In this blog post, I’m going to give you the ultimate guide and tips to a flawless base. Find out how to get perfect foundation every time!
Let me start off by saying, I am in no way incredible at makeup. Kind of stupid of me to admit as I’m about to convince you why you should take on these tips in your makeup routine. But I’m admitting this for two reasons: 1) so you’re not disappointed in my abilities and 2) to show you that these tips are foolproof and meant for the everyday person, like myself.
I would also like to say, as stated in the title, this is specifically for your face routine. If there is anything I am good at in the makeup realm, it’s the face. I have tried and tested so many different steps and I am finally at a place in which I feel confident enough to share. Believe me, these steps work. Regardless of your skin type, your age, or your complexion, you can adapt these tips to fit in your own routine and in your own way.
Now that I’ve prefaced this and gave you your fair warning, let’s get into exactly how you can (and should) change-up your makeup routine to achieve a flawless base. Here is how to get perfect foundation!
10 Tips To a Flawless Base:
1. Exfoliate
Knowing how to get perfect foundation starts with a clean and well-kept face. For this, use whatever sort of exfoliator you have in your beauty routine that you know works for you. For me, I prefer to use an enzyme cleanser as a gentle exfoliant right before doing my makeup, or use my exfoliating serum the night before an important event.
2. Shave
If you are an avid face shaver, then do what you usually do. As far as face shaving goes, everyones skin reacts differently. Personally, I never shave the night before an important event. My skin usually gets pretty red and may react in a few bumps the day after. So if I remember, I shave 5-6 days before an event. However, if my face really needs it the moment of, I’ll shave right then and deal with the redness the next day.
3. Moisturize
This one does NOT go without saying, I absolutely had to put this one in here. Use a simple and lightweight moisturizer, you don’t want anything thats too thick as it won’t allow your makeup to soak in as much. My favourite is the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion.
4. Apply a sheet mask
I use a sheet mask right after moisturizing every single time I’m doing my makeup for something important. Sheet masks plump your skin and give you that extra glow that looks as though its coming from within. For this purpose, I always go for a brightening and moisturizing one- these are the ones that do the trick. Just make sure to leave enough time in your schedule to let this sit for 15 minutes on the skin.
5. Prime your t-zone
If theres anywhere you should prime, its the t-zone. This is where we get the most cakey, and the area that’s a dead giveaway for too much foundation. For this, use a primer thats smoothing like the Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer, or the Tatcha Silk Canvas Protecting Primer. Really work the primer in to your skin, take a few extra seconds and rub it into all the little crevices of your face. Both of these are worth the splurge, and you will absolutely see a difference.
6. Apply only one layer of foundation
Get a foundation that is medium coverage, and do a light but solid layer of this all over your face. The more layers you add, the more cakey you’ll become. A good rule of thumb for how many pumps of foundation you should be using: depending on the foundation bottle 1-2 pumps per side of your face. I never do more than 4 pumps. Ever. Now if you’ve put on that one layer and you skill have imperfections showing through, read my next tip.
7. Spot conceal with a satin finish concealer
If you’re trying to cover acne or small breakouts, using a concealer that has a dewy finish will only attract more attention to them. On the other side, using a super matte concealer could also emphasize dryness, especially after adding a bunch of powder. The best finish to use is a satin finish concealer, typically concealers in pods are the best for this. My all time favourite concealer for spot concealing is the Nars Soft Matte Concealer.
8. Let your under-eye concealer sit for a while
Why? It gets the concealer tacky enough that it won’t slide around or completely come off on your beauty sponge and fail to cover any dark circles, completely defeating the purpose of wearing it in the first place. Put on a light layer of concealer, then do your eyebrows (or something that takes about a minute or two), THEN go in and blend the concealer out. The concealer will be mostly concentrated in the area that you want the most coverage, and the rest can just be blended out seamlessly.
9. Bronzer, highlight THEN blush
Yes, in that exact order. The days of a distinct line of highlight on your cheekbone are long gone, praise the lord. If you highlight after bronzer but before blush, it creates the illusion that you are glowing from within. In the end, all three blend seamlessly together and you are left with a soft glow under flushed skin, and there’s nothing more flawless than that.
10. Blend everything together with a soft finish powder
At the end of your routine, right before you set it all, take a big fluffy brush and blend everything together with a very soft powder. This ensures everything is blended and seamless and that you won’t be left with any harsh lines from your contour. This creates a veil that does not take away any of your hard work, but instead makes it look as though you didn’t work as hard. My favourite powder to use for this is the Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder as it has a soft glow and doesn’t add too much to the skin.
Lastly, set it and get ready to take the day (or night) on! And that’s it! Follow these tips to know how to get the perfect foundation every time!