Like matte skin once upon a time, hydrated, glowy skin has been on-trend in both skincare and makeup for the last few years.
And while we love a good hyper-moisturized, glass skin look, can we also admit that it can be a bit over-the-top and hard to maintain at times?
This is why using matte foundations for your “no makeup” makeup looks is such a good alternative. They offer up something impressively realistic—mimicking clear, natural skin.
If you’re completely over the glowy skin trend and just want something more down to earth, here are 5 foundations that’ll give you a natural skin look without all the shine.
NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation, $40
One of the most frustrating things about wearing makeup as a black woman is that it’s super noticeable when our foundation transfers.
When we hug a date or put on a mask or do anything at all, you’re going to see an unsightly brown streak of makeup somewhere.
However, this is no problem when you wear this 16-hour longwear, transfer-proof Soft Matte Complete Foundation from NARS.
It’s full coverage, doesn’t cake up, and has a natural, skin-like finish that doesn’t look orange at the end of the day. What’s not to love?
Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Longwear Foundation, $40
Our girl Rihanna Robyn Fenty has been holding it down in the makeup realm for black women of all shades for a few years now.
From poppin’ lip glosses to summer-ready body shimmers, FENTY offers everything we need to truly look and feel good from head to toe.
But this Pro Filt’r Longwear Foundation? Chile, it’s absolutely insane.
It’s a soft, buildable matte foundation where absolutely no blemishes peak through. Plus, fading isn’t even an issue!
It’s made with climate-adaptive technology that’s resistant to sweat and humidity.
When Life Gives You Lemons Hi-Function Foundation, $40
When life gives you lemons, you use them to formulate a full coverage foundation! We know that’s not the saying, but that’s exactly what WLGYL did with their Hi-Function foundation.
It isn’t just some high quality makeup, it actually has a skincare element to it.
It’s made with niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B that helps reduce skin congestion.
So long story short, if you’re someone who struggles with acne and breakouts, you can wear this foundation without worrying about clogged pores, breakouts, or a rough skin texture.
Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation, $40
The blur effect is one of the best things to happen to social media filters because it makes your skin look totally blemish free.
But what if I told you that there was a matte foundation that did the same exact thing without you ever having to edit any of your pictures?
Seriously, no joke— it’s Milk Makeup’s Blur Liquid Matte Foundation! It’s full-coverage (obviously) but also very lightweight and works well on oily, dry, and combination skin alike.
Not to mention that it minimizes the appearance of pores, which is a huge win!
