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

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

How to master matte skin

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

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?

80 Member Comments

Linda_Vesinger 4 Jan 2016 1:17 AM

I had it in a discovery bag & loved it - got rid of my facial redness so easily too!

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Elsje 6 Aug 2015 9:14 PM

When I go for my matte look I use Nude By Nature Loose Mineral Powder. It's my favourite powder ever! You can do a light coverage or build it up easily.

Sydneyswans910 20 Jul 2015 5:32 PM

I love the matte look because I have a really oily T-zone. Unfortunately I can get lazy with the powder and my face ends up looking really greasy by the afternoon - I'm really keen to try the new matte foundations which are popping up.

Shop A Everyday 18 Jul 2015 6:40 PM

I love exfoliating before I go out, as the foundation sits so much better

AimJJ 3 Jul 2015 3:57 PM

A matte look is my favourite. Especially because I have oily skin, I love looking at my face shine free.

Michelle240 26 Jun 2015 9:45 AM

Exfoliating is so important for a matte look.

Jeyani 25 Jun 2015 6:59 PM

Thanks for the great tips. I love the matte look. I always think it looks classy and clean and fresh. To maintain my matte look when i'm out and about i dust loose mineral powder foundation over my face and it helps maintain the matte look.

Snyman 24 Jun 2015 10:35 AM

Looking Matte is very classy however I find it difficult to maintain during the day. I shall try blotting papers

priyanka705 23 Jun 2015 5:51 PM

ooh these are good tips. the matte look is one of my favourites.

Stensen 23 Jun 2015 1:06 PM

I think the most important step would be to dust powder on top for a matte look. Blotting papers would help as well.

Pinkswoon 22 Jun 2015 10:04 PM

i wish i can master the matte look. After a few hours, my skin get oil and i ended up with not-so-matte look

Fashionista8P 22 Jun 2015 9:25 PM

i love the look of the matter skin

Temporary Princess 22 Jun 2015 7:17 PM

I don't think I really need something to keep me matte - I'm more of a dewy person.

Platinum Ms 22 Jun 2015 2:48 PM

I don't usually do a matte finish unless my skin is flawless and happy a great article for beauties who need to fine tune that matte finish.

Elefante 22 Jun 2015 12:35 PM

I love a matte complexion in the winter!

freaky 20 Jun 2015 4:58 PM

Great tip for applying bronzer to cheek hollows. Im slowly but surely getting better and better at this make up thing. Thanks for that BH!

clearcrystalwater 19 Jun 2015 8:35 PM

Today I used some Nyx blotting paper and it works really well and really quickly to mattify my skin by removing the oil.

skitzkitty 19 Jun 2015 2:21 PM

I would say your skin has much more of an effect than the makeup products you use - I'm still looking for an ideal combo of products that can keep my oily nose staying matte all day!!!

Beautybabe140194 18 Jun 2015 10:58 PM

I like having a Matte finish to my makeup so I apply a mattifying primer and a powder. I take blotting tissues with me in my handbag in summer.

GoddessMagick 18 Jun 2015 8:09 PM

I wear dewy to minimise lines but love a matte look. Some handy tips here, the Clarins foundation sounds like it might be worth looking into.

Shop A Everyday 18 Jun 2015 2:04 PM

Lovely matt skin, looks flawless and lovely all the time

VivaliciousChic 18 Jun 2015 8:58 AM

I prefer natural dewy look to matte

modjo72 17 Jun 2015 8:18 PM

I have really oily skin and find it hard to keep a matte finish. Thanks for the tips.

maggieball 17 Jun 2015 5:39 PM

I really like blotting papers - they make such a difference to my skin. I didn’t think I could do a matte face with a bronzer but now I’m going to have to try.

ecnalubma 17 Jun 2015 4:23 PM

I'm a huge fan of a matte face, perhaps because in my teens I had very oily skin. Blotting papers have been a staple item in my beauty arsenal for ages! Some great tips here.

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How to master matte skin

SKIN PREP

TIME TO PRIME

MATTIFYING MAKE-UP

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?

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80 Member Comments

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