Glow Year-’Round With This Dewy Makeup Tutorial for Dark Skin

How to Do Dewy Makeup on Dark Skin

1. A Dewy Skincare Routine Is Key

Let’s be real: Skin prep is always imperative when it comes to makeup staying on throughout the day and effortlessly blending in with the skin. But with dewy makeup especially, moisture-boosting skincare is key. After cleansing, we recommend leaving the skin slightly damp and applying a hyaluronic acid serum to allow that moisture to seep into the skin. We can’t get enough of the 111SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Booster, which also happens to be a fan favorite of our IPSY community. Next, we recommend a deeply hydrating moisturizer. You can’t go wrong with the GLOW RECIPE Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream. And if you don’t have acne-prone skin, we recommend a face oil as a final step before SPF. Our pick? The YENSA BEAUTY CBD Superfood Face Oil. 

2. Apply a Glowy Primer

Raffaela points out that “the same rules apply to all skin tones when it comes to dewy skin application,” but the key is “strategic layering.” To begin, she suggests starting with a glowy primer so that there’s a dewy base sitting underneath the remaining applications. Her pick? The SAIE Glowy Super Gel for a “lit-from-within” glow. We’re fans of the CHARLOTTE TILBURY Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick. While not a primer per-se, it serves as an excellent dewy base to layer underneath your main foundation application. You don’t need to match your exact skin tone. A shade or two lighter is fine since the finish is sheer. 

3. Apply a Hydrating Foundation

To go with the theme of glowy and dewy, Raffaela advises steering clear from matte foundations and opting for something more moisture-boosting. She recommends the award-winning ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40. Clinically proven to improve the look of dryness, blemishes, redness, wrinkles, and uneven tone over time, this skincare-driven formula is light and airy. 

If you’re looking for a bit more coverage, however, we suggest the CHARLOTTE TILBURY Beautiful Skin Foundation which contains hyaluronic acid for locking in moisture, rose complex to help brighten and smooth, and Bix-Activ to help reduce unwanted shine and blur the look of pores. Trust us, it’s a win.

4. Be Strategic With Your Concealer

When it comes to your concealer step for dewy makeup on dark skin, you’ll want to approach it differently than you would a normal concealer. You’ll want to go the opposite direction of your other products (meaning taking a step back from the moisture for a moment). We love the classic TARTE Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Concealer.

“You’ll want to go a few shades lighter than your actual skin tone so that the concealer brightens and pops,” Raffaela advises. “Apply under your eyes, around your T-zone, and anywhere else where you want a brightening contrast. But the matte finish is key to evening out the look so you appear dewy versus oily.”

5. Apply Blush

When it comes to deepening those cheeks for a dewy look, you’ll want to take note here. “When choosing your cheek color, it’s important to remember that darker skin tones need higher contrast to look balanced,” Raffaela explains. “Brighter colors provide that contrast.” She suggests a glowy, hydrating blush like the HAUS LABS Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Tangelo. “It’ll add a pop of color while producing a dewy hydrated glow to the skin without overtaking the whole look,” she explains. For added oomph, the makeup artist opts for the TOWER 28 SuperDew Highlighter. “It’s a shimmer-free clear balm that you can strategically place on the face to the areas where you want more of that high-shine, dewy look. It looks especially flattering on darker skin tones.”

6. Apply Powder in Select Areas

Feel like you’re over-dewing it? Not a problem. Raffaela says to snag your favorite setting powder (all hail the LAURA MERCIER Translucent Loose Setting Powder!) and lightly apply it to the areas where you want a bit more balance. We suggest retracting the areas where you applied the concealer. “I recommend loose or pressed powder in the T-zone to look more matte or satin, giving you a more balanced look,” she says. “But don’t go overboard with the setting powder though, because you don’t want to defeat the purpose of all that dewy makeup.”

7. Lock the Look In

Last but certainly not least, grab that setting spray. TikTok and Raffaela agree the ONE/SIZE On ‘Til Dawn is where it’s at. The pro explains, “This final step is key to ensure the matte areas stay matte and the dewy areas dewy.”