How to Achieve Flawless, Matte Skin (With or Without Makeup)

The natural makeup look is so alluring—after all, who doesn’t want to look like they woke up flawless? Even though natural makeup looks effortless, it does take effort. A lot of it. If instead of velvety and matte skin, you end up with cakey foundation that clings to fine lines or verges on clown-like, don’t worry. You’re not alone! That’s why we’ve put together an in-depth walkthrough to achieving a flawless natural makeup look, and as an added bonus, we’ve included the steps to getting the matte skin that comes with natural looking makeup—without the makeup!

How to Nail the Natural Makeup Look

Perfect Your Skin

1. Start with a good base. Wash your skin first with a non-soap cleanser that suits your particular skin type. Cleanse with a soft washcloth for gentle exfoliation, removing oil and dead skin so your makeup blends smoothly. Pat your skin dry with a soft towel.
2. Next, apply a facial serum. A facial serum is a lightweight formula that contains a highly concentrated amount of anti-aging ingredients. A serum will absorb quickly into the skin, without leaving the tacky sensation that a moisturizer can, and offer your skin a number of essential nutrients to help it stay young and healthy. For an airbrushed makeup base, use a facial serum that has a smoothing agent like acacia gum or plant stem cells, such BRZLNSKIN’s Bratoxin. Bratoxin is a smoothing and tightening serum that will create a thin layer over your skin, filling in fine lines as it seals in moisture and concentrated amounts of Vitamin C. An irregular skin texture is usually responsible for cakey-looking foundation, so getting your skin as satiny as possible with a smoothing facial serum is key to achieving natural-looking, matte skin and makeup.
3. After the overall facial serum, apply a serum that targets your eyes specifically. While you may be fretting over a blemish on your chin, most people won’t even notice, because they’re making eye contact! When you’re after that vibrant and healthy natural-look, start caring for the delicate skin around your eyes. Tired eyes with bags underneath them or crows feet will age you and be much more noticeable to others than that chin blemish. Tighten that soft skin and polish it with Bratoxinsta, an anti-aging serum that works instantly by creating a mineral layer over your skin. It achieves the same effects as a mineral powder, but with the added benefits of delivering antioxidants and peptides to your skin for long-lasting results.
4. Once the facial serums have dried, you then have the option of applying a moisturizer. The above facial serums are already hydrating, but if you have particularly dry skin, go for another layer of light moisturizer that has SPF. If you want to skip the moisturizer step, still apply some form of sunscreen to your skin. Your face will thank you in the long run!

Create Your Base

1. Thanks to the smoothing, airbrushing effects of the facial serums, you can skip the primer. Your skin already has plenty of protective, filling layers on it.
2. Now you can move onto foundation. For matte skin, opt for a mineral-based liquid foundation. If you find your foundation to be a little too thick or mattifying, you can dilute it with a bit of moisturizer before applying it with a sponge blender. This will give your skin a slightly dewy glow for a fresh, no-makeup look.
3. Here’s the official answer to the age-old debate: concealer goes on after foundation. If you apply concealer first, you’ll be tempted to attack every possible area of concern, which leads to using way more concealer than you actually need. Going over the top with concealer is not only smothering your skin, but it can also lead to ashy under-eyes and caking. Your foundation will even out your skin tone, removing most of your areas of concern. For any remaining spots or unevenness, look yourself in the eyes in the mirror and conceal only the areas that you notice in your peripheral vision. Any other “imperfections” you see on your own face won’t be noticeable to others. Lighten your under-eyes without layering concealer too heavily on that thin, delicate skin.
4. Top off your foundation and concealer with a translucent setting powder. For a lower maintenance option, you can skip the foundation and concealer steps in favor of a tinted mineral powder foundation.
5. Warm up your skin with a bronzer or blush. When it comes to blush, cooler-toned light pinks tend to look more editorial and made-up, while warm, peachy pinks will give you a natural-looking flush. Blushes and bronzers with a bit of sparkle in them will contribute to a shiny, reflective tone on your cheeks, which can still look natural when used in moderation. For matte skin, lean away from products with added glitter.6. To ensure your makeup is muted enough to still look natural, use your recently used foundation sponge or brush and go over your blush and bronzer to dial down their intensity.

Define Your Eyes

1. The key to natural, bright eyes is to focus on definition, not drama. Eyeshadow is another area where many people tend to go overboard, so to ensure you’re not putting on anything too heavy, use natural sunlight if possible. Prop a mirror up in front a window.
2. Use a soft shade of eyeshadow that is just slightly darker than your skin tone. You can also use your bronzer as an eyeshadow for a natural makeup look. This will enhance your natural eye color without necessarily reading as makeup. Brush your eyeshadow over your lids, blending it into your crease and on your lower lash line.
3. For a little extra definition, use a neutral eye pencil and dot it between your top lashes. If needed, using a smudging brush to blend it in along your lash line. This step is entirely optional.
4. Next is mascara. To avoid extravagant or clumpy lashes, brush on your mascara as usual, then use two cotton balls with a little makeup remover and pinch your lashes between them. This will remove any excess mascara, while still darkening and defining your lashes.

