Yes, you read correctly. I said “bake your face.” You are “baking” it with your body’s heat. Cooking your foundation into your face so it STAYS!
And also highlighting what needs to be highlighted.
Here’s How I Apply My Makeup Every Day
Prep Face
Moisturize. Apply moisturizer onto a wet face (always). Let it fully dry.
See skin care post for more on moisturizing.
Prime. I apply a small amount of primer onto the areas where I notice my pores. And kind of tap it in (so it fills in like spackle). Let it completely dry.
Noteworthy: your primer’s base ingredient should be the same as your foundation and concealer’s base ingredient (water-based vs silicone base). Otherwise it will “pill” (form tiny white balls) or just sit on top and not mix well…..and then ultimately slide off your face later.
Make sure each of these steps are full dry before moving on. Otherwise it will all mix, “pill,” or not sit well.
Products I Use
The primer I most consistently use is the POREfessional (and it’s by far the most popular). One bottle will last FOREVER because you only use a tiny, tiny amount. I also love the No POREblem.
Here are 2 popular primer dupes. Monistat Antichaffing Gel Powder is a dupe for Smashbox primer (same ingredients). People also love the Baby Skin which I also occasionally use.
If I’m especially tired or dehydrated and I have bags under my eyes or more noticeable wrinkles, I use this eye primer (prior to my face primer). This sh&^ is legit! I instantly look more awake. You can literally feel the skin tightening. (I’ve had the same tube for over a year, so it lasts.)
Foundation
Ideally I like to use a kabuki brush. However I’m usually in a hurry and just use my hands.
Products I Use
Foundation is the one makeup product that I splurge on (everything else can be drugstore). There is only one foundation that I absolutely love and I have never found anything comparable (I have tried tons and tons. I continuously try. And nothing compares).
Nothing compares to the full coverage you get with this one.
Nothing compares to the matte, flawless look it gives.
Nothing compares to the duration it stays on! (It looks just as good at night as it does in the morning.…even after a 12hr ER shift.)LUCKILY one tube lasts FOREVER. I wear a lot of makeup and I only have to buy it like once or twice a year.
I wear the shade “creamy vanilla.”
Splurge on foundation. It is……well…..the “foundation” of your makeup.
Concealer
I apply with my fingers making a bunch of dots where I want it. Then using a DAMP beauty blender, tap, tap, tap your concealer to blend (tap…..don’t rub).
Make sure it is damp, but not too wet or you will screw up your makeup. Also not too dry because it will absorb all of your makeup. I put mine under running water for a few seconds and then just squeeze it out really good. (You can use water or setting spray to dampen.)
The struggle of finding the perfect amount of beauty blender dampness….
Concealer goes onto areas you want to highlight or “pull forward” and notice. So if you put concealer onto a pimple, you are highlighting or “showcasing” that pimple. Just fyi.
I previously used drugstore concealers. However I was having issues with blending and just not looking good. So the last time I bought foundation, I said screw it and bought the concealer that goes with my foundation (so I knew the base ingredients matched). And I get consistent, great results (no “pilling” or blending issues). I love it.
I’ve also always been obsessed with the IT Cosmetics one (and this one is super popular). The Estee Lauder is more matte and this one is more dewey appearing. Both they are both bright and I get great results.
So I guess I splurge on 2 products…. But that’s it! Foundation and concealer!
Products I Use
Setting the Foundation
In other words, putting on powder. A few things to keep in mind:
- You want to make sure there are no creases or wrinkles in your concealer prior to applying your powder or else your “setting” those wrinkles.
- Avoid “wiping” with your powder brush. You don’t want to smudge around your concealer/foundation.
- Instead, use a big, puffy powder applicator and tap to “set” everything in place.
Tap/press into your skin a light coat to “set” your foundation/concealer. Apply all over face.
Can use any powder you prefer. I use the same translucent (which is just colorless powder) that I use to bake.
Products I Use
The translucent powder I use is Coty Airspun and this is probably by far the most popular makeup product of all for makeup gurus. And it’s cheap. However be forewarned that it STINKS. This stuff has been around forever and is probably what our grandmothers used. And that’s exactly what it smells like…..grandmother face powder.
Baking
The fun part! Use the damp beauty blender, dip it in your translucent powder, and the apply a thick coat (by tapping) onto the areas where you put concealer or want to highlight.
It allows the heat from your face to “bake” the makeup and set it for a long period of time. Meaning that sh&% doesn’t budge!
Let it sit for at least 5-10min. I usually leave it and finish my makeup. And sometimes my hair. (And a few times I’ve left the house and forgot to brush it back off….)
Products I Use
Coty Airspun is perfect for baking. However, note that it causes backflash (meaning the areas you bake will be bright white and awkwardly noticeable if you are photographed at night using a flash). When there is a possibility of taking flash pictures, I use this colorless powder:
To avoid backflash, make sure it says “HD.”
Contouring
It’s helpful having these thickly coated, white areas as a basis for where to put my bronzer when contouring. I apply my bronzer with harsh lines around my baked areas using a contouring brush. So pretty much my whole face is either white or brown.
Then using a blending brush (loose bristles instead of compacted bristles), blend your bronzer areas. Careful not to mix it with the highlighted areas.
Bronzer areas include:
1. Line from the top of your ear inward towards the bottom of your nose (slims your face).
2. Along your jawbone (sort of outlines the shape of your face).
3. On your forehead along your hairline. If you want to make your forehead look smaller, apply more.
4. The sides of your nose (slims your nose). Keep the middle highlighted.
5. Under your bottom lip in the divet (makes your lips look bigger).
Side note, this whole contouring concept is not new. So my mom is amazing (and knowledgable) at all things beauty and I remember as a little girl her teaching me the areas I want to highlight and the areas I want to darken (including how to make your nose look smaller using bronzer on each side). Funny that it all of the sudden is a big thing.
Products I Use
This contouring brush is bomb. I like to make harsh lines and use it on the sides of my nose and it’s perfect. A necessity. I’m not really sure how I would contour using anything else.
For blending, I use the brushes from this brush kit off Amazon. It was inexpensive and I actually love the brushes (and the reviews are great).
The contour palette I’m most obsessed with is the Cover Fx. It also has the blush that I use. I just received this Tarte contour palette in my BoxyCharm box so I have since alternated with it and like it.
(Both the Cover Fx and the Tarte palettes were part of my BoxyCharm box…which is like $20/mo. You get 5 full-sized products a month for $20…..and these palettes alone were like $40 each. Totally worth it.)
Blush
Apply up high on your cheekbones (above your bronzed line). And then blend (using a separate, clean brush).
Products I Use
Pretty much every day I use the blush from the Cover Fx palette. And for a brush, I use the angled brush from this Amazon brush kit.
Finishing Your “Bake”
Now that your face makeup is finished, use a clean brush to dust off the excess translucent powder. It should be brighter and whiter than the rest of your makeup. Or “highlighted.”
If you need to, you can take a giant blending brush (loose bristles), make sure it is clean and doesn’t have any makeup on it (strictly for blending), and you can lightly blend whatever needs blending.
AND YOUR DONE!
It sounds like a lot, but it becomes habit and takes 2 seconds once you get used to it.
Pro tip: If you really don’t want your makeup to budge (sweating, long day, etc), you can apply your powder before your foundation (and then afterwards too of course). You can do this on your whole face, or just problematic areas. Some people even do powder, the foundation, and then powder, and then foundation again to their problematic areas. Its extra, but it works!
Enjoy your new, highlighted, contoured, “baked” face!
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