Foundation is probably one of the most appropriately named makeup products. Every step of your makeup routine is going to be applied on top of your foundation; it is quite literally the foundation of your entire look.
A foundation can make or break your look. If you don’t know how to apply foundation properly, you’re going to find that everything else will look badly applied. That’s why it’s so important to understand the right way to go about it and ensure a flawless base.
Your canvas matters; and that’s why we’ve put together this step-by-step guide on how to apply foundation. No one wants to be left with a patchy cakey mess, so we’ve done all the work for you. Stick to these simple tips and tricks and you’re guaranteed to be left red carpet ready!
Fresh Start
Let’s kick things off with the simplest step out there, but unfortunately one that a lot of people tend to overlook; cleanse! Your skin is the canvas for this canvas, so it’s important to have it cleared up and ready for everything to come.
Make sure to use a gentle and hydrating cleanser for this step. You don’t want to use a harsh exfoliating one that could irritate your skin right before you apply products onto it.
Also, please wash your face in the morning ladies. We’ve all been victim to loving our morning glow; well that glow is actually sweat and left over product from the night before, it will just make your foundation application patchy.
Prep Yourself
One more thing before into how to apply foundation, you absolutely must prep your skin. Again, you can’t expect the foundation to do all the work; you need to do all you can to make sure it has a good base to stick to.
How far you’re willing to go is up to you entirely. You can stick to simply moisturizing, or top it off with a primer to follow, or really go for it and color-correct too!
As long as you do at least one of those steps, your foundation will have something to stick to that will help it apply more beautifully- and last longer!
Choose Wisely
There are many factors to consider when choosing your foundation. Everyone’s needs are different, and that’s why there are so many in the market! The best way to go about making this decision is to analyse your skin.
Figure out if your skin is on the drier side or if it gets oily. Once you have that down, give your skin a quick scan and see if you have a lot of blemishes or breakouts that you need to cover or if you’re fine with your skin and just want something to even out your skin tone.
Depending on your answer, you’ll know whether you need a fuller coverage or want something more natural. If you feel like you have more discolouration or blemishes then you’re going to want a medium to high coverage to help conceal them (you can always go back in with concealer, don’t worry!).
However, if you have less to cover then there’s an array of lightweight foundations that give lighter coverage. Play around with a few and figure out which works best with your skin!
Tools Are Key
There are so many options out there of what you can apply your foundation with. Brushes have always been the tool of choice, for foundation you’re going to want a dense brush so that you can really buff the product in without losing any product.
More recently however, sponge blenders have revolutionized how people apply their foundation. A damp blender can help give you a more natural finish, it really helps to remove excess product and pack it on your face smoothly. With a sponge it’s important to always remember to pat and not rub or swipe; patting it in will help it apply more smoothly.
Less is More
Too many people make the mistake of pumping 3 pumps out because they think that will give them a flawless finish; wrong! The truth is it’s always wiser to build up your foundation. Start with a tiny amount and as you blend it out you’ll see if you want more.
It’s always easier to add on then it is to remove. Start with one pump and once it’s all blended out you’ll see what areas need a bit more product. Just apply gradually and blend, blend, blend! Blending is the most important part here, really take your time with your foundation application and you won’t regret those extra minutes spent patting it in.
Set So You Don’t Fret
Finally, once your foundation is applied smoothly and you’re really feeling yourself, set it in place with powder! All your hard work can go to waste if you don’t make sure you use a powder to set the product in place.
If you fail to set things, then your foundation is going to move around throughout the day and transfer onto your clothes; it can even begin to separate and cling to patches and creases! Yes, it can be that big of a nightmare. So make sure you lightly pat a powder onto your face to keep the product in place all day.
Fun Tip: use a powder foundation for this step to give you one more punch of coverage!
