Kerry Washington, 45, Uses This Drugstore Color-Correcting Cream for Glowing Skin

Photo credit: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC - Getty Images
Photo credit: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC - Getty Images


"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."


Kerry Washington’s red carpet looks always strike the perfect balance of Hollywood glamour meets natural beauty—and her 2022 Emmys look followed suit. The Reasonable Doubt star showed up in a cream-colored Elie Saab mini gown adorned with ornamental flowers, paired with black tights and black pumps. And her makeup artist Carola Gonzalez used 99% Neutrogena products for her glowing complexion—the star of the show being the Clear Coverage Flawless Matte CC Cream.

After prepping Washington’s skin with some of her tried-and-true skincare including the Hydro Boost Water Gel Cream, Gonzalez went in with concealer and foundation. “I always start by concealing under the eye area, blemishes, and any other imperfections on the skin. For Kerry’s skin tone I used Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Radiant Cream Concealer in Golden,” she said in a press release. “Next step is always the foundation, I used Neutrogena’s Flawless Matte CC Cream in Amber 8.0. I applied it all over her face and neck to match her body’s skin tone.”

The CC Cream is special in that it was developed for acne-prone skin—it contains anti-inflammatory niacinamide that helps calm existing breakouts (while covering them!) and prevents new ones from forming. The formula is also mattifying, making it ideal for oily skin, and comes in 34 shades. Because it’s not a full-blown foundation, it feels undetectable on the skin, which is exactly what Gonzalez was going for.

“I wanted [Washington’s] makeup to be natural, radiant, with soft tones. The gown gave me regal vibes and I wanted [her] to look timeless. I wanted to complement the femininity of the gown,” she said. And that she did.

Be it for an awards show or everyday work makeup, the Flawless Matte CC Cream is a no-brainer pick—reviewers love it, and one Amazon shopper even called it “a miracle.”

“This stuff is so good!!!” they wrote. “[I’m in my] mid-20s and still acne-prone, I was having the worst comedogenic breakouts of my life, but when I started using this (along with cleansing two times daily with micellar water and salicylic acid) my skin smoothed out so much. I get so many compliments that my skin is glowing!”

“This full coverage product is a perfect match for my skin tone, lasted all day, and the niacinamide is amazing for fading acne and picking marks!” another raved. “Excellent full coverage without feeling heavy,” someone else wrote.

Gonzalez finished the look with Neutrogena’s Intense Gel Eyeliner in Jet Black and the Healthy Volume Waterproof Mascara in Carbon Black. Shop Washington’s full Emmys face (including skin prep) below.

You Might Also Like