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Back To Matte

Zahara Davis (Next Models) photographed by Tom Newton. Makeup by Benjamin Puckey. Hair by Adlena Dignam. Styled by Brie Welch.

by Into The Gloss

Was it J. Lo. who started it all? Or maybe it was the power of Instagram, or our colleagues down the hall. It’s tough to say exactly who’s to blame, but the result is clear: dewy makeup is everywhere. You can’t scroll on your phone for too long without confronting a glistening, highlighted face. And for good reason! Glowy is good. And easy. Matte, on the other hand, is trickier and takes a little more effort. Teaming up with makeup artist Benjamin Puckey, Into The Gloss played with the idea of a modern matte look. Drawing inspiration from the sculpted, powdered looks of the ‘80s, Benjamin dressed model Zahara Davis’ face in light-absorbing powders. Unlike the powders of decades past, however, these newer formulas are more finely-milled than their predecessors. This makes for softer, diffused makeup that lasts way longer than a cream. For the record, dewy makeup isn’t going anywhere, but here are three matte makeup ideas to explore when you dare to crave something new.

The secret to a contour that doesn’t look crazy? Layers, and a fluffy brush. Benjamin applied Surratt’s Artistique Blush in Ponceau over Ben Nye’s Orange to Zahara’s cheeks. And then working slightly under the cheeks, he layered Ben Nye’s Creme Contour under a Nars bronzer in Casino. All of the face powders were applied with Chanel’s Powder Brush—Benjamin’s favorite, he says, because it doesn’t shed. Even the foundation (Bobbi Brown Long Wear Weightless Foundation in Honey) got a coat of powder—Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Pale Yellow under Zahara’s eyes, and Soft Honey everywhere else. And that's just the base makeup. Fortunately the eye look is an easy smoke—MAC eyeshadow in Brown Down blended over Make Up For Ever’s Artist Color Shadow in M-853 did the trick. And those lips? A quick swipe of Mull It Over Powder Kiss, followed by a few dabs of Balm Dotcom (try the Mango).