Pulling rabbits out of hats is adorable and all, simply we prefer an everyday kind of magic. Yous know, the way certain beauty products can turn united states of america from sleep-deprived zombies into polished superwomen. I such detail? A great foundation. And while it doesn't possibly trigger the aforementioned excitement every bit say, the perfect nude lipstick, it can transform your complexion—that is, when information technology doesn't get all cakey (meaning information technology appears thick, patchy, and mask-like). If you're someone who feels similar your makeup looks cakey no thing what products y'all use, we get it. But not to worry! The good news is that avoiding—and even fixing—cakey foundation isn't as hard as information technology seems.

All you demand are the right application techniques and makeup hacks to become that coveted Instagram filter-like finish. Now, because we know that'due south much easier said than done, nosotros asked makeup artists for their expert tips and tricks, equally well every bit the products they swear past. Here, find everything you need for a flawless, cake-free makeup wait.

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First, make sure you moisturize before applying foundation.

"Every time yous cleanse your face, you're removing some of the natural oils and hydrators that go on your skin looking smooth," says ​Dr. Rachel Nazarian​ of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC.

"Use a rich moisturizer after cleansing—and earlier you apply makeup—to ensure that the pare barrier is intact and healthy, which will allow your makeup to sit more evenly on your skin," she says. While the drier months are an easier reminder to moisturize more than often, information technology'southward a habit that should be a role of your year-round routine to maintain remainder in your skin's pH levels. That in turn helps your skin stay supple, youthful, and foreclose problems (like acne) before they kickoff.

"Give your moisturizer a few minutes to sink in earlier applying makeup so your foundation doesn't pill," adds Mai Quynh, a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Scarlett Johansson and Tessa Thompson.

To keep your foundation from looking patchy, prep skin with primer.

Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow Primer

Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow Primer
Credit: Nordstrom

Applying a layer of product underneath your foundation may sound counterintuitive to creating a block-free cease, just a lightweight primer can help smooth skin. (Plus, it simply takes a piffling bit of primer to get a long way.)

"Call up of it similar this: When you give your walls a fresh coat of pigment, you kickoff use a paint primer to fifty-fifty out the surface and make your colour concluding as long equally possible," says celebrity makeup creative person Min Min Ma. "The same goes for primer on your skin."

While moisturizer softens your skin, primer gives your makeup something to cling to so it lasts throughout the day instead of sliding around your confront. The most innovative primers take bonus effects, besides: "Charlotte Tilbury BrighteningYouth Glow Primer is i of my favorites to colour-correct and requite a luminous glow," says Ma.

Choose the right foundation formula for your pare blazon.

You want your foundation to work with your pare—non against it—so it's essential to first determine which formulation will work all-time for your skin type. If you have an oily complexion, a non-comedogenic (read: it won't clog pores) and oil-costless foundation will practice the trick. If you have dry out skin, a creamy compact foundation will ensure that your skin stays moisturized. If your complexion is somewhere in the middle (a.grand.a combination peel), look for i that offers buildable coverage.

When in doubt, "any skin type can't become wrong with a sheer, liquid formula, which mimics the texture of bodily skin," says makeup creative person Mary Irwin. "A lightweight, liquid foundation will exist less probable to cake over a heavy coverage stick or pulverization, especially if yous're a dazzler novice." Just apply information technology carefully, adding thin layers until yous reach your desired level of coverage.

Make sure yous've picked the perfect foundation shade, too.

One of the biggest reasons foundation looks cakey? The colour is likewise light or too dark—so it's even more than obvious that you're wearing it. To pick the perfect shade of foundation, wait for i that literally disappears into your pare.

"Test out the color on your jawline and brand sure you're looking at it in natural low-cal to see all the nuances of the shade and how information technology'll look in person," says Quynh. "Sometimes, particularly if you lot have a more than oily complexion, a foundation can also oxidize in color when it reacts to your skin, making it look streaky and unnatural. Allow your makeup set for a minute before moving onto other products to ensure it doesn't get darker."

Apply foundation with a makeup brush—or your fingers.

#55 Deluxe Blender Brush

TRISH MCEVOY #55 Deluxe Blender Brush
Credit: Nordstrom

To make up one's mind the all-time brush for your foundation application, consider your skin'southward texture. "For instance, someone with skin that has some hyperpigmentation or acne might prefer a flatter brush, like the Trish McEvoy Brush 55 Deluxe Blender, to even out the texture," says Irwin. "Information technology features densely packed brush hairs that provide fuller coverage." On the other hand, if your texture is more fifty-fifty, you might desire a fluffier brush, similar the It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #vii, which grabs less pigment.

But the best tool of all might exist at your fingertips—literally. "For a truly flawless foundation look, one of my favorite hacks is to printing the foundation into the skin with my hands afterwards brushing it on," she says. "The natural, subtle heat from the hands help melt the makeup into the peel."

Equally of import? Don't forget to clean your brushes at least once a calendar week with lukewarm water and soap to avoid buildup and bacteria, or else yous'll become an uneven deposit of foundation on your skin.

To avoid cakey makeup, call up that less is more than.

When it comes to natural-looking foundation, follow this rule: "Only apply makeup where you lot need it," says Irwin.

To avoid a heavy-handed foundation application, start with a small amount and build every bit desired. "Focus on the centre of your face, which is usually where redness and discoloration lives for nearly people," Irwin says. "To troubleshoot certain areas, dab a small corporeality of concealer (it'due south more than concentrated in pigment) instead of piling on foundation so you prevent caking."

If you're foundation looks cakey later you've applied information technology, blend, and blend and blend.

The one thing every unmarried makeup artist agrees on? That blending is the most important footstep to fugitive cakey makeup.

"Start from the middle of your face and alloy outwards to deposit less production to the edges of your face, which keeps the whole event softer," says Irwin. You lot should likewise make sure to alloy into your cervix and jawline—areas that tend to be lighter than your face.

Set your foundation with a translucent powder or facial spray.

"​If you have combination or oily peel, apply a sheer dusting of translucent pulverization to set your look," says Ma. "Make sure to focus on the T-zone and nether eye areas, which tend to await the most worn-downward and cakey throughout the 24-hour interval."

For dryer skin (or if y'all but want to revive your look), a facial spray will help create the illusion that you're not wearing makeup at all, says Quynh.

And when people beginning complimenting your peel, ​non​ your makeup, know yous've reached cake-gratis, foundation nirvana.

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preview for Beauty 911: How to Fix Cakey Foundation

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