Favorite Mattifying Products

While I’m thrilled the warmer weather is here and I don’t have to suffer through snow and freezing temperatures anymore, the tradeoff is the oil slick that my face becomes because of the heat. I already have oily skin, so add humidity and heat and it’s a recipe for a makeup meltdown. Thankfully however, I have a few products that help me manage. Almost all of these products with the exception of one new discovery have been my favorites for years. I have reviewed most of them multiple times over, but felt it was necessary to compile them in one post for reference.

1. Murad Oil-Control Mask – This is my newest discovery, but since it comes from the Murad Oil-Control line, I knew I was in good hands. Like with most mattifying or oil-control masks, I need to use them sparingly so as not to dry out my skin which in turn makes it more oily. I love using this mask 1-2x/wk and find that it does wonders for me if I use it in the morning. Rather than putting it over my entire face, I apply it only on my t-zone and my skin stays much less oily throughout the day.

2. Murad Oil-Control Mattifier – I’m sure this one is no surprise to any of you following my blog for the past few years – I swear by this stuff! I love it as a makeup primer before I apply foundation and it does wonders to help me stay matte for 8-10+ hours. What makes this better than other mattifying priming products is that my skin still looks fresh and healthy after it’s applied, instead of flat and dry. I will never be without this in my summer skin routine.

3. Tatcha Pore Perfecting Sunscreen – I discovered this last year when it launched and was immediately blown away by how it looked on my skin. Not only does it provide sun protection, but it helps my foundation last longer, mattifies my skin and blurs imperfections. But to be honest, I have yet to try a Tatcha product that didn’t blow me away. The entire line is perfection. (Currently loving this serum and eye serum from them).

4. Shiseido Urban Environment Sunscreen – Before I discovered the Tatcha SPF, I was crazy for (and still am) this sunscreen. Initially because of its runny texture, I was afraid it would be greasy and do the complete opposite of what I wanted. But thankfully, I didn’t let my first impressions stop me from trying it. My skin looks beautiful after applying, and any makeup I put on top lasts all day long. It is a bit more matte than the Tatcha so if it’s going to be super humid out, I will reach for this SPF first.

5. Laura Mercier Universal Invisible Loose Powder – If you are a Laura Mercier lover, than you know this powder. It is a staple of her collection because of it’s ability to mattify the skin and set makeup, but it also made a name for itself because of how invisible it is on the skin. For being such a stark white powder, it disappears into any skin tone from very fair to deep. I use it with the corresponding powder puff and find that pressing it into the skin makes all the difference.

6. By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder – I was happy with my Laura Mercier powder and was not looking for anything to replace it. Then I had the opportunity to try the By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder and it was game over. My Laura Mercier had some serious competition. While the Laura Mercier was amazing at mattifying the skin and making my makeup last all day, the By Terry powder did both of those things and blurred imperfections. After pressing this into my skin, I find that pores appear minimized and my face looks like velvety perfection. And just like the Laura Mercier powder, this looks great on any skin tone without leaving an ashy finish.

Let me know what are some of your favorite mattifying products?! I am always looking for new ones to try.

I have a confession. I used to be a HUGE shimmer fan. Shimmer on the eyes, cheeks, lips, face, body, you name it, I wanted it to sparkle. The shift began a few years ago, when I looked at one of my matte eye shadows and realized how beautifully it wore. Slowly, this turned into blushes, lipsticks, foundations, etc and now I have quite a strong collection of matte products in my makeup routine. Here are a few of my favorite matte products that still manage to make the skin look beautiful and radiant, without the shine.

1. Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15*- The first time I used this, I did not like the texture. It felt thick and heavy in my hands, and I did NOT want to put it on my face. But I did. And just as many of the reviews had said, it absorbed into the skin immediately. So I wore it for the entire day, and that is when I was convinced of its magical mattifying powers. My skin did not shine once during that day! It is currently housed in the holy grail section of my medicine cabinet.

2. Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation – So many liquid powder foundations out there, yet so few will ever rival Hourglass. It still is the standard for mattifying foundations that I hold everything up against. Consistently in so many beauty lovers’ favorites, I can see this being one of the few foundations I ever repurchase.

3. By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder*- For the past 6+ months, I have been going along, having my casual and quiet love affair with La Mer translucent loose powder. Minding my own business and enjoying it’s beautiful, velvety finish and ability to make pores seemingly disappear from my face. The only down side, however is that it does have a slight color so it often oxides on me when I’m wearing certain foundations. Enter By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder. Mind. Blown. This stuff is amazing. I repeat, this stuff is amazing. The first time I used, I actually said after 10 hours of wear on my face, “this powder is almost TOO matte”. Can you believe that? But I used a tad less the second time and it was perfect. When I tell you that I put on my makeup at 7:45am and sometimes don’t take it off until 9pm, and I am still matte, I know you may find it hard to believe. So did I until I saw it. And the best part for me is that because it is a white, translucent powder, it does not make any of my foundations oxidize. In fact, it can make me appear paler if applied too heavy, so that’s my tip to you. Apply sparingly, but nonetheless APPLY THIS POWDER.

4. Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lipsticks – It’s only right that the queen of lipsticks make one of my favorite matte lipsticks. The name says it all because it’s creamy, comfortable on the lips and does not dry my lips out as most other ones do. But the color pay-off is intense so be sure you love the color you buy. I have it here in Razzberry, and it is one of my top 5 favorite lip colors out of my entire collection. A distinction that is similar to an academy award, pulitzer or nobel peace prize.

5. Hourglass Vol. 6 Eyeshadow Palette -We all go gaga for the ambient lighting face powders, but this palette has managed to fly under the radar for a long time. I believe it is limited in its distribution, as I have only seen it at Barneys or Space.NK, but it is a must have in your eyeshadow collection. 5 out of the 6 colors are beautiful matte shades with one subtle shimmer to add a bit of dimension to any looks you create. Here is a picture of the swatches I posted in Instagram a while back. See? I told you it was good.

6. Burberry ‘Light Glow’ Natural Blush – I have a ton of matte blushes, but Burberry ones are by far my most used. They are easy to apply over powder or liquid foundation without sticking or going on splotchy. I made the mistake of reaching for a shimmer blush recently and my cheeks ended up looking like disco balls by mid day. This further solidified my devotion to matte blush. This Burberry shade in Tangerine is actually more radiant on my face than one with shimmer. That’s how you know it’s a good blush.