10 Easy Expert Makeup Tips for Combination Skin

Have combination skin? If you could post a relationship status on social media for your skin, chances are it would say, “it’s complicated.” That makes sense—after all, it can be challenging to determine how to care for your complexion when some areas of your face are oily and others are dry. And your skin care routine isn’t the only thing that’s likely to give you problems, you may find putting together a makeup routine for combination skin just as difficult. So, what can you do? Here, learn what combination skin looks like and find makeup tips to suit your most pressing skin care concerns.

WHAT DOES COMBINATION SKIN LOOK LIKE?

Wondering if you actually have combination skin? You’ll know if you have this skin type if some parts of your face qualify as dry skin, while others could be considered oily skin. You may notice that your T-zone (that would be the central part of your face including your forehead, nose, and chin) are oilier, while your cheeks and the skin around your eyes are drier.

10 EXPERT MAKEUP TIPS FOR COMBINATION SKIN

While your first thought might be to add a million different skin care and makeup products to your regimen, that probably isn’t the best solution. Below, we share five makeup tips for combination skin so that you can look in the mirror with confidence and ease.

Tip #1: Always Cleanse Before Applying Any Makeup

Before applying any makeup, help ensure that your combination skin is hydrated and smooth. First, use a gentle cleansing option, like the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin, which purifies and mattifies. Just saturate a cotton pad with the micellar water and wipe the pad across your face.

Editor’s Tip: Every other day, take your cleansing routine a step further with a gentle face scrub—we love the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Nourish & Soften Face Scrub, L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Smooth & Glow Face Scrub, and L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Purify & Unclog Face Scrub. Formulated with three pure sugars and one unique ingredient tailored to specific skin care concerns, these gentle face scrubs will work to unclog pores, rinsing away the build-up of makeup, dirt, and impurities while catering to overall complexion concerns.

Tip #2: Apply Moisturizer Before Makeup for a Hydrated Glow

After cleansing, reach for a lightweight matte-finish moisturizer, like the L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Oily Skin, which is formulated with hyaluronic acid and aloe water to help provide long-lasting hydration, smoothing it over your face and neck.

Tip #3: Prime Your Skin

Then, apply a primer, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Lock Makeup Primer, which helps smooth lines, hide pores, and banish imperfections with a matte finish. Apply it dot by dot and blend in a gentle circular motion over your entire face or to targeted areas (like under your eyes to smooth over fine lines, your nose and cheeks to minimize the appearance of pores and blemishes, and your T-zone for a matte result).

Tip #4: Color Correct

Notice redness or dullness on different areas of your face? Break out the L’Oréal Paris True Match Color Correcting Crayons, which come in five pastel concealer shades—green to neutralize the look of redness, peach, bisque, and orange to disguise dark circles on a variety of skin tones, and yellow to mask discolorations. Use your shade(s) of choice sparingly—a little goes a long way!

Tip #5: Use a Buildable Foundation

When you have combination skin, reach for a buildable foundation, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro Matte Foundation, so that you can customize your coverage on different areas of your face. Use a makeup blender to bounce and blend the foundation onto your skin, building coverage as needed. Need a little extra foundation on your nose or chin? No problem!

Tip #6: Contour Your Bone Structure

You should focus on bringing all the attention to your very best features if you have combination skin. That means giving the contouring trend a whirl! Pick two shades of the the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Longwear Foundation Shaping Sticks—one that’s two shades darker than your skin tone for contouring and one that’s two shades lighter than your skin tone for highlighting. Use your makeup blender to apply the darker shade to the hollows of your cheeks for a chiseled look, and a different sponge to apply the lighter shade beneath your eyes, down the bridge of your nose, and in the center of your forehead and chin. Talk about a model-approved finish!

Tip #7: Be Heavy-Handed with Highlighter

In 2018, there’s no such thing as too much highlighter—so long as it’s well-blended. That said, swirl some of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Longwear Highlighter Shaping Sticks on your cheek bones, swooping up towards your temples and blend it in for a natural-looking glow.

Tip #8: Accentuate Your Cheeks with Blush

There’s nothing like well-placed blush to help make your complexion look more instantly more radiant. For the ultimate cheeky look, blend some of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Longwear Blush Shaping Sticks to create your perfect customized shade, blending it from the apples of your cheeks up to your temples. If you’re worried your blush will compete with your highlighter, apply your blush first before topping it off with highlighter.

Tip #9: Add a Touch More Warmth

If, after contouring and highlighting, you wish you looked a touch more sun-kissed, reach for a fluffy powder brush and the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Bronze It Bronzer. Swirl your brush into the pressed powder bronzer and apply it to the high points of your face.