything for your skin this would be my suggestion! I've also recently started using her "Water Exlixir" ($49 http://www.soniaroselli.com?p=SyNA6u9FN) and "Water Oil" ($54 http://www.soniaroselli.com?p=SyNA6u9FN) which have added even more hydration to my skin.
After you've nailed your skincare routine, then its time to worry about makeup. Ditch your mattifying foundations (or save them for super hot high humidity days) and grab yourself a hydrating tinted moisturizer, bb or cc cream. I LOVEEEEE the "IT Cosmetics CC Cream" ($39 at Ulta). This product is a super moisturizing, medium to full coverage foundation that gives off the most luminous glow. I set it with a translucent powder, but it still doesn't get super matte or cakey looking. Another tinted moisturizer that is really nice is the "Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer" ($46 at Sephora). This one is incredibly light weight, it actually doesn't feel any different or heavier than a regular moisturizer! It is very sheer though, so I recommend it for those looking for a sheer coverage foundation. I use this in the summer when my skin is at its best and I need minimal coverage, or on those "no makeup" makeup days!
Another product to get your hands on is a highlighter/luminizer. For powders I have two favorites. The "Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector" ($38 at Ulta) is a gorgeous powder highlighter with a creamy smooth application and a stunning finish. It is not super chalky and powdery and it has the perfect amount of very fine shimmery particles, so it doesn't look like you rolled a glitter stick all over your face. My second favorite is the "Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl" ($26 at laurageller.com). This is another super creamy like powder highlighter. It has a little more shimmer than the Becca one in my opinion, and the shade range isn't as broad but its a great alternative at a lower price point. The shade Gilded Honey has been a staple in my everyday makeup bag.
I also really love a good liquid luminizer. My favorite currently is the "Cover FX custom enhancer drops" ($42 at Sephora). I love using liquid highlighters when I want a really really natural skin like glow. You can even add a few drops of these into your foundation!
Now to leave you with a few tips and tricks in achieving this type of look. Use minimal product. Only use full coverage application where you need it (for example, spot cover breakouts with concealer instead of using full coverage on your entire face) this will help keep your makeup looking most like skin. You can add a facial oil to your foundation to sheer it out and make it a little more dewey. Also - only use powder where you need it. You can use a setting spray (such as Skindinavia Setting Spray $29 skindinavia.com) in lieu of a setting powder. This will help keep your foundation dewey instead of mattifying it. I only use powder in the places I get oily first, which is my t-zone. I also use it under my eyes to set my concealer.
Another tip is to apply your foundation using a damp beauty blender. This will press the product into your skin, and add extra moisture. Sometimes if your skin is dry, using a brush will actually exfoliate causing your skin to flake.
The last suggestion I have, is to choose cream "contours" or bronzers over powder. Often times if your skin is dry, powders can get patchy and look chalky. You can use a cream or liquid foundation a shade or two darker than your skin to contour, which will help you achieve that natural, perfectly glowy complexion.
Summer is approaching girls! Don't be afraid to embrace that shine I mean Glow :)