Dewy skin is an absolute essential for me, no matter what time of year it is. And while a consistent skincare routine and occasional facials are the ideal path to achieving an even-toned glow, the next best thing is a base formula, like foundation, tinted moisturizer, or the new breed of tints, balms, and hybrid serums that deliver a glowy finish in seconds.
Photo: Stephanie Galea. Vogue Arabia, September 2020
“Nowadays it’s all about the way skin looks,” agrees Jamie Genevieve, founder of Vieve, whose new Skin Nova Foundation Balm is already a hit with the Vogue beauty team. “But good skin is hydrated skin and hydration is what gives your foundation longevity – and a complexion balm does just that.”
Because they’re more hydrating and “flexible” than regular foundations, they’re great for fall and winter, when colder temperatures mean the skin is more likely to succumb to dehydration and flakiness. The worst thing you can do when your skin is dry and sallow is apply a heavy, matte-finish foundation on top in a bid to perk it up – lighter formulas veil any imperfections, without making things look too “done”.
While I like keeping redness at bay and evening out my skin tone, I don’t like to feel like I’m wearing too much makeup. And crucially, I want my skin to look and feel like my skin, rather than skin with foundation on. “It’s less about full coverage and more about enhancing the skin,” says Genevieve. “Skin Nova Complexion Balm creates the perfect dewiness – the hydration, the comfort of wear, the way it just hugs the skin… There’s nothing like it.”
With ingredients like hyaluronic and polyglutamic acids and niacinamide, this is a balm that really delivers on the second-skin finish that Genevieve describes. Other favorites of mine include Lisa Eldridge’s Seamless Skin Enhancing Tint, a glycerin, squalane and prickly pear seed oil-infused formula that makes skin look alive and radiant, while plumping and soothing inflammation at the same time.
And then there is MaxFactor’s new Miracle Pure Skin Reset 2-in-1 Serum Foundation, a high-street wonder that blends bisabolol and niacinamide with pigment to deliver a natural finish – this one is best applied sparingly. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm offers a beautiful, sheer finish – alongside a hit of skin-nourishing oils – and comes in a handy stick formula. One quick swoosh over your face, a little blending, and you’re done.
Originally published on Vogue.co.uk
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