Felicity Ingram

The beauty corners of the internet may have been overrun by matte lipsticks for the past few years, but matte skin is an enduring trend that started long before the cosmetics industry was in any way regulated. Indeed, some believe that Queen Elizabeth I, known for her powdered, pale complexion, eventually died of blood poisoning caused by her love of a lead-based make-up, known as Venetian ceruse.

Common make-up wisdom states that the older one gets, the less a matte make-up look is likely to suit a person. Powders can settle in lines and wrinkles and, in any case, what’s more youth-enhancing than a natural glow to the skin?

Perhaps it’s something to do with the fact that I’m approaching 30, and that my days of inadvertent oil-slick face are, for the most part, behind me, but recently I’ve noticed a change in the way I apply my make-up. Instead of packing a face powder in my bag everywhere I go, I’ve started to leave my skin with barely a hint of foundation and no powder (barring days when I know I have a lot of dashing around to do), embracing the shine I used to loathe.

Getty Images. Jim Spellman

On the other hand my sister Evie, three years younger than me, is never without her DoubleWear foundation and powder, and hates the idea of looking anything other than perfectly matte. “I’m shiny when I wake up – why would I want to be shiny with make-up on?” she argues. “And I never look ‘dewy’ either. I look shiny!”

Dewy, glossy, glowy, juicy… the undisputed queen of all of these terms in the beauty industry is the New York-based British make-up artist Katie Jane Hughes, whose Instagram tutorials would be enough to give my sister nightmares but, every time, result in a five-minute masterclasses in perfecting her now trademark fresh, glossy skin.

“Some people think that the dewy look comes across as oily but I think everybody can go dewy even if they are a little afraid of it,” Hughes says. “The older that we get the fresher the skin should look – less powder on the high points and where any fine lines are.”

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“My own make-up icons are Rosie Huntington-Whiteley because she’s not afraid of make-up at all, Juliane Moore because she always is super chic but fun with make-up, and definitely Tracy Ellis Ross. No explanation needed, she’s a style icon.”

Here, Hughes gives Bazaar her top tips in replicating the skin so often sported by celebrities, but so often terrifying to try and to replicate…

The skin prep

“I always start with good skincare,” Hughes tells Bazaar. “I love a cleansing oil and an SPF is super-important. I definitely put an emphasis on glowy, shiny products on the high points, almost like an under make-up highlighter. I use a rich face cream massaged in and then what’s left, I apply to my t-zone.”

Hughes often uses Weleda Skin Food, approx. RM68.21, in her tutorials.

The t-zone

“If you are a little afraid of the glow, you can control the shine in the t-zone with a touch of powder,” says Hughes. “bareMinerals new Blemish Remedy Foundation is awesome for this as it helps to combat any breakouts at the same time. Next, I apply a concealer like bareMinerals BarePro 16-Hour Full Coverage Concealer over any areas I want to cover up. Then I have that gorgeous balanced glowy skin, because I’m not covering the cream I’ve used elsewhere with foundation.”

(As a side note, on particularly sweaty days, Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder can be a godsend for seeing off any unwanted excess shine and blurring the appearance of pores.)

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Blemishes

“If you don’t have perfect skin, it’s still possible to do this look – just use a luminous product like bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream all over, then conceal where you need to.”

Bazaar also recommends the Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow Instant Soft-Focus Beauty Flash applied around the nose and chin, as it helps to lift any areas of redness, giving a more even complexion.

Still afraid?

“Take it step at a time and just up the ‘dew’ as you feel comfortable,” says Hughes. “A glowy, natural blush with a tad of shimmer is a great place to start.”

Bazaar‘s favourites are by Nars and Bobbi Brown. Take it to the next level with a spritz of Iconic London Prep-Set-Glow, which will help your make-up to stay put, while adding a subtle but not scary radiance to the skin.

From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK