Foundation for Dry Skin: Tips and Tricks for a Flawless-Looking Base

There isn’t one way to master a great makeup look, because what works for some might not work for others. If you have dry skin, for example, you’ll likely need to take a different approach than someone with oily or combination skin might. Choosing the right foundation for dry skin is, of course, a big part of the equation, but equally important is developing a proper skin prep routine to hydrate your skin. How you apply your products matters too—where dry skin is concerned, less is often more. 

If you’re wondering how to apply base makeup for dry skin without it looking patchy or uneven, keep reading. Here, we’re sharing our top tips for achieving a smooth, seamless makeup application on dry or flaky skin.

Key Features To Look for in a Foundation for Dry Skin

When you have dry skin, it’s important to seek out makeup that works with your skin, rather than against it. Here are some features to look out for when shopping for dry skin makeup products: 

• Hydrating ingredients: Dry skin lacks sufficient moisture, but the right skincare and makeup products can help trap in water, minimizing the appearance of dryness. Look out for makeup that contains lightweight hydrators such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or ceramides—these can help supply your skin with much-needed moisture.

• Liquid or cream formula: If you have dry skin, it’s best to stick with liquid and cream makeup. Powder products may cling to dry patches and emphasize skin texture.

• Dewy or radiant finishes: Dry skin can sometimes look dull or flat. To counteract that, look for makeup products that boast a dewy, luminous, or radiant finish. 
• Buildable coverage: Thick layers of foundation on dry skin can make your complexion look flat or patchy. To keep your base looking fresh, look for lightweight products that offer weightless, buildable coverage.

How To Prep Dry Skin for Makeup

Proper skin prep can help ensure your makeup applies smoothly and evenly. Here’s what you’ll want to do before even reaching for your makeup bag. 

1. Cleanse and exfoliate

Dryness and roughness often go hand-in-hand, and an uneven skin texture can interfere with how well your makeup goes on. To help ensure a smooth, even base for your makeup, you’ll want to start things off by cleansing and exfoliating your face. You can do these steps separately, but if you’d like to streamline your routine, try lathering up with an exfoliating cleanser, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser. Lightly massage it onto damp skin to remove dirt, dead skin cells, and other debris, then rinse your face thoroughly with lukewarm water. For a little extra exfoliation, you can massage your face with a damp washcloth as you’re cleansing your skin—just be sure to be gentle to avoid irritating your skin.

2. Apply a hydrating serum 

After cleansing and exfoliating, gently pat your skin dry, then smooth on a hydrating serum to help replenish your skin. We’re big fans of the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which deeply moisturizes the skin without leaving it feeling sticky or greasy. For your eye area, try the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift 2.5% Hyaluronic Acid + Caffeine Eye Serum—the lightweight formula hydrates, brightens, and de-puffs to promote a more rested, youthful appearance.

3. Moisturize

Moisturizing should always be part of your everyday skincare routine, but it’s especially important when you’ll be applying makeup on dry skin. For lasting hydration without a heavy or greasy feel, we suggest using the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power Moisturizer with SPF 30. It’s formulated with three top dermatologist-recommended ingredients—vitamin C, pro-retinol, and hyaluronic acid—and delivers up to 48 hours of hydration without a heavy or greasy feel. Plus, the anti-aging formula contains broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen to help shield your skin from damaging UV rays. Be sure to let your moisturizer absorb completely before starting your makeup routine to minimize the risk of unevenness or pilling.

Simple Base Makeup Routine for Dry Skin

After cleansing, exfoliating, and hydrating your skin, you can get started on your makeup routine. For a smooth, even-looking base, follow these three steps. 

1. Start with a hydrating primer

Primers don’t just help makeup stay in place—the right formula can also help hydrate your skin, providing an extra layer of moisture for a fresh, balanced complexion. To kick off your dry skin makeup routine, apply a thin, even layer of the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer to your face and neck. The shea butter and glycerin-infused formula delivers instant hydration, leaving the skin with a soft, luminous-looking glow. It even boasts a sheer tint, so you can use it in place of your usual foundation on no-makeup days. 

