mattifying

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Making the skin less shiny, especially by absorbing oil; used about cosmetic products.

   Grammar: Used before a noun: mattifying powder. It can also be the -ing form of the verb 'mattify'.

   Patterns

   • mattifying powder
   • mattifying lotion
   • mattifying effect

   She applied a mattifying powder to her forehead to reduce shine.

   This mattifying lotion is great for oily skin.

   The makeup artist used a mattifying primer before applying foundation.

2. 2verbtransitive

   Present participle of 'mattify': to make the skin less shiny or oily.

   Grammar: Used as part of continuous tenses or as a participle: The cream is mattifying my skin.

   Patterns

   • mattify something
   • mattifying the skin

   The new serum is mattifying my T-zone effectively.

   She has been mattifying her skin with this product for a week.

Word forms

Common combinations

mattifying powder

Use a mattifying powder to set your makeup.

mattifying lotion

Apply mattifying lotion before your moisturizer.

mattifying primer

A mattifying primer helps control oil all day.

mattifying effect

This foundation has a mattifying effect on the skin.

Synonyms and how they differ

oil-absorbing

Oil-absorbing describes a product that soaks up oil, while mattifying focuses on the result: making the skin look less shiny.

shine-reducing

Shine-reducing is a more general term; mattifying is specifically used in cosmetics and implies a matte finish.

Opposites

Word family

mattify verb

To make the skin less shiny or oily.

matt adjective

Having a dull, non-shiny surface (American spelling: matte).

mattifier noun

A cosmetic product that makes the skin less shiny.

Commonly confused: mattifying or matifying? mattifying or mettifying?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “mattifying”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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