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Top Tips on How to Do Flawless Foundation Like a Pro

02 Mar, 2017
By BeYou[tiful]
A good skin care routine, regular face masks and drinking your eight glasses of water every day are the first steps to achieving your dreams of flawless skin, but for days when you need a little extra help you have a friend in foundation.
 
When applied correctly foundation can completely transform your face, make your pores seem to disappear, totally evening out your skin tone and banishing any hints of blemishes. Applied badly and it can make you look washed out, accentuate your flaws and even give you the dreaded two-tone look between your face and neck.
 
Seeing a celebrity post another selfie showing off their spot-free and glowing skin is enough to make you turn green with envy but the only thing they have that you don't is a professional make up artist (and a whole lot of Photoshop). We've selected some of the best tips and tricks that makeup artists use to give everyone a face worthy of fame.

Tip #1. Order, Order

There has always been a bit of confusion as to what order you are supposed to apply your makeup products so let's clear up this (and your face) once and for all. Start with your colour-correcting concealers to cancel out blemishes, spots and discolouration. Next apply your foundation and lastly touch up any remaining areas with your concealer. Some women apply their concealer before their foundation, but this way you use your concealer as more of a finishing touch and your product will last longer.
 
Related: Insider Secrets on How to Use Colour Correcting Concealers
 

Tip #2. Primed Up

If you're one of the many who suffer from an oily T-zone (that's the space across your forehead, down your nose and onto your chin) you will know the pain of your foundation shifting halfway through the day around this area. Use a brush to apply primer to your T-zone before your foundation routine to prevent its formula from breaking down as the day goes on and your skin begins to sweat. Makeup artists are totally obsessed with primer - you should be too. See why here.

Tip #3. Get Cheeky

When make up shopping we're all guilty of matching our foundation tone to the back of our hand, which is usually a totally different shade to our face i.e. the skin we’ll actually be applying it to. Choose around three shades that you think might be your shade and swipe them along your jaw-line into your neck; the shade that 'disappears' most naturally into your skin tone under natural light is the one to choose. If you have lots of freckles, choose a foundation in a shade between your skin tone and the colour of your freckles. For more tricks on matching your makeup to your skin tone watch this video from About Style.

Tip #4. Right Light

Often we apply our makeup in our bathroom under a light that is totally different to the outside world. You don't want to have a face that looks flawless under fluorescents but completely uneven in the light of day. Wherever you're off to you're going to want to apply your foundation in natural lighting so set up your makeup station near a window or if you've applied it indoors check it in the day light before you leave home.

Tip #5. Seasonal Switch-Up

You change your wardrobe to suit the seasons and your foundation should be no different. In terms of consistency go for a liquid or creamy formula to help combat the dry skin that usually comes with the colder months. A powder foundation is great for summer as it sets into your skin better and won't melt on those super hot days. Your skin tone is also likely to change from season to season so remember to go shopping for a new shade when summer comes along; you don't want to be applying the paler hue you chose in winter over your now more tanned complexion.

Tip #6. Brush Up

We've been using sponges to apply foundation for years, but in recent times more and more of us have been using the method of make up artists: a brush. Sponges do give you a lightweight finish and are inexpensive, but they also absorb a lot of product, can exacerbate dry skin and it's fairly time-consuming to blend super naturally with them. Brushes are a really fast way to seamlessly blend on your product, give you an air-brushed look, are easy to layer and blend with and are great for reaching awkward areas like around your nostrils or your ears. Brushes are a bit more expensive but they're easier to clean so are more hygienic and you won't be throwing them away as often as a sponge.

Tip #7. Skin Type

Ignore the product's attractive packaging and consider what's really important, which is that what it does complements your skin type. If you have oily skin or are acne-prone use an oil-free and/or water-based formula, which won't add extra oil and won't clog up your pores. If you rarely break out and have dry skin choose an oil-based foundation to add moisture and a glow to your skin. Read the ingredients list: if it's water-based then water will be the first ingredient on the list, and if it's an oily product there will be an oil, like argan for example, on the list.

Related: Are you Absolutely Sure you are Using the Right Products to Care for your Skin?
 

Tip #8. Different Strokes

Your face has pores, fine hairs and bumps making it not a flat surface so the direction in which you apply your foundation is important to note. Always start with the middle of your face and blend outwards and in a downward motion. This will ensure your face hairs lie flat, giving your foundation a cleaner finish.

Tip #9. Neck It

Remember your face doesn't end at your jaw and you don't want your face to be a completely different shade to your neck. Take care to blend your foundation in the areas we often forget about but are really noticeable if neglected. This means blend all the way up to your hairline, into your ears and down your neck. If you've chosen the right shade it should blend seamlessly into your neck but brush as low down as necessary to make your look natural.

Tip #10. Full Coverage

If you shy away from foundation because you don't want to look too 'done up' remember there are different levels of coverage to choose from. While there are different formulas that offer different levels of coverage ranging from a sheer, tinted moisturiser-like finish to a more full-on, opaque look you can also control your coverage by using specific brushes. For a natural and lightweight finish use a stippling brush (that's a brush with some long bristles and some short) and apply your foundation in dabbing motions rather than strokes. For medium coverage use a buffing brush, which is thick and has a rounded end, and apply in short, swirling motions. If you want celeb-level full coverage use a foundation brush, which is flat and thin, and apply in strokes like you would a paintbrush.

Tip #11. Quick Fix Concealer

The consistency of a concealer is thicker than your foundation, which is why you need both products in your make up bag. If you have an emergency and find yourself without your trusty concealer, however, you can make your foundation work for you. Apply a dot of foundation onto your spot with your fingertip then wait for it to set (it should dry and thicken) before blending it like you would your concealer. If you don't wait long enough, the foundation will blend too much and leave you with very little coverage.
 
Related: How to Avoid 6 Concealer Mistakes You Might Be Guilty Of

Tip #12. Set It

If you've used a liquid or cream-based foundation you need to set it before you leave the house. Dust a translucent powder all over your face and neck to make sure your colour stays put throughout the day without melting or rubbing off. Or use a fixing spray to keep your makeup in place. Keep blotting papers at hand to dab at sweat-prone spots, like your forehead and nose area, as the day goes on. These will absorb moisture without removing your make up.

Tip #13. Watch It

There's nothing worse than perfectly applying your foundation only to mess it up at another stage in your routine, forcing you to start again. Often when applying eye shadow little particles will drop onto your cheek, ruining your careful contouring. Place a tissue under your eye while applying your eye make up to catch any excess product, or apply your eye shadow before your foundation to avoid this. Another common mishap is smudged lipstick that then blends into the foundation around your mouth, giving you a smeared pink mess. Keep it neat by using a nude or clear lip liner first, which is much easier to control than the tip of a lipstick.

Tip #14. Beauty Blenders

You will recognise a beauty blender from your favourite YouTube make up tutorials. It looks like a make up sponge but the difference is they have much smaller pores than regular make up sponges, meaning they blend better and smoother and they don’t absorb as much product. What exactly do you need to use it for though? The key is in the name: blender. After applying your foundation with your foundation brush dab a slightly damp beauty blender all over your face to get rid of any tell-tale brush strokes, minimise pores and remove any excess product.

View Video. Everyday Foundation Routine for Beginners | 5 Steps to A Flawless Face
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