How to master matte skin

A matte complexion doesn’t just come down to make-up – your skin plays a major role, too! The key to keeping your skin matte from dusk until dawn is all in the prep. After that, you can get to work on the base.

Follow our step-by-step guide to mastering a matte complexion, and you’ll be flaunting a flawless face in no time.

SKIN PREP

Cleanse
To keep your skin as clear as possible, use a calming, balancing and hydrating cleanser. This will help to reduce any redness and give your skin a burst of hydration, all while clearing excess dirt and oil.
bh loves: Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, Skin Matrix Balancing Cleanser

Exfoliate
A sure-fire way to accentuate your flaky patches is to apply make-up over them, so it’s essential to get rid of all that build-up first. Exfoliate your skin to slough away pore-clogging gunk and dead skin cells, and you’ll be left with a fresh and clean canvas for your foundation.
bh loves: Goodness Every Week Face Scrub, Sukin Revitalising Facial Scrub

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Moisturise
Matte skin doesn’t have to mean dry skin, so give your skin a dose of hydration by applying moisturiser before make-up. This will balance your skin’s natural oils to prevent it from over-producing oil and looking greasy and shiny during the day.
bh loves: Models Prefer Matte Me, Dermalogica Clear Start Oil Clearing Matte Moisturiser

TIME TO PRIME

Now that your skin’s in tip-top condition, smooth it out with a perfecting primer. Not only will a primer stop your make-up from budging, but it’ll help to even out your skin tone, refine your pores and ward off that mid-afternoon oil slick.
bh loves: Rimmel London Stay Matte Primer, Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer

MATTIFYING MAKE-UP

Foundation
An oil-free, lightweight foundation is the secret to a magnificently mattified base. The formula will sink in and dry with a matte finish, leaving your skin looking and feeling smooth and clear, rather than dewy.
bh loves: Clarins Ever Matte Foundation SPF 15, Australis Cosmetics Matte Up Foundation

Powder
Set your foundation by dusting your face with loose powder. Use a large powder brush and make sure you focus on areas that tend to become oily or shiny, like your forehead, nose and chin. Apply as much or as little as you like, depending on whether you want sheer or full coverage.
bh loves: MOMMA Ministry of Mineral Makeup Australia Matte Mineral Base, Mineralogy Matte Finishing Powder

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Bronzer
Many people think matte skin automatically has to be dull and flat. False! Create some contours by sweeping bronzing powder in the hollows of your cheeks, around your hairline, down the bridge of your nose, and along your jawline.
bh loves: Nude by Nature Pressed Matte Mineral Bronzer, Max Factor Bronzing Powder

Blotting papers
To combat shine during the day, keep some blotting papers stashed in your handbag. Then, lightly press the paper over shiny areas to lift away grease and oil and mattify your face once again. And don’t worry, the papers won’t remove the make-up you so painstakingly applied!
bh loves: NYX Cosmetics Blotting Paper, Bobbi Brown Blotting Paper

Do you like having a matte complexion? What are your go-to products for achieving matte skin?