The flawless skin of the models on the runways has always been cherished by the makeup enthusiasts. A dewy makeup can give you a glowing finish but to achieve that perfect porcelain finish on your skin the matte makeup is surely the way to go. To put it simply, matte makeup is a type of makeup that gives a completely matte finish to the face. This makeup can be ideal for women with extremely oily skin and it can hide the skin imperfections effectively giving a smooth and comfortable finish.
Matte makeup also makes you picture perfect, which is hard to achieve with an oily face. One of the basic problems for beauties with oily skin is that no matter how expensive makeup products they use, it starts to fade and oil starts to seep out after some time making the face look all shiny. An oily face looks sticky and tired and needs repeated touch ups to control the excess oil. Going matte can be helpful to ensure that your makeup stays matte and in place for long even without repeated touch ups.
The best thing about matte makeup is that though it is a long kept secret of the professional makeup artists, you can do it at home all by yourself, simply by following the right steps. A matte makeup will help to control the excess oil of your skin and will make your face appear fresh and flawless all day long. Taking matte makeup is not very complicated; all it needs is the right technique and the right products. This article will tell you about how to do a perfect matte makeup at home.
Preparing your skin
The first step of a good makeup is always about preparing the skin. Unless your skin is prepared in the right way it will not hold to the makeup naturally, which can spoil the total look. So, first start with preparing your skin for the matte makeup.
Exfoliation
To get that perfect matte makeup finish starting with exfoliating your skin is the best way to go. Pick an exfoliator that is mild but is not oil based. Splash your face with slightly warm water and rub the scrub on your face with light circular motion. Concentrate on the parts of the face, like the sides of the nose, forehead and chin, where dead skin is more likely to accumulate. Once you have completed scrubbing, let the scrub stand for 1-2 minutes and then wash off thoroughly with slightly warm water and then pat dry.
Toning
After you have completed exfoliating your skin you need to apply a proper toner for your skin type before you can start with the next part of the makeup. Use a toner that is not alcohol based, because these toners reap off the skin completely of moisture. Opt for a toner that is mild and will work to balance the natural pH level of the skin instead of reaping it off the necessary oils. The best way to apply a toner is to wet a fresh cotton ball in the toner and dab it onto your face without rubbing it in. After you have applied the toner wait for few minutes to let it seep in completely.
Moisturizing
Now, it is the time to moisturize your skin. Even the oily skinned beauties need to moisturize their skin before putting on any makeup and when it comes to matte makeup using a proper moisturizer is essential in order to avoid that flaky finish and ghosty look. Pick a moisturizer that is water based and formulated to meet with the needs of the oily skin. The oily skinned beauties can always use vitamin E based whipped creams to prepare their skin for makeup. These creams do not add oil to the skin but keeps it nourished and hydrated. After you have applied the moisturizer in proper quantity, wait for 5 minutes to let it get absorbed into your skin.
Making the base for the matte makeup
So, now as you have prepared your skin perfectly for holding onto the matte makeup, it is time to start with the base. The first thing you need to do here is to apply some milk of magnesia onto your skin. This is an essential part of the total matte makeup and the results that you will achieve after the completion of this makeup majorly depends on this step. The magnesium present in this compound is highly effective in absorbing oil and it has no harmful effects on the skin.
It is best suggested to use the original milk of magnesia that comes without any color or essence for this part. You do not need a lot of the product and you do not need to use it all over your face. Simply dip a cotton ball in milk of magnesia and apply it to your T-zone and the skin areas that are most oily, including the forehead and the chin. While applying the product keep in mind that you need a transparent, weight less layer on your skin and not a heavy coverage, so keep it to minimum. After you have applied it properly let it dry out completely and then move on to the next step.
Face Priming
Face priming is an effective way to absorb excess oil from the skin and also to keep your makeup intact for long. To achieve that perfect matte makeup look you need to use a mattifying powder primer. Apply a good quality translucent mattifying powder on all over your face with the help of a fluffy powder brush and in case there is any excess left on the skin dust it off with the brush. It will help you get a crease free matte makeup look.
Conceal the flaws
After you have completed the priming now it is time to start with the concealer. For getting a matte finish using a mineral based concealer is best suggested. The mineral based concealers will help in absorbing oil and will provide a complete matte finish. Use the concealer to hide any imperfections on your skin, including the under eye dark circles, enlarged pores, pimple marks or skin creases. Apply the concealer in dots and then blend it with the help of a concealer brush to reach a smooth finish.
Use a matte foundation
Matte foundations are available in the market and you can use a good quality foundation in this step to get the right finish. Using the mineral based foundations can also be very helpful to get the perfect matte look. Always keep in mind that the foundation you use plays the most important role in giving the final look to your makeup and hence picking the right foundation according to your skin tone is vital. Apply the foundation on your nose, cheeks, chin and forehead and then blend it with a brush. While blending the foundation on the forehead keep your strokes towards the hairline. It is best to use small repeated strokes for blending the foundation perfectly.
Set it in with a matte powder
After you have blended in the foundation perfectly it is time to apply the mattifying powder all over your face once again. This will absorb any excess oil that might manage to seep out and will also set your makeup in place. After you have applied a light coat of the mattifying powder you can use your compact or the usual setting powder over it or you might complete the job with the translucent mattifying powder itself if you have already reached the expected coverage and finish.
Add matte color to your cheeks
Once you are done with setting your makeup you can use a powder based blush lightly on your cheeks to give your makeup a healthy look. Mineral based blushes or the powder based ones can match perfectly with your matte makeup look. Use a brush for adding the color to your cheeks.
So, now you have created a matte makeup finish and you can start with the eye and lip makeup of your choice to get the look your desire. This makeup is most expected to stay completely matte for long. However, always carry some tissue paper and the translucent mattifying powder with you for touch ups in case your face starts to become shiny under heavy humid weather.
Some tips for matte makeup
- If you have very dry or even normal to dry skin the matte makeup might not be very suitable for you particularly during the winter days. During winter when the temperature is quite low, the dry skin tends to become even drier and the normal to dry skin start having the symptoms of completely dry skin, needing extra moisture. So, lathering up with matte makeup on dry skin during winter is never a good option. It will only exaggerate the dry spots instead of giving a porcelain finish.
- For girls who sweat a lot, particularly during the summer days taking the matte makeup can be a problem, as no product will seem to sit properly on your skin. In such cases it is best suggested to rub on 1-2 cubes of ice on your face after completing the toning and before starting with the base. Ice can be very effective to control the perspiration on the face by closing the pores and the best thing about it is that it will keep the temperature of your facial skin low for quite some time controlling the sweat effectively.
- If you have very oily skin and you are living in quite hot and humid weather, even the matte makeup can start to melt away by the end of the day. So, the best way to go is to keep the translucent powder at hand and go for a touchup every time you feel your face is becoming shiny or right after you have taken a tour from your seat. In case, you are going to be outdoors for long and you cannot touch up your makeup every now and then, it is better to go really light with the layers while taking the makeup, this will reduce the chance of melting and will be easier to maintain.
