Mattifying & Sheer Foundation Suggestions

May 3, 2016 4:29 AM

Makeup wearers of Metafilter- what can you recommend for a foundation that is both sheer AND mattifying for a person with naturally "dewy" skin?

After many years of wearing full coverage foundation I am lucky to be a point where my skin is actually in decent shape thanks to accutane! While taking accutane I started to wear BB creams since my skin was so dry and needed just a little evening out. But now it has been a few years and my oily (although still blemish free) skin is just not working with my BB creams (kiehls bb, mac bb)- after about 2 hours my face is super shiny! I have tried foundations (makeup forever ultra hd) but while a great product, it feel so heavy and full coverage for the typical day to day. Plus with some old acne scars foundation can make those look worse.

I want a BB/CC/Tinted moisturizer/foundation that is sheer AND mattifying. I am happy to take recommendations for primers to help combat this as well! SPF is a plus but not necessary. Price is not a huge issue within reason. Suggestions?

posted by KMoney to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (17 answers total)

I'm quite happy with guerlain's lingerie d peau foundation. It's almost exactly as you describe. I think it runs out a little faster than my previous foundations, maybe it will last 3-4 months... But I suppose I use a little more than I did with my full coverage stuff. But in my mind I like to change foundations each season if I get a bit of color in the sun etc.
posted by catspajammies at 4:47 AM on May 3, 2016

Chanel CC Cream has pretty light coverage with a matte texture.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation has medium coverage that's very matte but feels very light on the skin.
posted by maykasahara at 4:59 AM on May 3, 2016

I like NYX Pore Filler. It comes out of the tube with a weird, crumbly texture, but I just smooth it out a bit between my fingers before applying it. I find that it helps a lot with acne scars on my chin. The coverage probably isn't enough if you have a lot of redness, but combined with a light BB cream or tinted moisturizer, it should give you a nice matte finish. It's kind of a peachy-pink color that's pretty close to my skin tone, so I'm not sure how it looks on darker skin (but according to this review it works).
posted by neushoorn at 5:01 AM on May 3, 2016

Personally I find foundation with mattifying effects too drying so I go with finishing powder instead (currently obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Airbrush finishing powder and also Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in Dim).

If you tend to be oily, maybe check out Nars All Day Luminous Weightless foundation. It was too dry for me but I found it very mattifying and very light.
posted by like_neon at 5:05 AM on May 3, 2016

Nars velvet matte skin tint!!

I have used their radiant tinted moisturizer for the past year and I like it in the winter to give my skin a little life and sheer, buildable coverage. But in the summer I need to control the shine somehow and i find this works well for me - also sheer and buildable. I also pair it with their creamy concealer which is great but a bit tacky when you apply it so you need to work quickly. Overall, highly recommend.
posted by hepta at 5:20 AM on May 3, 2016 [3 favorites]

I have oily skin and while I don't wear foundation I did find this SunSense tinted oil-free matte sunscreen which does a good job of not leaving me a shiny mess.
posted by corvine at 6:13 AM on May 3, 2016

I use BB cream (I have a few, no favourite brand) with Smashbox primer, which is expensive but amazing!
posted by theseldomseenkid at 6:57 AM on May 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

My skin sounds similar, and I'm a huge fan of Benefit's Hello Flawless powder foundation.
posted by gatorae at 7:22 AM on May 3, 2016

Nars Velvet Matte skin tint is excellent! Looks natural, not flat, great texture, doesn't slide off oily areas.
posted by matildaben at 7:30 AM on May 3, 2016

I have oily/combo skin and I've been using this Rimmel 002 primer for about a year now. My only complaint is that it is not fragrance free, but it is super cheap, works as well as higher end primers and keeps my oily face matte for about 9hrs. I wear it over Cliniques Even Better moisturizer/spf.

Every few months I get bored of this routine, try to switch it up, and my skin gets angry. (Sorry fancy korean face routine, its not you, it's me)
posted by larthegreat at 7:30 AM on May 3, 2016

I really like Clinique's Even Better Foundation, which is quite light, has SPF, and doesn't have any fragrance or anything to irritate the skin. I think it is one step up from a tinted moisturizer, but certainly way less than a full coverage foundation. One suggestion would be to go to Sephora and get them to give you some samples of different brands so you can see what works on your skin.
posted by LKWorking at 7:55 AM on May 3, 2016

I find Jouer Matte Moisture Tint to give a long-lasting matte finish that's simultaneously sheer enough not to look like a mask, but pigmented enough to take away redness and mask blemishes. It's also SPF 15, which is a nice bonus.

Armani Luminous Silk is a fantastic foundation but in my experience, it kind of soaks into the skin and if you're naturally dewy, you will see some shine by the afternoon.
posted by Aubergine at 8:17 AM on May 3, 2016

I swear by Shiseido "The Makeup" Powdery Foundation. Liquid foundation feels so dirty to me like I just want to scratch it off. This is a sheer powder foundation that covers just enough, but never feels like you have anything on.
posted by cecic at 9:13 AM on May 3, 2016

Primer! I love Smashbox's primers, and you can generally get your hand on samples pretty easily. In your case, I'd say try the Oil Free.

I use one with their BB cream, or their Halo powder foundation to get the look you are describing.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 9:59 AM on May 3, 2016

If you can drop the money on it, Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua is heavenly. I would put it on top of a light moisturizer (I just tried Clinique's Turnaround Daytime and was impressed with the non-stickyness of it in 80 degree humid weather) and top it with a fine loose powder like Laura Mercier's. Every Bb/cc I've tried ends up being too goopy for the warm seasons on my oil-prone skin.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 10:46 AM on May 3, 2016

I have oily skin and prefer BB creams to foundations given their look. That said, without a primer, I tend to turn oily pretty quickly. The Smashbox mentioned above feels great going on and works pretty well. If you want serious oil control in a primer, Becca Poreless Priming Perfector is serious business -- doesn't feel as good going on as the Smashbox but for me controlled oil longer. I pair the primers with Bobbi Brown BB Cream, which I love. I also really liked IPKN BB cream, but that's a little dewier, so may not be matte enough for you, and doesn't have the shade variety of Bobbi Brown. Sometimes I'll give my face a going over with powder if I want to be super matte, either Laura Mercier or Becca.

Alternately, if I'm not feeling primer and powder, I use the Bobbi Brown BB cream and then swipe the Estee Lauder Estee Edit Pore Vanishing Stick over my t-zone, and that also works quite well for quickie morning makeup, and if I start to get a bit oily, I just blot and reswipe with the Vanishing Stick.

(Also, not your question exactly, but I have to say once I got my moisturizing routine on point, including way more moisturizing than I thought I needed -- I'm so oily! Why moisturize much? -- my oiliness has decreased significantly. You are probably way ahead of me here given the Accutane/actually consulting with a derm, but as someone who struggled with makeup sliding off my face about 10 minutes after I stepped out of the house, this has made a huge difference, to the point that I have stopped using the Becca primer because I don't need that level of oil control anymore.)
posted by HonoriaGlossop at 1:42 PM on May 3, 2016

I really like BareMineral's Bareskin liquid foundation. I was skeptical at first but when it dries it has a powder-like feel that is not heavy like a lot of foundations. I got a few compliments about my skin looking more glowy after I started using it.

For primer I use NYX Shine Killer. The Smashbox Photo Finish primer line is where it's really at but it is definitely pricey.
posted by fox problems at 6:42 PM on May 3, 2016