
Why is it that when fall and winter roll around, we find ourselves piling on the concealer, pancake makeup and layer upon layer of loose powder? Could it be Halloween that inspires us to conjure up the spirit of Mary Kay, circa 1994? All spring and summer we have been fresh faced, sun kissed, dewy, and natural, but as Labor Day approaches, women feel the need to break out the ivory foundation and matte lipstick. As we inch closer to Thanksgiving, the chalkier we become. We resemble department store mannequins until about Easter, when we finally scrape our faces clean once again. Well, ladies, the cakey look will not be making an appearance this season. Fall 2009 is taking a luminous turn.
Since the dewy look is apparently here to stay (for now), it’s probably a good time to talk about how to achieve this look without appearing greasy or too barefaced.
The two most vital p
roducts needed in order to achieve that glow are a sheer foundation and either a cream blush or a cheek stain.
One of my favorite “cheapy” foundations is Cover Girl’s TruBlend. It gives enough coverage to even out skin tone, but does not settle on top of the skin and in pores and lines like most foundations do. If you don’t need much coverage at all, a tinted moisturizer is also a good option. Smashbox Shear Focus is an awesome tinted moisturizer that also offers SPF 15 protection. If you’re on a real budget, simply mix your own liquid foundation with your moisturizer for a similar result.
The best cheek stain that I have come across is Benefit Posietint. Apply it to the apples of your cheeks for a sheer pink glow. (Tip: Posietint can also be used as a lip stain, just apply a little bit of gloss on top to add some sheen.) If you aren’t in the market for a $28 cheek stain, try applying your own blush and then dabbing a tiny (I do mean tiny) amount of hair serum, clear lip gloss or Vaseline on the apples of your cheeks. This will allow you to control how much glow you want, although remember that the goal is to have a subtle glow, not to look like a fry cook at KFC.

Lastly, if you have oily skin and cannot part with your pressed powder compact, try using rice sheets or Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets instead. These sheets are very inexpensive and absorb oil without removing makeup or leaving you with a dull, powdered look.
Well, ladies, that concludes Dewy Makeup 101. Have fun experimenting with your fall makeup looks and remember less is more!
~ Courtney