What Is a Dewy Foundation? Here Are Our Top Favorites for Each Skin Type

What Is a Dewy Foundation?

“A dewy foundation gives a radiant, glowing finish to the skin,” explains Gabriella Elio, makeup artist and founder of Sweed Beauty. While matte foundations have oil-absorbing ingredients, dewy foundations often have hydrating ingredients that are popular in skincare like squalane, hyaluronic acid, or jojoba oil. Dewy foundations also typically have light to medium coverage that you can build upon, making them perfect for enhancing your skin without looking too covered up or cakey. They often contain light-reflecting pigments that boost the dewy look even more. 

Overall, a dewy foundation is the perfect product to reach for if you want a fresh, radiant look that makes your skin look extra quenched and healthy when you wear it IRL. If you’re on camera, a dewy foundation might be a bit too light-reflecting, so make sure to use caution if you’re wearing it for a big event or some other occasion where you’re going to be filmed or photographed. 

Best Dewy Foundations for Every Skin Type

1. Best Dewy Foundation for Oily Skin:

LYS BEAUTY Triple Fix Serum Foundation

While this foundation is hydrating with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, it’s not overly dewy, according to Ipster reviews. With anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, it will also help improve your skin’s appearance over time. 

2. Best Dewy Foundation for Combination Skin:

HUDA BEAUTY GloWish Multidew Vegan Skin Tint Foundation

This vegan skin tint is packed with squalane, Damascus rose oil, and red bell pepper extract (a natural antioxidant) to keep skin hydrated and protected as you wear it. Although it contains hydrating rose oil, it is a water-based foundation that won’t overwhelm skin that has oily areas. 

3. Best Dewy Foundation for Dry Skin:

INIKA Organic Serum Foundation

Courtesy of INIKA

If you deal with dry skin, the word ceramide is probably second nature to you by now. Why? This is the key ingredient that helps repair the skin barrier and keep it protected so your skin appears more hydrated and healthy overall. This serum foundation by INIKA is packed with ceramides, which is a rare find for a foundation. Take advantage by adding this to your makeup kit. 

4. Best Dewy Foundation for Mature Skin:

SWEED Glass Skin Foundation

Courtesy of SWEED

This foundation contains sea water and seaweed, which are natural antioxidants that help protect the skin from indoor and outdoor pollution, including blue light, that can increase visible signs of aging. Plus, since it contains vitamin E, it helps to protect and hydrate the skin barrier, which is perfect for those with mature skin. 

5. Best Dewy Foundation Splurge:

CHANEL Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint

Courtesy of CHANEL

Elio loves recommending this skin tint to clients. “It is excellent if you want a dewy skincare finish with light coverage,” she says. It has a gel texture and pigmented micro-droplets that create a radiant look on the skin. Plus, you can build up coverage as you see fit. 

6. Best Drugstore Dewy Foundation:

MAYBELLINE Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation

Courtesy of MAYBELLINE

Do you deal with rough patches on the skin or uneven texture? This MAYBELLINE foundation is your new holy grail. It’s oil-free, non-comedogenic, and has ingredients like vitamin E and SPF 18 for a bit of sun protection. 

7. Best Dewy Tinted Moisturizer:

LAURA GELLER ​​Quench-n-Tint Lightweight Tinted Moisturizer

Courtesy of LAURA GELLER

Think of this as a moisturizer-meets-foundation. The weightless formula is ideal for dry, dehydrated skin (including mature skin), and It’s infused with hyaluronic acid for intense hydration. The sheer-to-light coverage is easy to apply with your finger tips for an even complexion and a dewy glow.

8. Best Dewy CC Cream:

IT COSMETICS CC+ Cream Full-Coverage Foundation with SPF 50+

Courtesy of IT COSMETICS

This CC cream checks off a lot of boxes when it comes to foundation must-haves. With SPF 50, you have ample sun protection, and it also features anti-aging technology that is clinically proven to improve skin’s texture, brightness, and hydration by 79 percent. It doesn’t just stop at the long-term benefits, you can also expect the instant gratification of dewy full coverage.

Tips for Applying Dewy Foundations

One of the best ways to apply a dewy foundation is to start with a small amount of product and see if you want to layer it from there. Adding a few pumps to the entire face and then smoothing out with finger tips is a great way to start. We find that if you have larger pores, pressing foundation into the pores with finger tips helps distribute coverage evenly.

From there, take a flat foundation brush (we love the F.A.R.A.H Flat Foundation Brush 615F) and pat in the remaining product that your finger tips may have missed to seal in the coverage. 

Another insider tip? Mix your already dewy foundation with a few drops of hydrating skin oil, like the DRUNK ELEPHANT Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil for an extra dewy finish.

FAQ Section

Can I use dewy foundation if I have oily skin?

According to Elio, people with oily skin can use dewy foundations, but you just need to pay extra attention to the ingredients and make sure nothing is comedogenic (aka will clog pores). This could cause unexpected (and annoying!) breakouts. Look for a foundation that’s oil-free, yet still has hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid. 

How do I make my dewy foundation last all day?

“The magic lies in picking the right one for your skin type,” says Elio. It can also be helpful to seal your look with a finishing powder. If you think adding a powder makes your skin appear too dry, try a hydrating setting spray instead. We love the URBAN DECAY All Nighter Vitamin C Hydrating Setting Spray for this. 

What’s the difference between dewy and luminous foundations?

“In my world, luminous means pearls and fine shimmer in the formula while dewy means more skincare ingredients that [give that] after facial-glow-finish with maximum hydration,” says Elio. Although both luminous and dewy foundations typically give light-reflecting radiant looks, dewy foundations will be more hydrating on the skin’s surface.  

Final Thoughts

Overall, choosing a dewy foundation is perfect if you want not only a glowy look, but also to get hydrating ingredients into your everyday routine. Most dewy foundations are formulated with vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and squalane to help condition your skin over time as you wear it. 

If you have oily skin, look for a water-based foundation that doesn’t have any ingredients that could clog pores. If you have normal to combination skin, you have a bit more flexibility (see above). Either way, make sure to check out the IPSY Shop to grab and learn more about all of your favorite beauty products.