
Why Does My Makeup Look Dry & What Are Possible Solutions?
Why does my makeup look dry quickly!?
Admit it; there are many times you check the mirror, see the flaky makeup, and die from the inside. The cakey layer makes you look unnatural and even older.
I encountered the problem quite often until I found some helpful tips to fix dry makeup quickly – so I decided to share them with you in this article.
You will thank me, for sure!
Table of Contents
Why Does My Makeup Look Dry? – Top Reasons

The underlying reasons for dry makeup
Having researched a lot about what makes dry makeup, I figured out there are many reasons behind this, for instance: you are not cleansing properly; you do not add an exfoliant into your daily skincare; you use the wrong makeup products, or you are applying way too much makeup.
#1: You Are Not Cleaning Your Face Skin Properly
Skin preparation is an important part before you apply makeup. Unfortunately, not many of us do it the right way. Some use makeup wipes to cleanse, possibly including you.
The leftover makeup, grime, or sunscreen stays on your face, building up in pores. This prevents the new makeup from blending on your skin and creates a thick and uneven texture.
#2: You Do Not Add an Exfoliant to Your Daily Skincare
That you might forget to add an exfoliant is the second reason.
It was also my case. For a long time, I did not know what caused my makeup to dry because I remembered to cleanse my face carefully in advance.
Thankfully, I know that skin cells exfoliate naturally and clog the pores from generating oils or absorbing serums or moisturizers. At that time, my face looked dull and dry. Applying makeup was even worse since it caused more build-up on the skin, resulting in a drier surface.
#3: You Use Wrong Makeup Products
Wrong makeup products are those not for your skin type. They end up improperly blending. Of all, the foundation is the most common mistaken product.
You might use a different shade that is brighter or darker than your skin’s undertones. As a result, your makeup looks artificial. Otherwise, the foundation does not match your skin type. Say you use a matte solution for dry skin instead of one with hydrating ingredients.
#4: You Are Applying Way Too Much Makeup
Many others and I apply makeup to have beautiful pictures. Cameras, however, fail to capture the vibrancy of colors as they are in real life, and we tend to wear thicker makeup in the end.
This can contribute to dryness and cakiness as the natural oil cannot reach the first outer layer of makeup. Not to mention, heavy and noticeable foundation and powder look bad.
How to Fix Dry Makeup in 5 Steps?

Tips to beautify your dry makeup again!
I have checked many tips to fix dry and cakey makeup quickly. Yet, those shared below suit me best.
Get Rid of Excess Makeup and Oil
Always prepare blotting sheets at home and in your bag in case you have dry makeup.
Gently dab the blotting paper on your face to remove excess concealer, foundation, and oil so that your makeup looks more natural.
Spray a Face Mist to Hydrate The Dry Makeup
When something goes dry, please give it some water. The principle remains the same for your makeup.
But avoid overdoing it.
You just need a small face mist, holding it about six inches above your face and spritzing twice or three times. The mist helps moisten your skin and rejuvenate dry patches.
Use a Damp Makeup Sponge
Once the patches are softened, you might want to apply light makeup on uneven places.
Then, blend the foundation or concealer with a damp sponge and dab it on blemishes or unnatural spots. The sponge allows the products to be taken into your skin more quickly than a brush can.
Pick up The Right Foundation
Using a foundation product matching your skin type in the first place makes your makeup less likely to turn dry. Or try to remove the wrong one and apply that foundation as a fix.
I recommend using a liquid or silicone-based foundation for dry skin; the powder type helps absorb excess oil on oily or combination skin. My go-to choice is silicone-based products because they sit firmly on my face, reduce moisture loss, and thus prevent flaky makeup look. That said, those with an over-dry skin type might not favor these items.
Finish It with a Spray
Once you fix all dry spots and patches, lock the good makeup by spraying your face again. A light spraying layer gives off a fresh touch-up look.
Just a light layer, please! I made this mistake hundreds of times before, and the excess water always ended up streaking on my face and leaving an uneven and dry texture.
How to Avoid Cakey Makeup Next Time?

My true advice for dry makeup issues
Above is a quick fix for dry makeup. However, you will not want to re-makeup at all times.
Then, take notes of my long-term advice.
- Exfoliate twice weekly to remove dead cells and keep your face smooth and clean. Remember this: flawless makeup begins with your proper skincare.
- Moisturize your skin so the foundation and other makeup products will not peel off and leave dry patches. Drink more water and apply additional moisturizers (they work better if you massage the moisturizers into your skin, particularly on under-eye and T-zone areas). Moisture also helps hide redness on the face without makeup.
- Prepare your face with a primer. This cream product can even out the skin and improve absorption later. Just wait for it to dry before you do the makeup.
- Only use makeup products designed for your skin type because they are safer and easier to blend on your skin.
- Use setting spray solutions after you finish the makeup. They help capture the makeup and moisture to maintain your fresh and beautiful look the whole day.
Final Words
Why does my makeup look dry?
I hope you will never need to ask yourself again since we already know the temporary and long-term solutions to fix the issue. Share the tips with your friends as they might also suffer from this annoying problem, and also share with me if you have any troubles with makeup.
I’m all ears!