The New Matte Foundation That Will Convert Dewy-Skin Lovers

Foundations can be split into two camps — those that are matte and, in most cases, contain ingredients that absorb excess oil, and those that are dewy and provide a burst of hydration as well as a luminous glow. Each person has their own foundation preference, usually based on their skin type.

For example, I have extremely dry skin so I usually avoid anything with the word ‘matte’ as my skin needs as much hydration as possible. That was until recently, when I tried Clarins’ new Everlasting Long-Wearing Hydrating Matte Foundation ($55). I was a little worried by the mention of ‘matte’ but pressed on anyway.

This new release by Clarins is formulated with organic oat sugar extracts and quinoa, which is said to hydrate and nourish the skin, while the addition of bamboo powder and natural silica helps to mattify the skin throughout the day. There’s a balance of hydration and mattifying action going on with this foundation, making it a little more appealing for someone with dry skin, like myself.

The first time I tried this foundation, I applied it following my morning skincare routine, which always ends with SPF. The product offers high coverage and promises to withstand all tests for 24 hours. While I didn’t wear it for anywhere near that long, I found it stayed put and didn’t transfer when I wore a mask.

It effectively covered redness on my skin but didn’t look completely one-dimensional, which can be a common occurrence with matte base products. As for the dry skin test? It wasn’t as glowy as my usual base product, and by the end of the day, my skin did look a little more parched than usual but it wasn’t noticeably dry to the point that my skin was inhaling the product.

On my next test, I decided to mix the foundation with a little of the Clarins Double Serum ($102 for 30ml). A new-to-me product, Clarins recently released reformulated this cult product and released it in a larger size, so you can now purchase a 75ml bottle of the Double Serum ($200).

Formulated with plant extracts, including turmeric, this product works wonders on visible signs of ageing while also stimulating five of the skin’s vital functions: Hydration, nutrition, oxygenation, protection and regeneration. The hydration element of this product is a big tick for me, so I squirted a little in with my foundation before applying to my face.

This was the gamechanger for me, as it added a little burst of hydration that kept my skin feeling more comfortable during the day. While I could definitely wear the foundation sans Double Serum again, as a dewy skin gal, I preferred the glow the serum injected into the foundation.