How Many Foundations Should A Makeup Artist Have

It's funny—our bathroom vanities and office desks are sprawled with makeup products, our purses practically serve as a catchall for every rogue lipstick and balm there ever was, and yet we're fully on lath with the natural-makeup movement. Nosotros wouldn't consider ourselves walking contradictions, though. No, we tin can withal play and test out dissimilar colors and products while having a low-cal paw and knowing how and where to apply for a less-is-more kind of look.

Arguably the most important attribute of natural makeup is foundation awarding. If your base looks too caked-on, the quest for a natural, fresh look will autumn flat. The central is to still be able to encounter your skin without a thick layer (or, okay 2) of foundation hiding your beautiful complexion. To brand sure we get this step correct every time, we turned to some top makeup artists for their feedback.

Ahead, top makeup artists share their genius tips on how to make foundation look natural.

Prep Your Pare With Hydration

Seiso JBeauty H2o Velvet Cream $65.00

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Dry out pare and foundation is like oil and water—they just don't mix well. Rather, celebrity makeup artist Tina Turnbow stresses the importance of maintaining proper skin hydration prior to painting on a layer of foundation. "Make sure that you have no dry patches equally it tin make the pare rough, and foundation volition not go on every bit smoothly," she explains. This can be achieved with a foam that's thick enough to hydrate but thin plenty to look adept underneath foundation, like this hyaluronic acrid-infused pick from Seiso JBeauty.

Employ a Diversity of Primers

LYS Beauty Secure Skin Gripping Serum Primer $20.00

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You've heard of multi-masking, but according to makeup creative person Kirin Bhatty, the same logic can be practical to primers. "I utilize layers of different primers for different parts of the face then that when I'k using foundation and concealers, it'due south more of a spot treatment versus creating an entirely new base for the face," explains Bhatty. For example, if you're looking to cut downward shine on the forehead, nose, and mentum, a mattifying primer like this ane from LYS Dazzler can be used on these areas. If you're struggling with enlarged pores, a blurring primer on those areas will practice the flim-flam.

Thin Out Foundation With a Moisturizer

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream $seventy.00

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Bhatty likes to use moisturizer to make her own bespoke foundation—the moisturizer essentially thins out the foundation formula to get the most natural coverage. "The all-time way to do this is to add a drop or ii of your foundation to your moisturizer," she says. "This will turn your foundation into a tinted moisturizer and bring the coverage downwardly to a more than natural terminate." She recommends Kate Somerville's Goat Milk Cream for this, as it'south "super gentle and hydrating without being besides oily, which can crusade your foundation to dissever."

Heave Your Glow with Liquid Highlighter

Armani Beauty Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer Highlighter $38.00

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If dewy skin is the game, liquid highlighter is the name. "Adding a drop of liquid highlighter is ever a dandy way to make foundation expect more dewy and bright," says Bhatty. Attempt Armani fluid sheers—they're illuminating without being glittery (aka the perfect base for foundation).

Liquid highlighters don't have to be mixed in with your foundation to reap their dewy benefits. If you'd rather highlight sure points of the skin, lightly tap the product onto the desired areas and push button it in with a beauty sponge.

Spot Muffle With Foundation

Urban Disuse Cosmetics Hydromaniac Glowy Tinted Hydrator Foundation $29.00

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When it comes down to it, if your pare doesn't crave allover coverage, try applying it only in the areas that need it near for the well-nigh natural coverage. Says makeup creative person Suzy Gerstein, "Just apply foundation where needed—you ordinarily need less product than you think." A liquid production with a thin consistency (like this ane from Urban Disuse) would work all-time for this pull a fast one on—simply apply a dazzler sponge to blend out the edges.

Know Your Skin Blazon

Essence Pretty Natural Hydrating Foundation $7.00

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Maybe 1 of the nigh obvious (notwithstanding of import) function of foundation-picking is opting for i that suits your specific skin type. Gerstein recommends a a moisturizing formula if y'all have dry skin (cue this one from Essence) and a matte finish formula if your pare skews oily. Also, production type matters—if you're oily, you lot can become away with using a foundation balm whereas dryer skin types may be better suited with a more liquidy consistency.

Find Your Correct Colour Match

Of form, having a foundation that's darker than your neck or too low-cal for your natural skin tone is a dead giveaway that y'all're wearing foundation. To avoid this, try these tips from Kristine Cruz, senior makeup creative person at Antonio Prieto Salon: "Our skin has undertones of absurd or warm. If you have pink undertones, you are on the cool side, and if you have golden undertones, you're on the warm side." Still stuck? Cruz recommends choosing three foundations closest to your skin tone and applying a sample of each on your jaw downwardly to your neck. Whichever one appears invisible is your match.

Skip the Contour

Jane Iredale Glow Fourth dimension Chroma Stick $38.00

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Contouring your face with sculpting products is good for glam makeup days, but if you're looking to acheive a more natural look, makeup creative person Aidan Keogh says to skip the step altogether. Instead, he recommends opting for blush luminators and highlighters, and tapping onto the high planes and a touch down the centre of the nose for an instant glow-and-become. This glowing chroma stick from Jane Iredale boasts a creamy formula that'due south great for brightening up skin throughout the twenty-four hours.

Blot, Don't Dust

Tatcha Japanese Blotting Papers $12.00

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To hide shine, skip dusting on loose powder and instead achieve for the blotting papers. Says Gerstein, "Instead of overzealously powdering, which tin can lead to an unnatural-looking appearance, I like to printing a Tatcha Beauty Paper over where I've applied foundation to soak upwards whatever excess oil and set the product in identify." Not just does this stride cut shine, simply it leaves backside a flattering glow, too.