The Dreamiest Way to Wear Matte Foundation

If smooth, velvety, shine-free skin is top of your beauty agenda, a matte foundation with a powder-soft finish belongs in your makeup bag. Not only will it disguise an oily t-zone in a single sweep, but matte formulas also tend to give you longer-lasting wear, locking down for day-to-night flawlessness. So, how you make the most of a matte makeup look? It’s all in the prep. Here’s your full routine, from pore-perfecting primer to the most flattering finishers…

1. Prep and Prime

Even oily complexions benefit from a moisturiser, so prep cleansed skin with an oil-free lotion, focusing on areas where skin is driest. These are usually your cheeks, under-eyes or forehead. Then, apply primer. If matte skin with a dose of radiance is your goal, go for Miracle Prep Illuminating & Hydrating Primer to veil skin in natural-looking luminosity that glows through your base.

Ultra-oily skins will love Miracle Prep Pore Minimising & Mattifying Primer, which sets the stage for a shine-free t-zone before you’ve even reached foundation.

2. Conceal and Correct

The best under-eye concealers are light-reflective, luminosity-boosting liquids, but they don’t always blend so seamlessly over a matte, powdered base. Instead, apply your favourite cover-up before your powder foundation. We love Radiant Lift Concealer for complete dark circle camouflage that stays all day.

Dealing with oily eyelids? Swipe on Miracle Prep Eyeshadow Primer, too. It smooths away dark circles on lids – farewell, fatigue! – and creates a crease-proof canvas for your eyeshadow. The dream.

3. Make it Matte

Matte foundation, you’re up. Choose a powder formula, like Facefinity Compact Foundation, and apply with a blending sponge. Bonus: Facefinity comes with its very own blender. Then, start smoothing foundation from the centre of your face, building up coverage through an oily t-zone, then blending outwards until you have a flawless, even base. Tap a little extra powder wherever you feel you need it – nose, chin, forehead - then tuck the compact into your handbag, ready for touch-ups.

The best part? Because your matte foundation is a powder, you don’t need to apply a face powder on top. That means fewer layers of makeup and a more natural-looking finish.

4. Finesse Your Formulas

Make your makeup textures work in harmony by matching a powder foundation with a powder blush and bronzer. It’s all about creating that perfect balance for a natural-looking finish. Our picks? Crème Puff Blush is healthy skin in a palette, lending cheeks a pretty flush with a hint of highlight, while Crème Bronzer creates a believable bronze glow with multi-tonal, tan-mimicking pigments.

If you’d still like to add highlighter, press the shimmer from Miracle Glow Duo Pro Illuminator onto the tops of cheekbones and the cupid’s bow, giving you all the glow without a trace of shine.

5. Complete the Look

There are so many ways to work a matte foundation. For everyday wear, team with a no-makeup makeup look by gliding on a brown mascara and Velvet Mattes Lipstick in Nude. Dream team.

For night-out glam, take your look up a level with Volume Infusion Mascara in Black, a flick of Masterpiece High Precision Liquid Eyeliner and Velvet Mattes Lipstick in the deep crimson shade Desire.

Looking for more ways to achieve flawless makeup?

Discover our guide to applying full coverage foundation or read your need-to-know tips on colour correcting.