Dewy skin is radiant skin with a hint of luminosity. It’s been evidently nourished and taken care of, with the assistance of a few choice products to give you a glow that complements your natural tone and supports a healthy texture. 

At its core, dewy skin is the basis of no-makeup makeup—but it can also be dialed up with additional brightness and warmth. However, there’s a delicate balance to achieving a lit-from-within look…and avoiding a shiny, slick appearance. 

We’ll go over simple tips to incorporate this low-maintenance but mighty, healthy look into your everyday appearance.

What do we mean by dewy skin?

Dewy is the epitome of luminous skin that’s balanced and healthy. And it works on all skin types and ages. 

You may have already tried for a radiant complexion, only for it to look shiny or greasy. Too much product, or a lack of sufficient skin prep, can create a slick or oily appearance, rather than nourished or lit-up. Luckily, with some practice and patience, greasy skin won’t be an issue here, even if you naturally deal with oily skin. 

Start with good habits

Stress, poor sleep, too little water, too much caffeine—they may not always yield dry or broken-out skin, or dark circles or under-eye bags, but they definitely compromise a dewy, lit-from-within complexion. Of course, genetics are immutable, but if you have a baseline of good habits, then you’re only doing yourself a favor.

Exercise, improved hydration, plenty of rest, regular cleansing—these are all routines that will improve your complexion quickly.

Everyone’s skin is different, but neglecting your habits will almost always set you back if you’re aiming for dewy skin.

Cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize

Yes, regular cleansing and moisturizing certainly fall under good habits, but these deserve a special call-out.

Not only does cleansing minimize the chance of blemishes but it keeps your skin smooth and facilitates a softer texture. 

A rough, cakey surface is the enemy of dewy skin, and consistency in cleansing and moisturizing will ensure texture isn’t a problem. 

Additionally, consider incorporating gentle exfoliation to coax along cell turnover, an especially important step if you suffer from dryness. If you’re prone to flaking skin—on account of severely dehydrated skin, or perhaps it’s due to a medication—then you should consult with a dermatologist before attempting any manual exfoliation. 

Moisturizing is last but certainly not least, a crucial step for all skin types, even if you’re working with an oily complexion or living in humid conditions. Moisturizing everyday, in the morning and before bed, levels out your skin so it’s not underproducing or overproducing oil. This is the biggest component to helping you achieve balance, which is crucial for a radiant complexion.

SPF, SPF, SPF

Daily sunscreen is a must, even if glowy skin isn’t your aim. Sun damage, even in the short term—red, peeling skin—is at odds with a dewy look, and permanent disrepair will require quite a bit more work to get back to the appearance of baseline health.

The siren call of beachy warmth is hard to ignore but a post-vacation glow can be faked. (We’ll get to that soon.) Always remember though: moisturizer first, sunscreen second.

Consider the ingredients (or, skip the matte products)

Matte foundation may work fine on an average day, but a dewy look will be more successful with base layers that aren’t meant to control shine. Oily skin types who are looking to get a handle on stubborn shine may benefit from matte products on the regular, but for dewy skin, use your oily skin type to your advantage. 

At Jones Road Beauty, there are a few ingredients in our arsenal that will not only keep your skin healthy but will also nourish your complexion for ultimate luminosity, without any greasy residue. 

Sunflower Seed Oil

Rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids, sunflower seed oil is an incredibly lightweight oil that penetrates the skin barrier, aiding in long-lasting moisture retention.

• -Miracle Cream
• -Shimmer Face Oil
• -Gel Bronzer

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is great for all skin types because it doesn't cause breakouts, irritation, or inflammation; it’s particularly good for acne-prone skin as it balances your natural oil production. 

• -The Cleansing Stick
• -The Oil Stick
• -What The Foundation
• -Miracle Balm 
• -Shimmer Face Oil

Shea Butter

Shea butter is a storehouse of fatty acids, vitamin A, and antioxidant properties that forms a protective barrier that locks in moisture and actively supports the skin's hydration process.

