11 Tips for Applying Makeup to Dry Skin

Mastering a great makeup look isn’t the same for everyone, because what works for some might not work for others. Applying foundation for dry skin, for example, requires a different approach than it may for oily or even combination skin. To prevent your products from clinging to rough, flaky patches, it’s important to choose the right makeup for dry skin and prep your skin well. How you apply your products matters too—where dry skin is concerned, less is often more. 

If you’re wondering how to apply base makeup for dry skin without it looking patchy or uneven, keep reading. Here, we’re sharing our top tips for achieving a smooth, seamless makeup application on dry or flaky skin.

How To Prep Dry Skin for Makeup

Proper skin prep can help ensure your makeup goes on smoothly and evenly. Here’s what you’ll want to do before even reaching for your makeup bag. 

1. Exfoliate your face

Dryness and roughness often go hand-in-hand, and an uneven skin texture can interfere with how well your makeup goes on. Regular exfoliation can help smooth the skin, though you’ll want to take care to choose the right exfoliation method. We suggest using a chemical (rather than physical) exfoliant to gently resurface your skin. After washing your face, sweep the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives 5% Glycolic Acid Peeling Toner onto your skin. It contains glycolic acid and aloe vera and helps moisturize the skin as it refines skin tone and texture. 

Use a hyaluronic acid serum

If you have dry skin, it’s important to hydrate as much as possible to help give your skin the moisture it needs. After cleansing and toning your face, apply a hydrating serum, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. This lightweight, gentle face serum contains 1.5% pure hyaluronic acid and helps replenish hydration to promote a plumper, dewier-looking complexion.

Moisturize

Moisturizing should always be part of your everyday skincare routine, but it’s especially important when you’ll be applying makeup on dry skin. For lasting hydration without a heavy or greasy feel, we suggest using the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives Micro Hyaluronic Acid + Ceramides Line-Plumping Water Cream. The fast-absorbing formula helps skin attract and retain moisture for a softer, smoother feel. Plus, it also helps improve the appearance of fine lines over time. 

How To Choose Makeup for Dry Skin

Makeup for dry skin should be creamy, lightweight, and hydrating—these characteristics will help ensure you don’t end up looking ashy or cakey. Ahead, find three tips to help you find the best products to add to your routine. 

Opt for a hydrating primer 

Before applying your makeup, reach for a hydrating primer. Primers don’t just help base makeup for dry skin stay in place—they also help create a smooth canvas for your makeup application and add an extra layer of moisture. Pre-foundation, apply a thin layer of the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Makeup Blurring Face Primer Infused With Serum to your face. It helps blur the look of fine lines and pores and leaves the skin feeling softer and smoother over time. 

Use liquid or cream foundation 

The best foundations for dry skin tend to be satin or dewy-finish liquids and creams, as these have a more hydrating feel than powder products. Matte foundations, on the other hand, can make dry patches and flakes more noticeable. For your base, we suggest using the L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation, as its formula is lightweight and has a hydrating feel. It also boasts a natural skin-like finish—it’s neither matte nor dewy.

Alternatively, try the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Face Balm Foundation. It has a skincare-inspired formula and melts into the skin upon contact to provide medium coverage with a smooth, even-looking finish.

Reach for a lightweight concealer

If you’d like a little more coverage, you can use a concealer to spot correct dark spots, under-eye circles, or blemishes. Again, we suggest choosing a hydrating formula to help avoid unwanted creasing and ensure your makeup goes on smoothly. The L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer is a great choice: it’s infused with hyaluronic acid and provides up to 24 hours of hydration while helping to mask imperfections. Plus, the shades correspond with the rest of the products in the True Match line—so finding your ideal concealer and foundation pairing is virtually effortless. 

How To Enhance Your Makeup Look

Makeup for dry skin goes way beyond base makeup—depending on the look you’re hoping to achieve, you may also want to use blush, highlighter, and eye or lip makeup. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your look.

Use a liquid blush 

Blush is a great way to “wake up” a dehydrated, tired-looking complexion, but choosing the right formula is key. Powder blushes, while popular, can sometimes look too dry on already-dry skin. Instead, we suggest opting for cream or liquid formulas. The L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Liquid Blush is excellent for dry skin because it has a weightless formula that blends into the skin with ease and leaves behind a dewy natural finish.

Add highlighter

Highlighter is another great product for livening up a dry, dull complexion. Instead of sparkly or shimmery formulas, consider using a radiant-finish cream highlighter, like the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer. The illuminating formula contains glycerin and shea butter and provides all-day hydration with a lightweight feel. Tap a shade slightly lighter than your skin tone onto the high points of your face (your Cupid’s bow, cheekbones, and browbones) for a soft glow. Or, mix a bit into your foundation for a dewier, lit-from-within look. 

Nourish your lips

It’s not just your face that can look and feel dry—your lips (which also have skin) may be the same way. To avoid a dry (or uncomfortable) lip look, skip the matte lipsticks in favor of glossy, hydrating formulas. We love the L’Oréal Paris Glow Paradise Balm-in-Lipstick with Pomegranate Extract. The nourishing formula instantly hydrates the lips and leaves them softer and smoother with continued use. Swipe one of the 10 buildable, tinted formulas onto bare lips for a hint of color and a soft glow, or layer it under lip gloss for a high-shine look. 

Application Techniques for Dry Skin

Choosing the right makeup for dry skin is important, but so is applying it properly. Below, find a few tips for nailing your makeup application.

Use a damp makeup sponge

While brushes are great (and essential) tools in any makeup bag, foundation for dry skin is often best applied with a damp makeup sponge. The moisture can help ensure everything applies and blends smoothly and reduces the chance of your makeup settling into fine lines or clinging onto dry patches.

Choose your setting products wisely

Developing dry skin from makeup can happen if you’re using the wrong products for your skin type. Powders can be great for mattifying an oily complexion but may be too drying for those with already dry skin. Instead of setting your base with a translucent powder, we recommend using a setting spray, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist. It helps lock makeup into place for up to 36 hours and leaves the skin with a glowy, healthy-looking finish. If you do need to use powder to set any of your products, use a light hand—less is definitely more. 

Next Up: How To Exfoliate Properly for Brighter, Smoother Skin