Archived Post

In what order do you apply your makeup?


In what order do you apply your makeup? Share!
Lately, it’s been in this order: fill in brows, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, foundation, blush, setting/finishing powders, and then lip color.

Thanks to Elisa for today’s question! Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.

80 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Candace Avatar

I’ve pretty much always done primer, foundation, concealer, eyeshadow or liner (if I do any), brows, blush, contour or highlighting (if I do any), lip color, and lastly mascara.

Li Wen Avatar

Lip balm to prep lips
Foundation, followed by concealer (or on good days, just concealer)
Brow pencil
Eyeliner (I apply this before eyeshadow so I can use shadow to soften and set the pencil)
Eyeshadow
Mascara
Powder to set concealer
Blush
Lipstick

Emily Avatar

primer, foundation, concealer, powder, brow powder, brow gel, pencil liner, eyeshadow (if I wear any that day), mascara, blush, highlighter 🙂 it’s a lot, I know lol

Sarah Avatar

When I go to work, which is quite an active job, I fill in my eyebrows, eyeshadow, setting powder and a bit of blush. I hate lipstick, so I just use lip tint! On days off, I use foundation, setting powder, blush, brows, eyeshadow and liner then lip gloss.

CatherineM Avatar

I always start with foundation and concealer, sometimes leaving undereye concealer for later. Then I do my brows, my eyes, undereye concealer, powder, blush (the other way around if I use cream blush) and leave my lips (it I even bother) for last.

Melanie Avatar

Moisturizer, lip balm, eyeshadow base, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, then I do my brows, foundation, concealer, bronzer, highlighter, in the end lipstick.

Emma Hjort Avatar

I always apply my eye makeup first, so eye primer, shadow, mascara, then I do my brows. Then i go on with my face, and apply concealer(I don’t use foundation every day, but if I do I apply it before concealer) then powder, so bronzer and blush. And a last lip products

Vanessa Avatar

Sunblock (doesn’t matter if bb/foundation has it), primer, concealer, bb/foundation, powder, eyebrows, eye shadow primer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, blush, lipstick

rebecca Avatar

Eyeshadow Primer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, fill in brows, foundation primer, foundation, concealer, powder, setting spray (I find putting it on here instead of last helps keep the actually foundation in place better), bronzer/blush/highlighter, mascara, then lip color.
I don’t like risking fall out by putting on foundation first!

zainab Avatar

Mascara, any other eye makeup, foundation, blush, setting powder (usually I end up either over muting or over applying the blush, so the foundation/blush/setting can be a bit cyclical).

C_Justine Avatar

This is my routine when I go to school:
1. face primer
2. foundation
3. concealer
4. powder
5. blush
6. brows
7. mascara
8. lipbalsem

When I go out like to a party or smthg, I first do my eyes (eyeshadow and stuff) and then foundation, powder, …

Jenna Avatar

Primer, foundation/bronzing cream, MAC Skinfinish, eyebrow pencil or powder, bronzer, blush, lid primer, lid base to brow, shadow, liner, setting powder, mascara, concealer, secondary concealer, set with MUFE HD powder around undereyes, lipstick. All in less than 10 minutes!

Abbey W. Avatar

Moisturizer, primer, eye primer, foundation, concealer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, brows, setting powder, blush/bronzer/highlighter, and finishing powder. If I’m wearing lipstick it’s always last.

Allie Avatar

Primer, foundation, concealer, eyeshadow primer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, powder, blush/highlighter, brows, mascara, lip color.

I don’t know why I skip around so much, but I find that I don’t smudge or make anything move around when I do it in this order.

Diane Avatar

Moisturizer, facial primer, eyeshadow primer, eyeshadow, foundation (foundation after eyeshadow to get rid of any eyeshadow fallout), eyeliner, mascara, brows, face powder, blush. I rarely ever wear lip color of any sort, so on the rare occasions I do use it, it would go on last.

Petra Avatar

I always start with eyes (primer, shadows, liner, mascara), then face (foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, blush), then I fill in my eyebrows and finish with my lips.

Michelle Avatar

Primer (I have to make sure it’s right in front of me or I’ll forget to put it on!), foundation, eyeshadow primer, concealer, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, brows, contour, blush, lipstick or gloss!

Wwendalynne Avatar

Lately: I spend most of my time on my base and I do it first followed by brows, cheeks, eyes, lips. Sometimes I just stop after brows. Depends on the day and whether or not I want to go the distance.

Ivana Avatar

Foundation, concealer, eyeprimer, eyeshadow, eyleliner, mascara, under eye concealer, contour and blush (creme) and setting powder. Lipbalm and/or lipstick comes in the end

Mindy Avatar

As I thought about this I was amazed at how many products I use on a daily basis…

Primer (sometimes), liquid foundation, concealer, liquid or cream luminizer, cream blush, setting powder, powder blush/bronzer, powder highlighter, finishing powder.

