Whether you’re a beauty enthusiast or just someone who needs to wear makeup for work, knowing how to apply foundation properly is the most important thing you can learn for that picture-perfect look. Foundation acts as the base for the look you’re trying to achieve, so if you get that part wrong right off the bat, you will get everything else wrong, too.

This doesn’t mean you have to be a makeup expert, but it simply means you need to know the correct way of applying foundation, including proper blending and choosing the right shade. In the following, we’ll be discussing the essential tips for perfecting your foundation.

See Also: 20 Best Foundation for Dry Skin

7 Tips for Perfecting Your Foundation

1. Prep Your Skin

A lot of people make the mistake of going straight to applying primer without prepping their skin. This looks different for everyone; it may involve your skincare routine or a simple exfoliation. Preparing the skin may mean using a facial cleanser to get rid of any excess dirt and exfoliating to thoroughly de-clog your pores.

This could also mean applying your usual moisturizer. Aside from keeping your skin hydrated, moisturizing helps even out your skin. Your foundation may appear caked up, flakey, or dry overall if you apply it directly on a bare face, and we wouldn’t want that!

The 3-step method to prep your skin thoroughly is to do all three mentioned: cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. After this, you’re all set for the next steps in applying foundation.

2. Apply a Primer

While it’s perfectly okay to skip the primer, it’s essential for a long-lasting makeup look. It also makes your pores look smaller and skin smoother so that when you do apply your foundation, it won’t appear cakey or not magnify your pores. To put it simply, using a primer will do wonders for your foundation once applied.

Primers work similarly to concealers, except they provide a lighter finish while covering certain imperfections along the way for a flawless foundation appearance. You can either apply primer to your entire face or just on the areas that need it the most, like your forehead, sides of your nose, cheekbones, and other areas you deem fit.

3. Choose the Right Foundation Shade

Finding the right shade is a defining factor in how your foundation will turn out to be. You can do all the steps right, but if the shade you use is not similar or close to your actual skin tone, your makeup won’t appear flawless.

Swatching different foundation shades before buying or using will give you an estimate of your exact foundation shade. When you find the right shade, it brings you closer to a flawless finish for your foundation.

You can also opt for virtual makeup tools on the off chance you don’t want to go through the inconvenience of swatching different foundation shades in a cosmetics store. With several virtual tools available at your disposal, you can pick a more accurate shade for your exact skin tone.

Frankly, swatching at an actual store isn’t always accurate because of the artificial lighting provided, whereas you can pick your precise foundation shade with more natural lighting with virtual tools.

4. Apply an Adequate Amount of Foundation

It’s better to apply a small amount of foundation and build it up rather than applying too much at the onset. You can always blend and add more foundation, but putting too much right away will make it messy and cakey, which are both the opposites of the finish you’re trying to achieve.

Your goal with foundation is to have it appear so similar to your skin, it almost looks like a second layer. Keep in mind that if you’ve been trying so hard to apply foundation all over your face and it still does not match, you may have chosen the wrong shade.

It’s also a better option to choose a slightly lighter foundation than a darker one as you can always use concealer and contour to blend it evenly, but you can’t do that with a darker foundation shade.

5. Buff and Blend the Foundation Evenly

Never paint the foundation all over your face; instead, buff and blend it evenly. This is where makeup tools such as foundation brushes or beauty blenders will come in handy, as blending won’t be as messy, especially when you don’t want to use your fingers.

Buffing and blending will give you the right amount of coverage, so your foundation will appear naturally flawless on your face. Avoid rubbing the foundation all over your face or blending it too hard, as it may cause streaks to appear all over your face. Rather, buff and blend gently in a stippling motion to get the best results.

6. Apply Concealer to Skin Blemishes and Imperfections

If you see any blemishes and imperfections left on your face that can’t be easily covered by foundation, such as dark spots or redness, apply concealer to those areas. Like using foundation, gently dab the concealer, and don’t blend too hard to avoid rubbing off the foundation entirely. It’s also a good idea to use concealer brushes for the best blending effect on the blemishes you apply on.

7. Finish it Off with Setting Powder

To avoid oiliness appearing in certain areas of your face and avoid a cakey finish, setting powder is the way to go. It may be the last step, but it’s just as crucial as the other steps in this list.

Find the right setting powder that gives off a colorless and light finish to avoid a cakey foundation; otherwise, there won’t be a point in applying setting powder. It’s also advisable to use the right makeup brush, preferably a powder puff or any flat-shaped brush, to give the best results with your setting powder.

Takeaway

Hopefully, this article gave you adequate knowledge on applying foundation perfectly for a flawless makeup look! Each step is crucial to getting it right and even something as simple as choosing foundation shades can improve the finish of your makeup. Remember that foundation is the very base of your look, so getting it right is key to a naturally astounding makeup appearance.

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Author: Pia RodriguezPia Rodriguez is a content marketing manager of Maybelline Philippines with years of experience under her belt. For Pia, being able to create content that helps empower women is a dream come true. She likes to spend her free time reading books, visiting art galleries, and watching feel-good movies.