In Singapore’s humidity, a glow can turn into shine by lunchtime. A dewy look that lasts comes down to three steps done in order: hydrate the skin, use a base with a soft glow, then set the shiny areas with powder.
The approach borrows from K-beauty and its fresh, just-moisturised finish. The difference is that the glow is controlled. The idea is that well-hydrated skin is less likely to overproduce oil, so skipping moisturiser is usually the first mistake.
Step 1: Hydrate, even if your skin is oily
Oily skin still needs moisture. When skin is properly hydrated, it is less likely to produce extra sebum later in the day, and makeup applied on top sits more evenly and wears longer. Supple skin is the base the rest of the routine depends on.
The texture of the moisturiser matters. For oily skin, the advice has long been an oil-free formula or a mattifying serum that hydrates without adding shine. Earlier picks in this category included Sloane Inc’s Aqualicious, which was sold through The Sloane Clinics, and Yves Rocher’s Sebo Vegetal Pore Minimising Serum. Both were chosen because they moisturised without leaving a slick finish.
Give the moisturiser time to sink in before you put on any base. Foundation on damp skin tends to slide, and that sliding is often mistaken for oiliness.
Step 2: Choose a base with a gentle glow
The base is where you build the dewy look. Go for a finish described as velvet, semi-matte or satin, not a fully matte one. A fully matte base flattens the skin, and a very shiny one tips into oiliness in humid weather.
Korean brands have been a reliable source of this middle-ground finish, as many are made with humid conditions in mind. For fuller coverage, Clio’s Kill Cover Realest Wear Moist Foundation was an earlier favourite. It gave buildable coverage with a slight sheen. For a lighter base, The Face Shop’s Cushion Screen Cell was a sheer alternative, similar to a BB cushion.
Don’t be afraid of coverage. You can use as much foundation as your skin needs, because step three handles the shine. Skimping on base in the hope of staying matte usually leaves uneven patches without fixing the oil.
Step 3: Powder the right areas
This step keeps dewy from turning oily. Dust loose powder lightly over the whole face, then add about twice as much on the T-zone, which covers the forehead, nose and chin. Oil builds up first in these areas. The aim is enough powder to soak up excess sebum, but not so much that the glow disappears.
Translucent powders work best here because they set makeup without adding colour. bareMinerals’ ORIGINAL Mineral Veil Loose Setting Powder is a weightless, talc-free translucent loose setting powder that sets makeup, extends wear, absorbs oil, and blurs the look of pores and fine lines, and one version includes mineral SPF 25. The loose powder comes in Illuminating, Translucent and Tinted versions. The Illuminating shade suits a dewy look best.
The SPF 25 version gets its sun protection from titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Its formula also contains mica and bismuth oxychloride, which give a luminous finish. bareMinerals describes the result as a soft matte finish, so a light hand keeps some glow showing through. The powder is also dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, which matters if you are prone to breakouts.
The Mineral Veil range today
The line now has several formats. The ORIGINAL Mineral Veil Talc-Free Pressed Setting Powder comes in a compact and conditions skin with Shea Butter, Cacao Butter, and Vitamin E. Its finish is soft matte. A newer version, Mineral Veil Daily Dose Loose Setting Powder, is a 12-hour talc-free powder that sets makeup, controls shine, and blurs pores. The loose and pressed powders have a regular price of US$36 on the brand’s US site.
For touch-ups on the go, the ORIGINAL Mineral Veil Set + Protect Brush is mineral-based talc-free setting powder with SPF 25 in a retractable vegan brush. It is rated PA++. Use it on the T-zone in the afternoon instead of reapplying powder all over.
For heavier oil control, Dr Young’s Pore Eraser HD Powder was an earlier option. It was made to absorb sebum and blur the look of pores, and it suits days when the T-zone needs more help than a sheer veil can give.