9 Makeup Products All Girls with Dry Skin Should Own

Applying makeup over dry skin can feel like a seriously daunting task, since oftentimes makeup can make your complexion look even drier. Ugh, what’s the deal? Well, it turns out you may not be using the right makeup products for your skin type—or prepping your skin properly beforehand, either. When it comes to dry skin, it’s important to ensure you’re keeping your complexion hydrated so that you can apply makeup smoothly. And when it comes to what kind of makeup to use, it’s a good idea to pick products that have a radiant or dewy finish—that means powders are an absolute no-no! Here, learn a simple skin care routine for dry skin along with makeup products to try if you’re on the dry side.

Before You Apply Your Makeup…

Don’t go applying your foundation just yet! If you have dry skin, it’s important to cleanse and moisturize your complexion with products formulated for your skin type.

The L’Oréal Paris Micellar Water for Dry Skin

Micellar water has been a French-favorite cleansing option for years—and for very good reason. Micellar water is powered by tiny micelles—oil molecules—that act as a magnet to lift dirt, oil, and makeup up and away from the skin. What’s more, micellar water doesn’t require any rinsing—all you have to do is saturate a cotton pad with some and wipe the pad across your face. The L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin hydrates and soothes. Since you don’t need to be anywhere near a sink to use micellar water, it’s a particularly valuable product for the gym or traveling. Throw one in your bag the next time you need to cleanse on the go!

The L’Oréal Paris Moisturizers for Dry Skin

You should use a moisturizer daily—morning and night—regardless of your skin type. Whether you have normal to dry skin or extra dry skin, you can find the right facial lotion for your needs. The following two water-based moisturizers from L’Oréal Paris are formulated with hyaluronic acid and aloe water to help provide long-lasting hydration.

Normal and dry skin faces external factors like pollution and UV rays that can damage the skin’s moisture barrier, increasing loss of moisture and causing it to become drier. As a result, skin surface loses its natural glow, becoming dull. The L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Dry Skin envelops skin with moisture to help it appear more radiant.

Extra dry skin has a very fragile skin moisture barrier that can easily be damaged by external factors like pollution and UV rays. Skin consequently loses its ability to retain moisture, becoming easily dehydrated, feeling tight and uncomfortable. The L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Extra Dry Skin envelops skin with moisture, providing comfort and soothing your complexion.

Of course, in the morning it’s essential to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher over your moisturizer to help protect against UV rays. Look for one formulated for dry skin!

The Best Makeup Products for Dry Skin

Ready to apply your face for the day? Here are our favorite makeup options for dry skin. Get your glow on!

1. Primer

A good primer can help ensure that your makeup stays in place and it can also else create a smooth canvas for face makeup application. When you have dry skin, it can often look dull, so reach for a primer that has light-infusing qualities, like the L’Oréal Paris Magic Lumi Primer. You can wear it under or mixed with foundation to create a soft light illusion. Or, you can highlight specific areas of your face (think: down the bridge of your nose, the tops of your cheekbones, and your cupid’s bow) to create a sculpted effect.

2. Liquid Foundation

Powder makeup can settle onto your complexion, making you look even drier. Who wants that? Instead, opt for a liquid foundation, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation, which offers medium, long-lasting coverage with a radiant finish.

3. Foundation Blender

Since you’re going to want to use a liquid foundation on dry skin, it’s time to invest in a makeup sponge for application. Putting makeup on with a blender—rather than your fingers—allows for a more seamless look. The L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender has a pointed tip on one side and a rounded edge on the other. Apply a small amount of foundation onto the tip of the blender and bounce it all over your face using the rounded edge until you’ve reached your desired level of coverage.

Need to wash your foundation blender? Just clean it with a gentle soap and water, squeeze out the excess water, and store it in a cool, dry place until the next time you’re ready to use it.

4. Liquid Highlighter

Highlighter is one of those products that can help to instantly transform your face. And if you have dry skin, you’re going to want to reach for a liquid one over a powder one. The L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator is a multi-use product that can be worn all over your face or applied to targeted areas (like the outer corners of your eyes, down the bridge of your nose, your cupid’s bow, and your chin, to name a few).

This liquid illuminator comes in three shades—ice, golden, and rose—so there’s a match for every skin tone. The ice illuminator enhances pink or blue tones in cool skin tones; the golden illuminator enhances peachy or yellow tones in warm skin tones; and the rose illuminator enhances yellow, peachy, pink, or blue tones in neutral skin tones.

5. Cream Concealer

When it comes to dry skin, we can’t reiterate enough how much you should stay away from powder makeup! If you’d like to wear concealer, reach for a creamy formula. The L’Oréal Paris Infallible Total Cover Concealing and Contour Kit is a palette containing four creamy flesh-toned concealer hues. Use them to cover skin imperfections after you apply foundation or use them to contour and highlight for a chiseled, totally on-trend look. You only need a little bit of concealer—there’s no reason to go overboard! In the case of concealer, less is definitely more. If you’re contouring and/or highlighting, only go two shades darker or lighter than your skin tone so that the result is natural-looking.

6. Concealer Blender

Just as you should consider applying liquid foundation with a blender, you should give the same thought to concealer application as well. The L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Concealer Blender has a pointed tip and a flat edge so that you can blend in easily. Apply a small amount of concealer onto the pointed tip of the blender, then use the flat edge to blend and bounce in circular motions around your eyes, nose, and mouth.

7. Contour Blender

Ready to get to work on the popular contouring trend? Reach for a contour blender, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Contour Blender, which has pointed tips and flat sides. Apply a small amount of contour or highlighter onto the pointed tip and draw lines around your cheekbones, jawline, and nose. Then, blend your contour lines with the flat side of the sponge in circular motions. Well hello there, cheekbones!

8. Cream Eye Shadow

There’s just something oh-so-pretty about a shimmery cream eye shadow. The L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow is available in 24 gorgeous shades. Some of our favorite, trendy colors include Burst into Bloom, Liquid Diamond, and Golden Sage. The easiest way to apply a cream eye shadow is to use your fingers. Just gently pat your color of choice onto your lids and you’re good to go!

8. Glossy Balm

Have dry lips? Then you know that applying a matte lipstick over your pout is not exactly the best look. Reach for the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Glossy Balm instead of a lipstick. A glossy balm is the perfect way to rock some shiny color on your lips while staying low maintenance. It’s available in eight shades, so toss one (or more!) in your purse and reapply as often as you’d like. Kiss, kiss!

If you are interested in wearing matte lipstick—everyone’s doing it these days!—be sure to use a lip scrub beforehand to help exfoliate dead skin cells from the surface of your lips. Then, follow up with a hydrating lip balm before moving on to lipstick.

9. Makeup Setting Spray

Want to help keep your makeup locked in place as you go about your day? Instead of setting powder, try a makeup setting spray, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Spray & Set Makeup Extender Setting Spray. To use, first shake the bottle well. Then, holding it eight to 10 inches away from your face, spritz it on to your complexion when your makeup is complete four to six times in an X and T motion. See ya later, midday touchup!