Matte Season

Matte Season

A full rejection of shine: matte skin, soft-focus cheeks and flat, velvety lips. The anti-gloss edit for anyone who likes texture and finish more than reflection.

Matte makeup has a reputation for looking flat, but done well it just looks calm. The trick is a base that controls shine without looking powdery. Estée Lauder's Double Wear foundation and concealer and Fenty's Pro Filt'r Soft Matte are the long-wear options, MAC's Studio Fix, bareMinerals' BAREPRO and Make Up For Ever's HD Skin Matte Velvet are the powder foundations, and ILIA's Super Serum is the lighter choice for days when you only need a little.

Warm it up with Benefit's Hoola or Victoria Beckham's Bronzing Brick, then add Tower 28's GetSet blush for a soft flush. Lips stay velvety. Makeup by Mario's Ultra Suede pencil or Anastasia's shaping liner goes under Westman's Lip Suede, and Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat and Sacheu's peel-off liner stain are the easy everyday versions. Natasha Denona's Glam palette and Tarte's tubing mascara keep the eyes low-key, and Charlotte Tilbury's setting powder and spray or ONE/SIZE's mattifying spray lock it all in.

Flat lay of matte foundations, a bronzing brick, matte lipstick, lip liner, powder blush and setting spray on an off-white background