How to Apply Makeup on Dry, Peeling Skin

Applying makeup when your skin is dehydrated can make flakes look even more obvious. But that doesn’t mean you have to go bare-faced. To achieve a smoother complexion, using the right products both in your skincare and makeup routines is key. Here, we’re sharing our tried-and-true tips for how to apply makeup on dry, flaky skin. 

Start With a Gentle Cleanser

Cosmetics tend to latch onto dry skin, which can accentuate your dry patches and lead to the appearance of an uneven makeup application. To prevent your skin from becoming even more dry, use a gentle cleanser that won’t strip you of essential moisture. A great lightweight option is a micellar water like the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1. 

Moisturize

After you’ve cleansed your skin, it’s time to layer on the moisture. Moisturizing can help improve the look of dry, peeling skin and reintroduce some much-needed hydration. We recommend Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, which helps soften and smooth skin, provides 24 hours of hydration and absorbs quickly.

Prime Your Skin

A good primer can help makeup glide onto the skin effortlessly to help create a flawless look, even on dry, flaky skin. Try the NYX Professional Makeup Marshmellow Smoothing Primer. It’s hydrating, helps target texture issues and keeps makeup looking fresh all day. 

Use the Right Makeup

Certain makeup products, like powder for example, can cling onto dry patches and accentuate their appearance. Instead, reach for hydrating liquid products like a tinted moisturizer. We love the L’Oréal Paris Skin Paradise Water-Infused Tinted Moisturizer because it contains skin-loving ingredients like aloe vera and witch hazel and gives skin an even, glowing look. 

Set Your Look 

To help achieve an even finish that looks dewy not dry, spritz on a setting spray. Instead of a mattifying formula, use one that’s infused with skincare ingredients and gives your complexion a luminous finish like the Urban Decay All Nighter Ultra Glow Setting Spray.

Photo: Chaunte Vaughn

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