When in doubt, I swear by a classic, glowy makeup look that plays up my favorite natural features and completely camouflaging the rest. Yes, many products on the market promise to deliver dewy results, but a select few can be trusted to produce a photo-ready finish every time. With the help of two beauty content creators who've dedicated countless hours to testing, reviewing, and creating high-impact looks with their favorite ones; I've pieced together a quick guide to achieving a glowy complexion without having to rely on an Instagram filter.
"A healthy glowingMakeup is my favorite type of makeup to do," shares makeup artist and founder of Dominique Cosmetics, Christen Dominique. "Clean skin is important for makeup to apply smoothly. Before starting a glowy makeup look, Dominique recommends throughly cleansing the face and using a toner to ensure your skin's cleanliness. "When you’re ready to apply makeup, take a hydrating yet tacky primer that works well for your skin type." This ensures that any cream-based makeup products following primers will apply evenly, smoothly, and last all day.
Makeup artist and TikTok content creator Danielle Estrada also shared her secrets to pulling off the look. "I always start out with hydrated prepped skin before applying makeup. I love using a super hydrating moisturizer under makeup," Estrada explains. "I then stick with mostly cream products vs powder to keep the skin glowing and still keeping the skin looking like skin." To lock in the look, she opts for a minimal powder that will keep the glow followed by a cream or liquid-based highlighter.
Estrada finishes off any glowy making look with a few spritzes of hydrating setting spray to bring moisture to the face. "My number one tip is less is more! I like to apply minimal product and add layers! This makes it easier to apply the product and is more forgiving," she says. Additionally, when applying highlighter, Estrada opts for a beauty-blender for that desirable skin-like finish.
If you're wondering which products these two beauty queens use to create their signature glowy makeup looks, you're in luck! Keep scrolling to see which products they're using nonstop (plus the ones beauty editors swear by).
"I first start off with clean skin and then I go into a primer that is hydrating yet tacky my favorite one to use for myself is the Dominique blur and moisture serum primer it’s great for all skin types, especially dry skin. It gives you a gripping finish to ensure make up last all day long." — Dominique
Using a formula crafted from thin layers of silk and a blend of botanical extracts, Tatcha's weightless liquid primer protects the skin from pollutants and makeup while extending wear time.
This ligthweight, clean, silicone-free dewy makeup primer by Milk Makeup grips makeup for up to 12 hours while hydrating the skin; preventing meltdown, caking, and product transfer.
I swear by this skin-perfecting primer that, with the help of innovative micro-spherical powders, visibly blurs imperfections and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while also absorbing excess oil.
To create a healthy-looking glowy base, Dominique likes to use the TikTok-viral E.L.F. Halo Glow Liquid Filter—a skincare-makeup hybrid that can be worn alone, mixed with foundation, or used as a highlighter.
"For highlight I love the iconic London liquid illuminator drops. They look like your skin and give the prettiest glow. They have been a staple for years in my kit!" — Estrada
Available in two universal shades (Sunglow and Starglow), this product can be worn alone, mixed with skin care, used a dewy primer under makeup, spot highlight, and a body shimmer for a sun-kissed, glowy finish.
Ilia's serum highlighter uses a gel-based, anti-pollution formula using hydrolyzed algae, marine actives, and mastic to help protect the skin against free radicals and UV lights for a smooth, dewy glow.
Chantecaille's Liquid Highlighter offers a velvety-smooth, buildable formula that leaves your skin feeling hydrated and supple using light-reflecting pigments to brighten and even the skin tone while blurring imperfections.
"Once I’m ready to even my skin tone, I like to use the Tower 28 SPF skin tint anything with SPF will give you a glowy finish and will protect your skin so it’s great."— Dominique
"A glowy foundation is key for this and I love the L'Oréal Pro Glow foundation. It is glowy and applies beautifully on the skin." — Estrada
Boosting skin moisture levels by up to 52% for an eye-catching dewy glow, Hourglass' skin tint provides a long-lasting, sheer veil of coverage and a smooth, plump complexion.
Rose Inc's weightless, non-comedogenic tinted serum delivers a plump, smooth complexion with a skin-like finish using a formula with sodium hyaluronate, squalane, and acetyl tetrapeptide for non-stop hydration and environmental protection.
Ilia's award-wining tinted serum is formulated using mineral SPF 40 and potent levels of skincare ingredients to hydrate, protect, and improve the appearance of fine lines, pores, blemishes, an more.
"Cream products overall will give you a nice dewy finish. I like using a cream blush that is lightweight and buildable. One of my favorites is from Dominique." — Dominique
This buildable gel-cream blush contains blurring pigments for a natural, streak-free finish that offer a sheer wash of color that's easy-to-use and blends easily with other products.
Offered in eight gorgeous shades, Merit's vitamin-E infused Flush Balm creates a creamy and transparent burst of color with a long-lasting glow that won't clog the pores and is not cakey.
This cream blush is infused with squalane, sodium hyaluronate, and ceramides to brighten and blur the skin (for up to 24 hours of moisture), and richly pigmented color.
"Then I go over [the cream blush] with a cream bronzer. My go to is Saie's Sunmelt Bronzer. it’s lightweight and gives you a fresh dewy finish." — Dominique
In Patrick Ta's Major Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo, the light creme shade can be used to shape and define while the product's talc-free powder adds natural-looking warmth to the skin.
A sun-kissed glow is achievable with the help of this Rare Beauty bronzer stick. Its easy-to-use, weightless formula glides and melts onto the skin effortlessly to softly sculpt the face without caking, clogging pores, or creasing.
"My secret weapon is the Charlotte Tilbury setting powder to make sure the skin is set but it doesn’t take away the glow you have on. This powder is magic!" — Estrada
"To set my make up in place I use a hydrating loose setting powder to ensure it doesn’t cake or crease. And to lock it all in place, the D’alba First Spray Serum is great because it gives your skin a healthy glow that last throughout the day." — Dominique
"Lastly, for setting, I love the Morphe Continuous Setting Spray. It brings hydration to the skin and also is so refreshing." — Estrada
This loose setting powder creates a soft glow without the shine while smoothing the appearance of imperfections for a soft-focused, airbrushed finish with a talc-free formula.
A favorite among Who What Wear's beauty editors, Milk Makeup's weightless and alcohol-free setting spray extends makeup wear for up to 16 hours, blurs pores, and controls shine.