Finishing Touches

The finishing touch is always your lips. You can go as easy-breezy as applying lip balm, or you can subtly plump up your lips with a matte lipstick. Matte lipsticks are often in bold shades, so choose a warm color, and use a small, fluffy brush to buff it onto the fullest part of your lips over your usual transparent lip balm. Keep the most pigment near the center of your lips, blending it out in a natural fade toward the edges of your lips. Resist the urge to line your lips!

How to Get Matte Skin Without Makeup

You can achieve matte skin that looks airbrushed without makeup. For truly effortless skin care, rely on the facial serums Bratoxin and Bratoxinsta that formed the base of your natural makeup look. Thanks to their smoothing and tightening effects, these serums can minimize the appearance of pores, fine lines, and under-eye bags, while creating an even texture and satiny finish for your skin. Apply Bratoxin in the morning and at night, and take Bratoxinsta along with you for touch-ups throughout the day as needed. You can improve the appearance of your skin in just minutes; no makeup required!

While they work as a near-instant complexion enhancement, these naturally-derived serums do much more important work for your skin. Their rich blend of vitamins, antioxidants, and peptides can improve your skin’s health and get you to that naturally airbrushed look with regular use. With these products and few extra tips, you’ll be able to actually start saying “I woke up like this!”

This is a complete, easy walkthrough on how to get flawless looking skin without makeup:

Use Anti-Aging Products Early

It’s a complete misconception that anti-aging products are for people trying to reverse the effects of aging. Anti-aging skin care is primarily about preventing signs of aging before they happen. You can (and should) start anti-aging skin care when your skin is still in the prime of its youth for the best long-term results. With that said, if you already spot fine lines and sagging, you don’t have to worry about missing your window. It’s best to start using anti-aging products early, but it’s never too late to start! You can still significantly improve the appearance and health of your skin compared to not taking action at all.

Bratoxin and Bratoxinsta are two components of Brazilianfacelift, a simple, 3-step anti-aging skin care routine with proven results. This routine incorporates all the best anti-aging actives, including plant stem cells, peptides, and antioxidants, all of which are derived from naturally occurring ingredients from the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. Have you ever wondered how Brazilian supermodels like Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima (both on the cusp of celebrating their 40th birthdays) still dominate runways and fashion editorials? It’s thanks to the Brazilian beauty culture’s focus on natural ingredients and health above all else. The Brazilianfacelift routine encompasses those values, while introducing little-known Brazilian skin care ingredients to a wider audience.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

Moisturizing is gospel in the skin care world, moisturizing advice appearing in nearly every article about skin. Even though we may be preaching to the choir here, moisturizing really is that important. Dry skin isn’t just unpleasant; it’s a fast-track to visible signs of aging on your face. Not to mention it weakens your skin barrier, allowing your skin to be even more vulnerable to external stressors, including UV rays, pollution, and chemicals. Staying hydrated inside and out by drinking enough fluids and moisturizing your skin regularly will keep your skin protected, plump, and flawless.

The best time to apply moisturizer is at night before you sleep, so you don’t inadvertently rub it off before the active ingredients have time to sink into your skin. If you’re a side sleeper worried about losing your moisturizer on your pillow, then try a hydrating face mask like the Açai Triple Stem Cell Complex Sleep Mask from the Brazilianfacelift line. It creates a thin, breathable film over your skin that stays in place until you peel it off with warm water the next morning, allowing for the active ingredients to deeply penetrate and rejuvenate your skin.

Exfoliate Once a Week

Exfoliating encourages skin cell turnover, revealing newer, fresher skin by sloughing off dead skin layers and cleaning clogged pores. You can over-exfoliate, though, damaging the new and delicate skin, which is why we recommend exfoliating with a facial scrub only once a week. Just weekly exfoliation will be plenty. Then, of course, moisturize immediately afterward.

Destress

Stress can lead to breakouts, disrupt your usual skin care routines, and aggravate existing skin conditions. As Dr. Andrea Godoy, a leading Brazilian dermatologist explains, “[Stress and negative emotions] malign our skin. When stressed, our body releases hormones [that] cause inflammation and irritation and reduce the amount of blood flow to our skin….Brazilians don’t overthink or keep their emotions hidden. These two traits are good because overthinking and bottling up emotions will eventually cause feelings and thoughts to erupt like lava—both verbally and through your skin.”

Although easier said than done, make an effort to release tension whenever possible in productive ways. Relax your jaw and brow line. Exercise more often. Meditate or just carve out some “me time” in your schedule. Unplugging from the daily bombardment of social media updates and news stories more often can also help. Dr. Godoy recommends following in Brazil’s footsteps: “Spend more time with humans and express your emotions openly. Keep looking for the silver lining and hold onto it. Look for the good and eradicate the bad and it will help you a lot with the stress and anxiety.” (Get more skin care knowledge from Dr. Godoy’s book on Brazilian beauty.)

A happier you leads to happier, more flawless skin!