Foundation is a difficult makeup product to get just right. When everything about your foundation is working — the color and tone are on point and your application method is flawless — a quality foundation can make your skin look smoother and more even. It creates the perfect base and may even make you feel like you barely need any other makeup product to look like your glowing self. That’s the positive side of foundation.
But there’s also a negative side lurking down there. When foundation isn’t applied well, or the shade is off, the effect can be blotchy looking skin that appears like a mask. Bad foundation can also make your skin look more creased and reveal every fine line and wrinkle. Your foundation may even look pasty or too orange. Bottom line: the wrong foundation can drag your entire look down.
The key to better foundation is to practice good application habits and Makeup Artist Vivi Mintara, CEO of Eye Makeup Lab, has shared some of her favorite foundation do’s and don’ts with us. This is the way to use foundation to get a flawless, crease-less finish over 50.
1. Don’t Overdo It With Foundation
The purpose of foundation isn’t to create a brand new face with skin that doesn’t resemble your own. If you are finding yourself piling on so much foundation that it’s beginning to look like a mask, take a step back and access the situation. Are you trying to make foundation do that work of concealer and color corrector? If so, you could be applying far too much of it. These are all different makeup products that serve very different purposes. If your makeup is a different tone from your skin, this is another red flag — something isn’t working here.
Do Apply Foundation Sparingly
"If you apply the makeup very heavily, it will dry up faster and will eventually crack where your wrinkles are situated," Mintara says. "This is because these are the places where you move your facial features the most, which is why the fine lines are there in the first place!"
Only apply foundation where you need it and blend very well. Then follow up with concealer in spots that are discolored. Concealer is usually lighter in weight and more peach in tone to counter blue and purple tones.
2. Don’t Apply Foundation To Bare Skin
Great foundation requires great foundation prep. When you apply foundation to bare skin without this prep, it runs the risk of settling into fine lines and dry patches of skin.
Do Use Primer
Primer is your secret foundation weapon that will help makeup sit well and not crease. "Focus this on the areas that have wrinkles, and the primer will help to fill in the lines and imperfections on your skin," Mintara says. Make sure you are first cleansing and moisturizing your skin well, and then wait. Allows moisture to absorb prior to applying primer. After primer, wait a little while longer to allow that to settle. Now you’re ready to apply foundation.
Setting your makeup is also key. A setting spray or light translucent powder will help keep your foundation smooth and crease-free.
