According to Graham, you always want to set your look at the end of your routine. "This is where you apply a setting spray of choice to 'set' your foundation," she said. "The makeup spray can give you a matte and dewy look.
Cleanse Your Face
Cleansing should be the first step in any skincare routine and before applying makeup. Cleansing removes all dirt, oil, and contaminants from the skin's surface. As a result, you should always wash your face with lukewarm water. Utilize a gentle and mild cleanser appropriate for your skin type.
The first rule of Makeup Application: There are NO rules when applying makeup. Labels mean close to nothing in terms of how makeup can be applied. If you want to use a lip gloss on your cheeks or eyes, try it. If you can't find the right brushes, use your (clean) fingers.
Always apply your foundation first, unless you are using a powder foundation. Applying foundation first creates an even base to reduce overall redness, discoloration and minor blemishes.
Never put concealer or foundation on your eyelids as a base, it will cause your eye makeup to crease.
The truth is, you should always apply moisturizer before reaching for primer (seriously, always). As we mentioned above, the purpose of a moisturizer is to lock in moisture to keep dryness at bay. If you apply primer first, you run the risk of sporting dry, lackluster skin.
For as long as it seems, the general rule of thumb when applying skincare products is to apply the lightest products first and the heaviest last, which is typically serum first, then moisturiser.
Setting powder should be applied after foundation and concealer, but before blusher and bronzer, to help set your base makeup in place and keep oiliness at bay.
The general rule of thumb is that you should always opt for a shade lighter than foundation when choosing your concealer colour. Doing so helps to mask darker discolouration, but be careful not to over-correct! Knowing how to pick the right concealer is essential to ensuring that your look does not appear ghostly.
“I recommend doing eyes first because that way if there's any fallout from the eyeshadow, you can clean it up before starting the complexion without having to redo foundation and concealer.” She also adds that it gives your skin care time to fully absorb first before layering face makeup on top.
Dab, don't rub.
Whether you're using a foundation brush (synthetic bristles are best) or your fingertips, apply foundation in a stippling motion, which means gently tapping it into your skin. Avoid any wiping or rubbing motions because that will only push the foundation around and cause streaks.
When it comes to eye shadows and eyeliners, it's best to start with eye shadow, then move on to your eyeliner.
As Phillips mentioned, you want to wait a full minute or more to allow the primer to dry completely before going in with makeup, as this will help to curb pilling or patchiness. Another mistake people make is choosing a primer that's wrong for their skin type.
How long to wait between primer and moisturizer. Ginger recommends waiting at least one minute after moisturizing before applying makeup primer. If you experience a doughy texture or any pilling, she says, then you've put in on too quickly.
Is a Makeup Primer Really Necessary? It's not, but it will enhance the longevity and pigmentation of your makeup. A primer can also provide benefits such as moisturization, skin smoothing, SPF, blurring pores, color correcting and more, depending on the formula you choose.
Some people choose to pencil their brows on before foundation and concealer so they can later use concealer to carve out their shape and ensure there are no jagged edges. However, nine times out of ten, when you go to apply foundation after that, you're going to get some on the hairs of your perfectly outlined brows.
Once you've got that new foundation at home, don't apply it just to the face. Blend your makeup, preferably with a blending sponge, all the way down, over and beneath the jawbone, to the neck. This creates a seamless look. Who knows where your foundation begins and ends?
Women often swipe foundation or concealer over their lids to minimize darkness and to create a base for their shadows and liners. This is a bad idea. First off, you never want to put anything on your eyelid that is not meant to go on the eyelid.