2. Layer on a lightweight liquid foundation

As we touched upon earlier, the best foundations for dry skin tend to be satin or dewy-finish liquids and creams, as these have a more hydrating feel than powder products. Here are a few options we love: 

The L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation is a great pick for those with dry skin—it boasts a hydrating, blendable formula and offers medium coverage with a natural-looking finish. Plus, since it’s so lightweight, you can build up the coverage as needed without worrying about pilling or cakiness.

Skin tints, such as the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glow Skin Tint, can also be great for those with dry skin. The water-based formula feels weightless on the skin and delivers sheer coverage with a radiant-looking glow, perfect for a more natural look. If you want even more skincare, with some hydrating hyaluronic acid and a bit of color to tackle two things at once, opt for the L'Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum.

3. Spot-conceal as needed 

If you’d like a little more coverage, you can use a concealer to spot correct dark spots, under-eye circles, or blemishes. Again, we suggest choosing a hydrating formula to help avoid unwanted creasing and ensure your makeup goes on smoothly. The L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer is a great choice: it’s infused with hyaluronic acid and provides up to 24 hours of hydration while helping to mask imperfections. Plus, the shades correspond with the rest of the products in the True Match line, so finding your ideal concealer and foundation pairing is virtually effortless. 

How To Enhance Your Makeup Look

Applying foundation isn’t the only makeup step for dry skin that requires a special approach. To ensure a seamless finish, you’ll also want to take care when applying face products like blush and highlighter. Here are three tips for tying together your look beautifully. 

1. Use a liquid blush

Blush can help “wake up” a dehydrated, tired-looking complexion, but choosing the right formula is key. Powder blushes, while popular, can sometimes appear too dry on already dry skin. Instead, we suggest opting for cream or liquid formulas. The L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Liquid Blush is excellent for dry skin due to its lightweight, dewy-finish formula. Apply one to two dots to each cheek, then blend the pigment out for a soft, hydrated-looking flush.

2. Highlight strategically 

Highlighter is another great product for livening up a dry, dull complexion. Instead of sparkly or shimmery formulas, consider using a radiant-finish cream highlighter, like the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick. The easy-to-apply formula comes in six shades—three glassy, three glowy—that melt into the skin for a beautiful, lit-from-within glow. If you want your skin to look dewy, use one of the glassy shades; for a more luminous look, the glowy shades are best.

3. Opt for a glossy lip

It’s not just your face that can look and feel dry—your lips (which also have skin) may be the same way. To avoid a dry (or uncomfortable) lip look, skip the matte lipsticks in favor of glossy, hydrating formulas. We love the L’Oréal Paris Plump Ambition Hyaluron Lip Oil, which contains hydrating hyaluronic acid and tripeptide. Smooth your favorite shade onto your pout for up to 24 hours of hydration with a smooth, high-shine finish.

Makeup Application Techniques for Dry Skin 

Choosing the right makeup for dry skin is important, but so is applying it properly. Below, find a few tips for nailing your makeup application.

1. Use a damp makeup sponge

While brushes are great (and essential) tools in any makeup bag, foundation for dry skin is often best applied with a damp makeup sponge. The moisture can help ensure that everything applies and blends smoothly, reducing the chance of your makeup settling into fine lines or clinging to dry patches.

2. Adopt a less-is-more approach

When covering dry skin with makeup, keep in mind that less is often more. Thick layers of product can clump up on your skin, making rough patches or flakes appear more prominent. Start with less makeup than you think you’ll need—you can always add more later if the coverage isn’t to your liking.

3. Choose your setting products wisely

While baking your makeup with powder can be a great way to ensure long-lasting wear, it’s not the best approach for those with dry skin. Instead, we recommend setting your makeup with a setting spray, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist. It helps lock makeup into place for up to 36 hours and leaves the skin with a glowy, healthy-looking finish. 

Next Up: How To Choose the Best Makeup for Mature Skin

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris