How to wear complexion make-up
I often have people complain to me that their foundation never looks right; it’s too cakey, it gets greasy etc. Well, the problem most likely is that you’re not wearing it the best way. Not everyone is meant to wear liquid foundation like most people automatically gravitate to. Here I’m going to give you a few tips on how to keep your foundation looking fresh and natural until you’re ready to take it off.
First step is to moisturize! Everyone needs to do this step, even if you have oil rich skin! This helps regulate your skin’s moisture, so it doesn’t get too dry during the day, and at the same time it helps you keep from over producing natural oils. Moisturizer with sunscreen is best for everyday wear.
The next step is to use a primer! Most primers are silicone based, and do wonders for keeping your makeup on! They fill in fine lines, smooth out the pores, and keep your skins oils from breaking makeup down. If you want to go beyond these basic purposes for primer, there are a ton of makeup brands that carry primers with specific benefits like color correction and illumination. I love Smashbox and Urban Decay’s primers, but (this is a little weird but trust me it works) I have only used Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder/Gel for years. It have the same essential ingredients as Urban Decay primer, but it only costs $6!
The next step is concealing under the eyes. I just put a small amount of concealer underneath the inner corner of my eye and blend out for a natural look. Not too difficult.
The fourth step is foundation!
- For dry skin, use a liquid. Powders will make you look too dried out and cakey.
- For oil rich skin, use a mineral powder! I’m not a huge fan of any drugstore brand, but I recommend going to sheercover.com and trying out their product.
- For Normal skin that doesn’t have issues other than a bit of unevenness, use a tinted moisturizer. Yes, you can use a tinted moisturizer after already moisturizing. I have never been a huge advocate of tinted moisturizer, but I have developed a love for Aveda Inner Light Tinted Moisturizer! It has amazing coverage, and it looks so natural on the skin.
- For pretty much anyone, I love airbrush makeup because it makes skin look so perfect. If you have dry skin though, you should do some exfoliation and definitely moisturize beforehand or it can get patchy and rough looking.
I recommend only using one layer of foundation to keep it looking natural. I know from personal experience that people with acne want to just slather on layer after layer of foundation, but if you take all of these steps, you’ll find that you won’t need to.
Fifth step is spot concealing (if you use powder foundation or airbrush, this step goes before foundation). There is an ever-present argument about whether concealer should come before or after foundation, but this is just how I prefer to do it. Using concealer before liquid foundation tends to look less perfect to me, so I just do it after. I’m not a believer in using concealer like a second foundation. I use it ONLY for spot concealing any imperfections that foundation couldn’t handle, and that’s it. Using any more will make it look like you’re wearing a mask, but if that’s the look you’re trying to accomplish, by all means go for it.
The finishing step is to use a setting powder (even powder foundation wearers can do this step). I love to use Make Up For Ever’s HD Microfinish powder, because it’s an ultra-fine translucent powder that makes skin look amazingly matte and smooth. It’s the best finishing powder I’ve come across so far.
Another optional step is to use a foundation setting spray. I use these mostly when it’s hot outside, or if I know it’s going to be a long day where I won’t have a chance to refresh my makeup. I use De-Slick spray by Urban Decay because it is super effective at reducing facial oils, and keeps me looking less greasy than I would without it.
I hope this little mini-guide helps anyone who has had complexion makeup issues! I know it seems like a lot of extra time and effort, but the whole process of using all these steps takes me about 5 minutes total! It’s an easy routine that keeps you looking your best all day long.