6 Hydrating Skin-Care Products To Apply Over Makeup

Although applying skin care over your makeup can seem counterintuitive (the goal is to get it as close to your bare skin as possible after all), there’s lots of reasons to start. Reason number one: it’s an easy way to rehydrate and refresh your skin throughout the day. Reason two: it’s an excuse to use more skin care. Easy to use (and carry) products like mists and oils work best for this, and can be used on certain spots without disturbing the rest of your look. With that in mind we’ve rounded up our favorites, from a rosewater mist you’ll want to keep in every bag to an aesthetically pleasing mask you can use practically everywhere.

See our hydrating skin-care picks, ahead:

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist
A refreshing blend of neroli, orange blossom, rose and sage waters, the Queen of Hungary Mist is inspired by Queen of Hungary Water, the world’s first recorded alcohol-based perfume. Before makeup, this product acts as a post-cleanse toner but when applied over makeup, it refreshes and revitalizes the skin. It’s free of fragrance and color (hello sensitive skin babes!) and contains a patented Hydro Mineral Transference System, which may help skin appear firmer and more supple.

Garnier SkinActive Soothing Facial Mist With Rose Water

For a light layer of hydration, we recommend Garnier Rose Water Mist, a rose-water infused formula that soothes and refreshes without affecting your makeup application. You can use this as both a primer and an over-makeup mist .t’s so light it’s almost impossible to use too much (feel free to spritz with abandon). It’s also an affordable drugstore buy at $9 a bottle, so pick up one for every bag.

Herbivore Orchid Youth-Preserving Facial Oil

Facial oils are one of our favorite ways to apply skin care over makeup — you can use it to add a little bit of dewiness on the high points of your face, rehydrate a dry spot or combat a particularly cakey formula. Make sure to use sparingly though, so you don’t completely wipe away your makeup . One option we love is Herbivore Orchid Youth-Preserving Facial Oil, which is designed to give skin a glowy, dewy sheen. The oil is formulated with orchid extract (a natural humectant which attracts moisture), camellia seed oil and squalane. 

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask

It’s likely you’ve seen this mask on your Instagram feed — its cool blue packaging and aesthetically pleasing wrinkles are hard to miss. Although it’s called a “mask,” it’s really a no-rinse multi-tasker that can be used on top of your makeup, too. It contains Vitamin C, sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid), vitamin E and arginine. Pop this on top of your makeup when you’re skin is feeling dull and watch it seemingly spring back to life.

Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate

This is the daytime alternative to the Midnight Recovery Concentrate and helps skin appear fresh and energized. It’s formulated with powerful antioxidants and skin-loving ingredients like ginger root, sunflower and tamanu oils, and it adds a subtle glow to skin without feeling heavy.

La Roche-Posay Double Repair Moisturizer

If you need to add extra hydration, reach for a lightweight moisturizer like La Roche-Posay Double Repair Moisturizer. This moisturizer contains ceramide-3, prebiotic thermal water, glycerin and niacinamide. The oil-free formula doesn’t shift around your face makeup, but it does give skin an extra boost of moisture, making it perfect for cold, wintry days when you’re feeling dry.