TIPS ON FLAWLESS FOUNDATION APPLICATION

Today, I am sharing 8 tips for flawless foundation application Recently, so many of you have been saying that you are not loving your foundation because it looks dry, cakey, and just lays on top of your skin, emphasizing your pores. I get a lot of questions about foundation favorites and I will get to that.

But first, chances are, it is not necessarily your foundation that is to blame. Of course, you want to me make sure you are using the correct foundation for your skin type, but there may be some other issues that could cause you to fall out of love with your foundation. Today, I am sharing my best tips to achieve a flawless foundation application.

MY BEST TIPS TO MAKE YOUR FOUNDATION LOOK ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS

YOU MUST PREP YOUR SKIN FIRST

I always say, “Your makeup will only look as good as the canvas it is applied upon”. You wouldn’t paint your walls without prepping and priming them, am I right?!  The same goes for your face. Proper prep is crucial to having your foundation look flawless.  If your skin is dry and flaky, your foundation will actually emphasize that. Exfoliation and hydration are key here.  I exfoliate once a week and sometimes right before a big event. 

My favorite way to exfoliate is with this mask and then I follow up with a hydrating mask to get my skin as smooth as a babies butt.  The effect usually lasts for a few days. If you don’t do a mask, make sure you use a basic, lightweight moisturizer and let it soak in before proceeding with your makeup application. This is a makeup artists favorite moisturizer for skin prep. It is a moisturizer and primer in one and works great for dry and mature skin.

SHAVE YOUR FACE

Yes, you heard me right.  The fancy term for this is “dermaplaning” and it is currently a huge buzz word in the makeup industry. It basically eliminates the peach fuzz on your face that can be emphasized by foundation and make you look older.  Derma planing exfoliates and eliminates all unwanted baby hair at the same time, making you look more youthful and letting your foundation glide on flawlessly. Since this is also a method of exfoliation, I would recommend either this or the mask, not both at the same time. You don’t want to over exfoliate. (Read more about that here.) It can be done at a spa, but you can also do it yourself at home. Just be careful. I have been using this tool recently and I love it.  People swear by these Tinkle Razors.

USE A PRIMER

This is key and I can not emphasize it enough.  A good primer makes everything you apply on top of it go on more smoother and last longer. It is important to remember to let it dry completely before applying your foundation, otherwise it may start pilling. A pea size amount should be sufficient.  Focus it on the center of your face. I love this primer and their new pearl version and this one is fabulous for special events. It makes your makeup last all night long!

USE A HANDHELD MIRROR

It is so difficult to see what you are doing if you are looking at yourself in a big bathroom mirror that is pretty far away.  A handheld mirror will help you tremendously in achieving a flawless foundation application, but a much neater makeup application in general. You can really see so much more detail. Purchasing a handheld mirror will be one of the best things you can do, I promise. I personally love this one and this one.

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USE A BEAUTY BLENDER OR A BRUSH

I have recently re-fallen in love with this this beauty tool.  It really makes the biggest difference in how your foundation looks.  The key is to use it damp.  Apply foundation to the blender and then bounce it over your face. A good blending brush is also amazing at making your foundation look flawless and airbrushed. I love this dual ended one that works on foundation and concealer equally well. This one is also amazing and a more recent favorite.

MORE TIPS FOR A FLAWLESS FOUNDATION APPLICATION

APPLY FOUNDATION THROUGH THE CENTER OF YOUR FACE

Apply your foundation where it is needed most, through the center of your face, and blend it outwards.  This way you achieve the most natural look while avoiding the dreaded line of demarcation, or that foundation line on your chin.

DON’T TRY TO COVER FLAWS WITH FOUNDATION

The purpose of foundation is to even out your skin tone, NOT to cover flaws.  That is why we have concealer. In other words, apply foundation in a sheer layer and then go back in with your concealer and a small tipped brush to cover any issues. This is how you achieve the most natural, flawless look.