• -Miracle Cream
• -Light Moisture Cream
• -Gel Bronzer

Castor Seed Oil

With its omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, castor seed oil helps support the skin's natural barrier, leading to a radiant and glowing complexion.

• -What The Foundation
• -Miracle Balm 
• -Lip and Cheek Stick

Sodium Hyaluronate

The salt of hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water—meaning it is able to penetrate the skin more deeply and effectively where it can deliver powerful hydration.

• -What The Foundation
• -Multivitamin Serum

What should I use to get dewy skin?

After you’ve sufficiently cleansed and moisturized your skin, there are a few approaches you can take to amp up your natural radiance. The first question is, do you want color or highlight to take center stage?

Let’s do over some staples from Jones Road Beauty that will help you achieve your aims.

If you only use one thing: Miracle Balm

Containing jojoba oil and castor seed oil, this is our number-one product for anyone looking to build more radiance into their skin. (Not an overstatement.) Available in 10 shades, Miracle Balm can be worn solo or atop your complexion-correcting products. It's a super-hydrating, light-reflecting pick-me-up that is the secret to no-makeup makeup.

Ultimately, dewy skin is “your skin but better” and if you’re looking to keep things super minimal with just one product, Miracle Balm is all you need.

Our quiz can help you figure out the ideal shade for your skin tone, but first, consider how you want to use this. For example, do you picture yourself using it mostly for color? Mostly for highlight? 

Depending on the shade, Miracle Balm can be used as a tint that you can seamlessly blend into your neck, blush (a more pigmented option that is good for cheeks and lips), highlight (these have larger shimmer flecks for effective payoff), or a clear, all-over glow. 

The key to Miracle Balm is to use no more than a pea-sized amount. To start the application, break the surface (not every time—just once and then dig down and break the seal if you need more from another area) and warm up the product with your fingertips.

A pro tip from our in-house makeup artists: If you’re able to visit us in store and test out Miracle Balm in person, swatch it out on your face, not on your hand or arm like you would ordinarily when testing out a makeup color. When you diffuse the intensity on a larger area, like your cheekbones, you’ll get the most accurate picture of its color and highlight—so you’ll be less likely to over-apply your chosen Miracle Balm. A little goes a long way; there’s a reason “Miracle” is in its name.

What The Foundation

As we mentioned above, What The Foundation is built with jojoba oil, castor seed oil, and sodium hyaluronate so you can be sure that you’re not only correcting your skin but also nourishing it at the same time. It’s so moisturizing in fact that you may discover you can skip your daily moisturizer and go straight to WTF.

WTF is a tinted moisture balm meets traditional foundation that you can build to light-medium coverage. On its own, it will impart some dewiness to your base, leaving you with a fresh, even complexion—and that may be all you need. But it also serves as a good first layer if you prefer to layer on additional products for radiance.

Gel Bronzer

Our Gel Bronzer contains shea butter and goes on sheer, adding warmth rather than shine or shimmer. Ideal for mimicking a suntan without the glimmer that is so often in bronzers. 

You can mix it with your moisturizer for a more diffused look or if you have dry skin, or apply it over your WTF. (If you’re pairing it with Miracle Balm, apply Miracle Balm second as it’s an emollient and therefore heavier. You’ll almost certainly and accidentally create unwanted shine if the Gel Bronzer goes on last.) 

Squeeze a bit onto your finger tips and apply where needed. This also blends seamlessly into your neck—don’t forget this step, checking to make sure you’ve added a cohesive layer of warmth.

Shimmer Face Oil

Another powerhouse product with jojoba seed oil, Shimmer Face Oil is instant but subtle glow in a bottle. 

This delivers lightweight but potent radiance as well as moisture in addition to color. You don’t need much to see the results. If you’re on the go, use it on its own to brighten dull skin or add extra dimension and illumination by layer on top of WTF.

Dewy skin awaits

Radiance is always within reach, even if your skin is mature or dry or simply in a season of looking dull.

Once you get started, it may take a little time to find the optimal products, ratio, and order—just to make sure you’re not overwhelming your skin type but still achieving your desired blend of warmth and highlight.

In other words, have fun and give yourself the freedom to play around with this approach.