I usually always do eyes last with primer, brows, eye shadow, liner (rarely) and then mascara.

Lastly is lips, which I usually do on the go…

Danielle Avatar

Foundation or tinted moisturizer, concealer, eye primer, eye shadow, liner (if I’m wearing any that day), mascara, under-eye concealer, blush, highlighter, lips, brows. I have no idea why I have to do my brows last haha.

Janelle Avatar

Moisturizer
Lip balm
Eye primer
Eye shadow
Smashbox Photo Op
Foundation
Concealor
Bronzer
Blush
Highlighter
Powder
Eyebrows
Under brow highlighter
Lips

I like doing eyes first that way if there is fall out I can clean it off without a problem with a baby wipe 🙂

Carla Avatar

This may be “wrong,” by some standards, but here’s what I usually do, for a “full face:”
– facial primer that contains sunscreen
– eye brightener
– eyeshadow primer
– concealer
– lip stain
– lip balm
– foundation
– brow powder
– translucent powder, in key areas only (eyelids, cheeks)
– blush
– eye shadow
– eye liner
– curl lashes
– lash primer
– mascara, upper and lower lashes
– clear lip liner
– lipstick
– colored lip liner
– lip gloss
– light application of translucent powder, in T-zone

Sarah Avatar

Moisturizer with sunscreen, primer, foundation, concealer, powder, blush, powder again if I was a little heavy handed with the blush, eye primer, eyeshadow, (lately I’ve discovered going around afterwards with the Bare Minerals well rested concealer is great for fixing any mistakes), mascara.

I’m torn between doing the whole foundation/concealer/powder before or after my eye makeup. If I do it before (which feels more natural to me), then when inevitably I mess up my eye makeup and try to fix it, I also mess up my foundation, but if I do it after, then I’m afraid I will mess up my eye makeup…

slick Avatar

My full face goes:

Moisturizer
Eye Primer
Eye Shadow
Eye Liner
Face Primer
Concealer
Foundation
Brows
Blush
Highlight
Setting Powder
Mist + Fix
Mascara
Lippy

Denise Avatar

Moisturizer
Primer
Concealer
Foundation or bb cream
Setting Powders
Brows
Eyeshadow Primer
Eyeshadow
Eye Liner
Mascara
Brozer/Blush/Highlight
Lip Color 🙂

shani Avatar

I’ve been watching a lot of Lisa Eldridge videos, and she advocates putting lip color on before determining how much blush and also how much eye makeup you use. So I’m trying her way!

Jessica Avatar

I’ve tried to switch up my routine in the past, but I’m a creature of habit:
primer (if I remember), foundation, concealer (if I need it), powder, bronzer, blush, highlight, eye primer, eyeshadow, liner, mascara, brows, lips. Sometimes I leave off the eyeshadow/liner and just do mascara, sometimes I leave off lips, and if I’m in a huge rush, I’ll skip brows.

CeeBee Avatar

Primer (face and eye), foundation, concealer, blush cream, setting powder, eyeshadows, lower lash liner, curl lashes, apply mascara, upper lash liner, blush powder, cheek highlighter, brow powder, lipstick.

I wear glasses so I tend to do as much as I can once they’re off (set with powder, do eye makeup, etc) and then put them back on and finish up!

Cindi Avatar

Primer, under eye primer, BB cream, foundation, setting powder, eyeshadow primer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, brow pencil/powder, brow setting wax, bronzer, blush, highlighter, lip liner, lipstick/gloss, setting spray. Some days I skip the setting spray, and sometimes to save time I mix the primer and BB cream together, or mix the primer and foundation and skip the BB cream.

Melissa Avatar

I apply moisturizer first. If I’m wearing foundation, I apply it next, afterwards I apply eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, mascara, lip balm, undereye correcter, spot concealer, blush, then lipstick. If I need to apply setting powder, I do it last. If I’m wearing eyeshadow, I apply it before eyeliner and mascara, and after eyeshadow primer.

Ann Avatar

Moisturizer, foundation, concealer, under eye brightning powder, bronzer/powder, blush, setting powder, eyeshadow, lip liner, lipstick, eyeliner, mascara. I know it’s so weird that it’s like all over the place. I blame my ADD but this is really the order I do my makeup everyday.

Caroline Avatar

Moisturizer, creme eyeliner, eyelid primer, eyeshadow, eyelash primer, mascara, and then concealer if needed. I would love to wear foundation or BB creme/CC creme to even out my skin tone but the skin on my nose flakes and peels so foundation etc., look terrible on me. Wish I knew what to do to fix that!

