Experts Also Recommend

We spoke to dermatologists and makeup artists — here are more of their favorite makeup products for dry skin.

What to Know About Makeup for Dry Skin

Formula Type

If you have dry skin, you know that powder can accentuate any signs of dryness. “Cream or liquid formulations will be less drying than powders and gels,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King says. “Avoid matte or mattifying formulations that contain ingredients, like clays, that absorb oil.” 

Probst agrees that creamy formulations are best: “Makeup for dry skin should be three things: Creamy, lightweight, and hydrating,” she says. 

Mellinger also avoids full-coverage complexion products, since they tend to accentuate fine lines, wrinkles, and dry patches. The Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Foundation is the best foundation for dry skin, since its sheer formulation stays lightweight on the skin. 

Ingredients 

Ingredient lists are confusing, but our experts agree on the best ingredients. All of the experts we spoke to recommend hyaluronic acid and glycerin, and most of them note that squalane and ceramides are hydrating, too. Glycerin can be found in every makeup product we recommended in this list, and squalane is also present in most of the products. 

Board-certified physician Dr. Azza Halim and Mellinger also recommend shea butter, which can be found in the Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Foundation. 

Of course, there are ingredients to avoid, too. Our experts recommend you avoid formulas with alcohol, fragrances, and salicylic acid. When in doubt, there are many online tools that break down the ingredient lists of beauty products, such as INCIDecoder. 

Application Technique

How you apply makeup can be just as important as what you’re applying. Dr. King and Dr. Halim recommend you apply hydrating serums and moisturizers before you apply makeup, and Mellinger recommends you use a hyaluronic acid serum prior to makeup. These serums will hydrate the skin, smooth any texture, and create a barrier between your dry skin and your makeup. Mellinger uses the Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum that we love, too. 

Applying foundation can be tricky when you have dry skin, but Mellinger uses a specific technique to keep things looking dewy. Rather than applying foundation directly to her skin, she applies the product to the back of her hand, and then presses a damp sponge into the product. Then, she presses the makeup into her skin with the sponge. “You can build coverage this way, and you apply way less product to your face which is key, especially for dry skin,” Mellinger says. 

If you want to set or refresh your makeup, Dr. King recommends you use a setting spray or facial mist rather than a translucent powder, which can be drying. Mellinger agrees, but says that when she uses setting powder on dry skin, she uses a light hand — only where needed.  

Behind the Scenes

We interviewed two dermatologists and two celebrity makeup artists to compile a list of 33 expert-recommended products. We compared these expert recommendations to our own favorites, scouring the results from our tests of hundreds of beauty products. All the products we included on this list performed well during our at-home and in-lab testing. We evaluated each product on the following criteria:

• Hydration: All the products on this list left our skin feeling hydrated. Products that left our skin feeling stripped or dry didn’t make this list. In fact, most of these products left our skin feeling even better than before. 
• Ingredients: We cross-referenced the ingredient list of each product with expert-recommended ingredients to ensure each product has ingredients that are proven to work on dry skin. We also looked out for any ingredients that are known to be drying, based on expert recommendations. 
• Appearance: We hate when makeup looks flaky, cakey, or patchy on our dry skin. So, we made sure each product left our skin looking dewy and healthy. The best products were long-lasting, too, offering all-day hydration and longwear. 

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Genevieve Cepeda is a shopping writer who frequently writes about the best beauty products, such as the best mascaras for older women and the best dermaplaning tools. She has seasonally dry skin, so she sometimes struggles with flakey and cakey makeup during fall and winter. After testing countless makeup products, she has found a routine to keep her skin hydrated, even in the driest months. She interviewed two dermatologists and two makeup artists to learn even more about the best makeup for dry skin, compiling a list of products and application methods that are PEOPLE Tested and expert-approved.

What Is PEOPLE Tested?

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.