Celeb Makeup Artist Delina Medhin On Mixing Matte & Dewy Makeup

In my opinion, the best thing about makeup right now is the endless variety. The rich shades of lip product cover the spectrum. There's coverage that spans from barely there to full face. Textures come in solid sticks to serum-like liquids. And finishes can appear smooth matte to high shine and dewy.

But with so much variety, it can be challenging to see how these all play together. Personally, I know I struggle with blending together various textures and finishes. The overall look always comes out disjointed rather than seamless and natural. So when I had celebrity makeup artist Delina Medhin on my podcast Clean Beauty School, I knew I had to get some inside tips on an effortless finish. If you've seen her red carpet or editorial work before, you know that she's a master at the big picture and details. Her work is equal parts flawless and effortless. 

Before I get into her makeup application advice, I want to say that we get into a lot in this episode that surpasses the scope beyond makeup—from career advice to finding a supportive work environment. It's worth a listen, even if you don't consider yourself a makeup fanatic.

"People like to feel like they're really glowy. So dewy-looking makeup is really popular right now," she says. (And, well, agreed.) "But the problem is the areas on your face where you may have more texture that you want to minimize, those should really be matte so it appears flatter and smoother."

She goes on to share an example: "Let's say the center of your face has more visible pores, which is very common. You should use a matte foundation or mattifying powder on those points, then you can apply your highlighter on the cheekbones to get you that dewy finish." 

Because dewy makeup, by design, catches and reflects light, it naturally draws more attention to those spots. "The key is simply to look at the skin and think: Where do I want to minimize texture? Well, that's matte. And where do I want to enhance my skin Well, then go for it and make that dewy," she says.