Nikki Avatar

For a simple, everyday look:
Lip balm
Face primer (on cheeks only)
Eyebrows
Blush
Setting Spray
Lip gloss

For a full face of makeup (which I only wear on special occasions):
Lip balm
Eye primer
Face primer
Eyeshadow
Eyeliner
Eyebrows
Foundation
Blush
Setting Spray
Lip gloss

LuxLosAngeles Avatar

Can’t believe how differently we all do it! Bravo for the great question!

Primer
Foundation
Setting powder/powder bronzer
Eyes
Brows
Lips

PianoGirl1985 Avatar

I always change it up otherwise I’ll get bored!
But usually I begin with the face. I mix my Jouer matte moisture tint with Dior BB Hydralife BB cream (love that combo by the way!). Pat a shine reducing/pore minimizing product by Paula’s Choice.
Move on to the eyes: do the under eye concealing and brightening, eyeshadow, liner, mascara.
Then I contour and hightlight and set everything with DIM light from Hourglass.

Emmm Avatar

moisturizer, lip conditioner, concealer, powder, eye primer, cream eye shadow, brows, bronzer, eyes (e/s, liners, mascara), blush, lips.

I ususally don’t use foundation, primer, highlighter or face mist unlessi t’s special occation or for some reason have time for it/want to.

Irrielle Avatar

In minimal quantity of each: Primer (if any), foundation, concealer (if any), setting powder, bronzer, contouring product, blush, highlighter (sometimes skip it), Guerlain meteorites as finishing powder, setting mist, brow powder or pencil, bow wax, eyelid primer, shadows, eyeliner, mascara, lipliner (usually skip it except for red lips), lipstick or gloss (never combined).

Fia Avatar

This is how I do it:

(Primer)
Foundation
Eyeprimer
Brows
Eyeshadow
Eyeliner
Concealer
Eyeshadow (under eye)
Mascara
(False lashes)
Powder
Shading
Blush
Highlighter
Lips
Setting spray

Mitzy Avatar

Moisturizer
Lip Balm/Plumper
Face Primer
BB Cream, applied with pointed end of Beauty Blender sponge
Concealer (if needed)
Brows
Blush
Highlight
Eyeshadow, if any
Eye Liner
Curl Eyelashes
Mascara
Setting Powder, if any
Mist + Fix on flat end of Beauty Blender Sponge
Lip Stick or Gloss

Trudy Avatar

lotion, sunscreen, primer, Foundation, concealer, eyeshadow primer, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, bronzer (at choice spots for contouring), blush, MALLY face defender, brows, lip liner (sometimes), lipstick/gloss… and smile! 😀

Astrogherkin Avatar

It changes or evolves with experience, but this is my current routine:

If I’m wearing lipstick that day, I prefer to put it on first so that I don’t go overboard with the rest of my makeup, since I believe the rest of the face has to be in proportion to the lip. I put a moisturiser, sunscreen and a matte lip balm with SPF on first and wait a while before putting on my lipstick. Often I wear just a lip stain or lip balm.

I don’t wear foundation, and recently I gave up concealer because I can never find one in the right shade that doesn’t crease. I’m OK with this because I don’t need foundation and I can live with my dark circles.

If my skin is a bit dry or patchy, I put on a bit of primer on my cheeks where I get dry patches so the products go on smoothly. Then I use liquid highlighter on the tops of my cheeks and browbone, then powder contour under my cheeks, a bit on my nose, on my temples, hairline, jawline and a bit on my neck.

I take the contour colour on a small brush and blend it into my crease, and sometimes that’s all the eyeshadow I use. If I feel like applying more, and if it goes with the lip, I will sweep something across my eyelids – often with my finger. Then I apply eyeliner, mostly a twist-up pencil in black or dark brown on my upper and lower waterline and top lash line, smoke it out and set it gently with black or brown eyeshadow on a small flat brush. I only use liquid eyeliner if I have time, which I normally don’t. I don’t use mascara unless I have got powder on my lashes – and in that case, I prefer clear mascara. I use the clear mascara / brow gel on my eyebrows – I only fill them in if it is a special occasion.

Because I am a blush person and have a big collection, I like to leave my blush till last and choose it depending on the rest of my makeup and my mood that day. I finish off with translucent powder on my T-zone.

Yanna Avatar

Moisturize all over, then I start with my eyes first. Primer, eyeshadows, liner, lashes, mascara. Then foundation primer, foundation (or just a little powder), bronzer. I always do my brows after foundation. Finish it off with a little bit of lipstick or lipgloss then setting spray 😉

Sophia Avatar

I am a makeup artist and I always use this routine and I have done for years
moisturize
concealer
foundation
eyeshadow
mascara
blush
lipstick
Anything different like eyebrows, liner or highlighter I apply last. I don’t know why I have just always done it like this.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!