SET WITH A SHEER POWDER + SETTING SPRAY

A good setting powder is such a boring product to buy at the store, but it will pay dividends in making you look your best, I promise.  It will smooth out your pores, giving you that airbrushed look, and it will also help with keeping everything in place all day long. This setting powder has been a long time favorite and works perfectly for all complexions but this one is my new obsession. It is perfect for dry and more mature skin and gives you this ethereal, candle lit glow. 

I am obsessed. Use powder very sparingly and only where needed. Finish everything with this setting spray. A staple in my makeup bag.  It takes everything down a notch and sets your makeup for the entire day. I use it on all of my brides, so I promise it works. *PRO-TIP – In general, makeup looks best about 45 minutes after application. Everything settles in a bit and warms up on the face. That is the time to go back in a fix any issues.

FOUNDATION FAVORITES FOR DRY & MATURE SKIN

LANCOME | IT COSMETICS | NARS | MERIT | ARMANI | ILIA | L’OREAL

Now that you have fixed all of your skin issues,  it is time to chat foundations.  Keep in mind, these are my personal favorites that I have tried and that work for me. I have dry and sensitive skin with rosacea, so I prefer a hydrating, medium coverage foundation that covers my redness.

LANCOME GLOW FOUNDATION

This was a new find last year and I absolutely love it. It has a sheer consistency and a little bit goes a long way. It lasts all day and gives my skin a nice even, natural and glowing look. Also, it is easy to work with and does not settle into my fine lines. It is great and I alternate bewteen this one and my It Cosmetics once.

IT COSMETICS ILLUMINATING CC CREAM

This stuff is da bomb diggity! I talk about it all the time and I can not tell you how much I love this stuff.  It does a fantastic job of evening out my skin tone and reducing my redness from my rosacea. It is pure magic. I have told so many people about it and everyone loves it and thanks me for the recommendation. It covers everything, yet still lets your skin shine through and look completely glowing and natural. It also has contains SPF 50, so you are covered on the sunscreen front. Not sure how they do it, but it is pure magic. 

NARS RADIANT LONGWARE FOUNDATION

I Another amazing choice for us ladies over 40 with dry skin. It works on most skin types, comes in tons of colors and looks beautiful in person & flawless in pictures. The coverage is easy to control with this and can be layered to go from sheer all the way to a fuller coverage  

MERIT FOUNDATION STICK

This works on most skin types, comes in tons of colors and looks beautiful in person & flawless in pictures. This is a cream based foundation. The coverage is easy to control with this and can be layered to go from sheer all the way to a fuller coverage. It also doubles as my concealer in a pinch.  I prefer wearing it during the  Fall and Winter when makeup is a little more refined and polished.

I also love how portable and mess-free this stick is. Great for travel!  With cream foundations, the key to applying it properly is to warm the product up with your fingers first.  This will give you the most natural looking finish. This is one of the few foundations where I prefer applying it with my fingers instead of the beauty blender for the most natural look.

ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION

This foundation has a cult following and for good reason. IThe texture is extremely light, almost like water. It feels like nothing at all. Yet, somehow it miraculously manages to even out your complexion and make you look like you have perfect skin. Who doesn’t want that? I used this almost exclusively for special events and parties and it makes me look and feel amazing evert time I wear it. It is that perfect balance of not too much and not too little. In one word, perfection! Expensive, but worth it in my opinion.

ILIA SERUM FOUNDATION

An award-winning tinted serum with light, dewy coverage, mineral SPF, and potent levels of skincare ingredients. This is my lazy weekend, dog walking foundation. I wear this when I don’t want to wear a lot of makeup but want to look a bit put together and wear sunscreen. This is a skincare foundation hybrid and I have been wearing t for many years. It is great. Remember to shake it first.

L’OREAL SERUM FOUNDATION

If you are looking for a budget friendly foundation for mature skin, no further than this one. It is under $20.00 a bottle. It is like your skin, only better. Finally, makeup specially designed for mature skin! L’Oréal Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation is formulated with SPF 50, Hydrating Serum and Vitamin B3. It is similar to the original It COsmetics CC cream and a solid choice if you have matures kin and you are on a budget.

There you have it, all of your foundation woes solved in one place.  I hope you found this helpful and will find a new foundation to love.

XO,

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