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Dry skin can become annoying, and oily skin can get even worse, but imagine having to deal with both issues. Fortunately, your fabulous face can look flawless, even if you are dealing with dry skin with a bit of oil. Primers and foundations made with the right ingredients will help moisturize your skin while keeping the oil locked in.
Age-Reversing
Los Angeles makeup artist Jeannie Tran, founder of HappyMakeupGirl, loves Korres Quercetin & Oak Age-Reversing Primer. She says that it moisturizes and makes skin smoother and softer -- creating a dewy base ready for foundation. Tran loves the age-reversing formula that improves the skin’s texture while priming the skin for foundation. She says the quercetin and oak extracts even help repair fine lines and wrinkles. “Because the product is silicone free, it’s great for people with dry skin and an oily T-zone,” says Tran.
Regulating Oil
Pesky oil can ruin your whole look. Celebrity makeup artist Dawn DeSantis loves Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation HD and the Maifanishi Moisturizing Foundation HD. She says they are both water based and contain enough moisture so the dry areas of the skin are hydrated. She says that the products react with the natural oiliness of the skin. This causes the product to regulate the correct amount of shine and moisture needed. “The moisturizing and reflecting, oil-absorbing powders are already infused in the products,” says DeSantis. “It’s a very perfect finish, very flawless.” The Koh Gen Do Aqua brand has natural spring waters from Japan added into the products, along with minerals and nutrients that help your skin with dryness as well as excessive oil.
Combination Skin
Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in the Dermatology Department at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, Dr. Josh Zeichner has his own recommendations when it comes to serving your skin with what it needs. Zeichner recommends Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light for his patients with dry skin with a bit of oil -- also known as combination skin. He says that the oil-free primer helps absorb oil when applied to the T-zone, which is usually the oiliest part of the face. He says that the ingredients infused into the primer, like dimethicone, can help moisturize the dry area of the face. He says that it’s the perfect primer for patients with combination, oily or acne-prone skin.
Smaller Pores
Forget the eyes; your pores can be the windows to your soul -- and it’s time to shut those windows. Makeup artist Diana Solomon loves Smashbox HD Healthy FX Foundation. She says that the foundation has a creamy feel and the coverage is natural. The product is also oil-free, so Solomon says that it doesn’t enlarge or clog pores or look dry on your skin. She says that you don’t even have to use powder, which can usually lead to an even drier look. However, Solomon does say that foundation should never replace a good moisturizer. She says to always use a hydrating moisturizer, and for the drier areas, use a richer, more protective cream on top. In chillier weather, she also says to change your cleansing rituals from using hot water to using warm water.
What to Look For
Debbie Hicks, Senior Director of Product Development at Arbonne and cosmetic product expert, says to look for long-wearing, oil-free foundations that are lightweight and liquid, because these offer a smooth, matte finish with coverage that you can build up. Hicks says that these work best with pressed or loose, translucent powders, powder blush and powder bronzers. When these are used together, Hicks says that the matte look can last for several hours. She also recommends to look for products that are dermatologist tested and have an SPF of 15 or higher. She says when it comes to keeping down the shine, avoid high loads of light-reflecting metallic pigments.
