With the slew of foundation posts I've been blogging about last week, I thought it would be apt to share 10 of my favorite tips for applying them, whether powder, liquid, or stick. I wanted to update my Summer-proof Makeup Tips that I posted almost 2 years ago. Some of these tips have been bandied about on the interwebz before but hopefully, some of these tips will be fresh and useful. Without further ado, let's jump into them!
SKIN PREP
TIP ONE: EXFOLIATION
An often neglected step, it's more important for drier skin types. Foundation will rarely set right on flakey skin unless you heavily moisturize beforehand. If you're anything like me, I don't have a lot of time to get ready in the morning so layering my moisturizer and waiting for it to sink it in is not a viable option. For a gentle exfoliation, I recommend the Laura Mercier Flawless Finish Face Polish. The creamy exfoliator's beads are tiny and never feel abrasive on my skin. For an affordable alternative, I like the Aveeno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub. There's more beads than the Laura Mercier so it does feel harsher on the skin but definitely a great budget-friendly option.
TIP TWO: TOO MUCH SKINCARE
I used to hate wearing foundation because it never looked natural on me. I realized that my skincare was the problem (forgot my skincare bag one time when I was travelling--but remembered the makeup bag xD); I applied waaay too many products, causing my skin to be slippery and not letting the foundation adhere properly. Now, even drugstore foundations look beautiful on my skin! I'd recommend just the bare basics when you're going to wear foundation--toner, moisturizer and SPF, maybe some acne spot treatment. I've written about my skincare routine before but in actuality, it fluctuates to accommodate my skin needs.
TIP THREE: PRIME TIME
This is a step I often forgo but when my skin is acting up, this will help any foundation glide on without trouble. For some serious oil control, I like the Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector. It's on the thicker side so less is definitely more. If Becca is too mattifying, a softer option is the Benefit POREfessional. It has a slight tint that eases my redness, minimizes my pores, and has a soft matte finish on my skin. If you have dry skin, a hydrating primer like the Vivito Blue Music Blues Shiny Primer will help add the much needed moisture back into your skin without any shimmer or sparkle. For that extra glowy foundation, I like to add a luminizer, like the Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly Starter, into my foundation. It has a pink tinge which brightens my complexion without making me look chalky. It's also cooling and hydrating on my skin, perfect when my skin is feeling hot and dry. An honorable mention is the Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 PA++. While it doesn't control super oily skin, the addition of SPF makes it a nice option for layering.
APPLICATION
TIP FOUR: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Depending on the viscosity of the foundation, your brush will give you varying results. I like to use brushes with most liquid foundations. If it's on the runnier side, I prefer my fingers as it will give me the most coverage without the streaky brush marks. My all time favorite foundation brush style is a flat top kabuki style. It doesn't give me brush marks and makes blending a breeze. It's also great for applying powder foundations. Two of my favorites are the e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush and the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. A traditional flat paddle style foundation brush gives me very full coverage but can give me streaky lines if I'm not careful. It doesn't soak up as much product as my kabuki style brushes so it's great for very liquidy to creamy foundations. My rule of thumb: the denser and shorter the bristles, the more coverage it will give. For thicker liquid or cream foundations, a damp sponge is my pick. It will help sheer the product out a bit and blend it in easily. The Beauty Blender is my favorite sponge but the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge is a close second.
TIP FIVE: WARM UPS
I find that when I use a particularly heavier foundation, it doesn't seem to mesh with my skin as well when I apply with my brush. To remedy that, I like to gently cradle my face to heat the foundation, alternating all around my face a couple a times. Using a sponge to press and bounce works too but hands are easier to clean. xD
I find that when I use a particularly heavier foundation, it doesn't seem to mesh with my skin as well when I apply with my brush. To remedy that, I like to gently cradle my face to heat the foundation, alternating all around my face a couple a times. Using a sponge to press and bounce works too but hands are easier to clean. xD
SETTING
TIP 6: POWDER TIMENow that you've done all this hard work, how you set it is important! The 3 implements I use most often are a kabuki brush, a fluffy brush and a powder puff. The fluffier the brush, the less powder it will pick up. Sponge puffs pick up the most for me so I get the most coverage from them. For colored powders, all three work fine. However, I don't like using powder puffs when it comes to translucent powders because I can get a white cast. Lighter skin tones might not have this problem but if you have a darker complexion, sponge puff + translucent powder might not be the best idea. My favorite pressed powder is the L'Oreal True Match Powder because it gives me a natural finish and never oxidizes nor look cakey. Loose powders are not my ideal but I liked the Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder and the MUFE HD Powder.
TIP 7: SETTING SPRAYS
If you don't like the mattifying or heavy look of powders, setting sprays are another option. Many brands make them these days and I've tried both the ones from Urban Decay and MUFE with great results. Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray gives me a matte look whereas the MUFE Mist + Fix gives me a luminous look. I hold the bottle an arm's length away above my face, spray 4 times in an X-motion so that the mist can lightly fall onto my face. If you have larger droplets on your face, you can gently pat it in so you don't disturb the makeup. Setting spray can be used at the end of the makeup routine or after foundation. In my experience, spraying after mascara and everything is done hasn't caused it to run if I hold the bottle far enough away.
TOUCH UPS
TIP 8: MID-DAY OIL CONTROL
The market has lots of different options when it comes to staving off that oil. The popular option is blotting sheets or films but I find that those do remove a bit of my foundation if I'm really oily. One blotting paper that counteracts that is the Palladio Rice Paper. Because it has a bit of powder on the paper, it'll add some coverage back to my face. It comes in 3 shades and I've used all with good effect. An interesting product I discovered last year was the Mally Face Defender. It's like a solid silicone block. If you have serious issues with oil, that's a great option. Mine doesn't have a compartment for my enormous puff but it's great before makeup and for touch ups--a little goes a long way! If I apply too much, it can start balling up and falling off. Using a blotting powder is also quick and easy but make sure it's a lighter powder because you don't want that dreaded cake face, which leads to the next tip...
TIP 9: AVOIDING THE CAKE FACE
If you went a little overboard with the powder or if your foundation is looking dry, lightly mist face with a facial mist or water and then pat, pat, pat. It's important that you find a spritz bottle that has a fine mist--you don't want water droplets falling on your face and messing up the makeup. The travel-size spray bottles from Daiso have the finest spritz I've found and for $1.50usd, that's a steal! Re-powder if necessary.
OTHER TIPS
TIP TEN: FOUNDATION MISMATCH
I first saw this tip on Stacey Makeup blog. She recommends adding colored pigments to your foundation to correct the undertones. Utilizing color theory, green will counteract pink, white will lighten a foundation and black will have the reverse effect. She also explains undertones very well so you should head on over and have a peep! For foundations that appear orange on my skintone, adding a pale pink usually corrects that problem for me. I have a DIY post where I tried out her technique and it works!
So those are my top ten tips for a flawless finish! It was quite lengthy but I just wanted to be as clear and thorough as possible. As the weather starts heating up, I'll be continuing to use these tips myself. Even if it isn't hot, these tips will also work for events where you really need robust makeup. I hope y'all found this helpful!
So those are my top ten tips for a flawless finish! It was quite lengthy but I just wanted to be as clear and thorough as possible. As the weather starts heating up, I'll be continuing to use these tips myself. Even if it isn't hot, these tips will also work for events where you really need robust makeup. I hope y'all found this helpful!
What tips do you have to ensure a flawless finish every time?
Share them down below!
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