What Is Matte Makeup?

Matte makeup gives the impression of poreless skin and a pristine finish — meaning shine and oil are nowhere to be found. Matte makeup is often associated with dry, powdery skin; not necessarily so! Oily skin types might swear by matte makeup finishes to combat shine on a daily basis, but fruit pigmented® matte makeup is made with nourishing ingredients that can cater to dry skin types, too. Being a great asset for full coverage on any skin type, it’s no wonder matte makeup is arguably more of a lifestyle than a trend.

A fully mattified face will serve stunning porcelain doll vibes, making people wonder how you’ve gotten your pores to virtually disappear in a matter of minutes. Much like dewy or shimmery makeup, matte makeup can have bold impact when applied properly. You’ll need to work from your base upwards to go fully matte, meaning a matte facial primer is an absolute must. For normal to oily skin types, you’ll also want to employ a translucent setting powder for finishing your matte makeup look.

Above: Skin before and after a light application of mattifying Bamboo Blur Powder

Natural Matte Makeup

What We Leave Out

Sadly, most matte makeup products will use somewhat unsavory ingredients to achieve an opaque, oil-free finish. Talc is used to achieve a powdery matte finish, but has also been linked to potential asbestos contamination and can dry out the skin, robbing it of necessary natural oils. Talc is both an anti-caking and mattifying ingredient, meaning you’ll find it in almost every kind of conventional cosmetic, not just matte makeup products. It’s the prime ingredient in most conventional eye shadows, liquid foundations, foundation powders, and powder blushes.

Also be on the lookout for aluminum starch, which is an anti-caking agent that offers both thickening and mattifying effects for matte foundation formulas, but is unfortunately a synthetic byproduct of aluminum. Speaking of aluminum, the powder byproduct of this metal is quite a popular cosmetic colorant in the majority of foundations available on the market today — it’s especially prevalent in the most recognized cosmetic brands. Ever wonder what aluminum can do after sitting on your skin for hours? Try neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, and enhanced absorption. Not quite what we were hoping to apply to our delicate dermis for hours on end each day!

What We Use Instead

100% PURE plays it safe by formulating with only natural ingredients, meaning these ingredients only undergo chemical changes from biological processes like fermentation, distillation, and cold processing. Instead of talc, we use finely pressed rice starch. Instead of aluminum starch or other anti-caking, mattifying components, we use bamboo silica: the protective layer in the epidermal cell walls of bamboo. Bamboo silica also provides impressive light-refracting abilities, which we’ll get into later!

Matte Makeup for Dry Skin

While most know to shop matte makeup for oily skin, one of the biggest searches is to find healthy matte makeup for dry skin. It’s no secret that using matte face powder will absorb oil and minimize shine, which is why oily skin types love our Fruit Pigmented® Foundation Powder made with rice starch. Oily skin types also love our Fruit Pigmented® Healthy Foundation, which is made with both rice starch and anti-aging superfruits.

If you’re looking for matte makeup for dry skin, you’ll need to both prime your skin (we’ll give you deets below) and use matte products that are free of skin-stripping alcohols and chemicals. Bamboo Blur Tinted Moisturizer (aka Bamboo Blur Matte Makeup) is the ideal matte makeup for dry skin thanks to its featherweight feel and ultra hydrating base. We use aloe leaf juice, rose hydrosol, and both pomegranate and avocado seed oils to create a skin nourishing foundation base that leaves dry skin totally hydrated and supple (don’t forget to moisturize and prime first, especially if your skin is really dry). To round out its mattifying properties, we added both rice starch and bamboo silica to this matte foundation formula to create a poreless porcelain finish for skin. Bamboo silica has the natural ability to refract light, making Bamboo Blur Matte Makeup your BFF when it comes to both flawless everyday wear and pore-free photo ops. As any light hits the bamboo silica in this matte foundation formula, the microscopic particles will bounce light away from the face, resulting in a red-carpet-worthy filter for skin.

Primer for Matte Makeup

Perhaps the most crucial step in your matte makeup routine, choosing the right primer shouldn’t be overlooked. But before we can dive into the dangers of non-natural facial primers, let’s talk skin priming. While there are multiple moisturizer options for your skin type, our favorite for all skin types is the Hydra Drench Cream. This chia gel based natural moisturizer brings hydration (a must for all skin types) in spades plus a fast absorption rate, and can be layered under another facial oil or moisturizer for dry skin types. Have super dry skin and want to stick to just one moisturizer? Then you’ll be obsessed with our Sea Culture Creme, which will plump and moisturize dry skin in no time. But because of the higher oil content in this moisturizer, your matte makeup finish may be slightly compromised; to counteract any dewiness peeking through, finish your matte makeup look with a finishing powder.

There are plenty of primers out there capable of mattifying your precious skin, but they come with a bit of baggage: think synthetic silicone, vinyl dimethicone, aluminum starch, and even iron oxide colorants if they’re tinted formulas. Want to avoid heavy metals and synthetics being applied to your naked, vulnerable skin? Opt for a silicone-free primer, and scan the ingredients list for any synthetic stowaways. Our Mattifying Primer is made strictly with vegan ingredients that anyone will recognize: think organic aloe juice, olive squalane, rice starch, and seaweed collagen. You’ll get hydration, youthful skin plumping, and a silky matte finish that holds makeup in place for longer wear.

5 Matte Makeup Favorites

Bamboo Blur Powder

We’re convinced that this is the ideal translucent powder for getting a poreless finish. Comprised of only a single ingredient, this setting powder will become your most critical ally for getting a soft focused matte makeup look. Thanks to light refracting bamboo silica, all you need is a light application with your Cruelty Free Powder Brush to see oil 100% diffused and to stamp out shine.

Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick

Currently our most popular lip formula, the Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick line has reached new heights with its recent fall shade additions. Now featuring a broad color spectrum that includes shades like nude, clay brown, dusty pink, deep berry, and vibrant red-orange, this line is intensely pigmented and perfectly matte. Made using cocoa and shea butters to keep lips moisturized, despite the matte finish provided by rice starch.

Fruit Pigmented® Blush Powder

Our collection of Fruit Pigmented® Blush powders is so extensive that you’ll need a roadmap for choosing your perfect shade, thanks to a broad color spectrum yielded by natural fruit and cocoa pigments. Natural rice starch ensures a matte finish while rosehip oil, avocado, and cocoa butters will moisturize skin, rather than strip or irritate like the harsh synthetics found in conventional powder blush formulas.

Fruit Pigmented® Healthy Foundation

Touting the most opaque coverage of any 100% foundation formula, our Healthy Foundation line is a must for matte makeup lovers. Perfect for almost any skin type (extra dry skin types may prefer our Bamboo Blur foundation line), this foundation packs some serious hydrating, moisturizing, and anti-aging benefits with its completely plant based ingredient list. Finishes with totally opaque, matte coverage.

Fruit Pigmented® Foundation Powder

A favorite of oily to normal skin types, this natural powder foundation line is a go-to for those seeking a blend of medium coverage, a perfectly matte finish, and major oil-diffusing power. Want to double down on your matte coverage? After moisturizing and priming clean skin, layer Healthy Foundation onto skin with a kabuki brush, then finish with a color-matched shade of Fruit Pigmented® Foundation Powder.

Want more makeup, skin care, and body care guides that suit your green lifestyle? Check out our 100% PURE Beauty Blog every day for new posts!