It’s better to pair a water-based primer with a water-based foundation; silicon-based primer with a silicone-based primer — didn’t make that connection on my own OR for the longest time!
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It was definitely to mix the foundation with a bit of serum…I used to experience dry spots earlier but this trick makes my skin look so dewy and hydrated.
It’s been awhile since I changed my basic makeup routine. The last tip that made a huge difference was putting powder blush on top of setting powder instead of on top of foundation. It blends so much easier.
Ditto, that one helped me too! However , the latest one was to put powder (translucent or a neutral color) over my eye primer or foundation on eye base before applying the colors I want to pop on top. They blend better. I don’t always do it, but when I do, I like how the blending is smoother.
I actually always applied foundation on my eye lids, than eye primer, than set my entire face with powder (including eye lids)… almost never had problems with pigmentation, blending or creasing eyeshadow.
I though that was `normal` to apply foundation and powder all over the face, until I saw people in tutorials using just primer on the eye lids. 😆
Actually, I think you can pair a silicon-based foundation with a water-based primer (since the primer will get absorbed, rather than sit on skin). The issue is when applying a water-based foundation on a silicon-based primer, since the water in the foundation cannot be properly absorbed because the silicon `sits` on the skin as a layer.
The rule of not applying water-based products on top of silicon-based products was a game changer for me as well. But not by taking this rule only into account… I just discovered through it that the formula of the SPF and primer I use everyday can make a foundation or concealer apply good or bad. It’s not that some complexion products were bad… they just didn’t paired well with what I applied before. Now before I add products in my routine, I look even more careful at the ingredient list to identify items I know that don’t mix well.
Also, I find that water based primers, foundations and concealers also don’t blend well on top of physical SPF (again, physical/mineral SPF usually sits on top of the skin), while almost anything goes with chemical SPF. But I do find that chemical SPF + water-based primer will make any foundation/concealer oxidize on me worse than usual… it’s something on the silicone layer that prevents oxidizing.
The latest example is the MAC Studio Fix foundation, which looked quite cakey on top of MDSolar Mineral SPF + The Ordinary High Adherence Primer and barely lasted 6-8 hours on my skin. Switched to the Paula Choice RESIST Smoothing Primer Serum with SPF (which I apply quite liberally) and the MAC Studio Fix looks great on my skin, lasts all day… almost holly grail status.
Two tips having to do with my finishing powder/setting powder.
1.) Apply my powder all over my foundation *before* application of any cheek products in order to get quicker, easier blending and application of them.
2.) Using same powder to blend out any rough edges of a less cooperative blush/bronzer/highlighter if I’ve forgotten to do the aforementioned #1 step.
Learned about #1 just by hearing a few YT’ers mention it during their GRWM videos or tutorials. Tried it out. And what a difference this has made!
My brows: Goss had a video wherein he brushed the brows downward and a light bulb went off for me. Doing this makes it easy to draw little lines above the brows at their roots. Then I brush up and fill in. Sooo much easier and I can make them match, too.
PS. This really helps if your eyebrow(s) naturally grow downward. Shows exactly where you need to even UP one to the other heightwise (if that makes sense). I use feather strokes and actually use less product.
Layer tubing mascara without letting it dry in between coats.
Using an essence on my beauty blender instead of just water to do my foundation, it makes my skin just a little bit more “glowy”. Powdering after my foundation before applying my powder blush and highlighter, it makes them blend better.
Applying setting powder over my blush to keep it looking good for longer – I read that tip here from a Temptalia reader.
I’m now layering eyeshadow (tiniest brush I could find) over liquid liner on my lower lid (just under lashes, not waterline) to soften the look. Lasts longer too.
A friend advised me to buy the Wet n Wild eyeshadow single in the shade Brulee. She said she uses the pale beige shade as a base eyeshadow shade AND as a pore-blurring powder to set all her face makeup.
I tried it & it works! Not only is Brulee a great base eyeshadow shade but it is a fab texture blurring, non drying setting powder for the face (if you are fair skinned). And it is only like $1!
I have like 5 of those as backups, Brulee is everything!
I’ve been applying my foundation with my hands and not only is it faster, but it warms up the product so I get a nice seamless blend. Also for eyes I’ve been using one shadow and just washing it over the lid and building it up a bit in the outer corner and crease. I’ve been loving the editorial vibe of this technique and makes it easy to go monochromatic with my look. Oh, and last one! Just watched Samantha Ravndahl do Allana Davisons makeup and she did a halo eye without connecting the to sides and I’ve been loving it for my eye shape!!
Putting cream blush over foundation and under setting powder — sometimes I’ll layer with a powder blush on top of my powder, but even if I just go with the cream, it has made such a difference to the longevity of my blush! Powder over powder always disappeared on me. And on me, just looks more natural too.
I meant cream blush under setting powder looks more natural — that was written confusingly.
Actually,probably the same thing. It’s the last thing I remember changing, anyway.
Apply highlighter on cheekbones before blush and it will give a gorgeous glow to your blush and prevent going overboard on the highlighter.
Learning that if I first use a color correcting/brightening eye cream then I only need to put the tiniest of tiny amounts of concealer on the shadow created by my orbital bone. As a lifelong allergy and migraine sufferer this was an amazing tip.