OK, it’s true, I seemingly have a new foundation routine every two seconds because I like to switch things up all the time. Lately I’ve been using a slightly different combo of some old faves, and I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what I’ve been doing with my skin. So I guess it’s working for me! Here’s the product lineup in order from start to finish…
- MAC Fix+: A few spritzes on bare skin
- MAC Prep+ Prime Natural Radiance: One pump applied all over face
- MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion: One pump on oily spots (forehead, nose, chin)
- MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC42 mixed with a few drops of Pinklite Strobe Cream (1-3 very thin layers)
- Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Liquid Concealer in shade 7 (under the eyes) and shade 8 (on cheeks and around nose)
- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in Golden Tan
- MAC Fix+: A few more sprays after all of the powder products have been applied (powder, blush, bronzer, highlighter, etc.)
I’d call this a medium-coverage base. The coverage is just shy of full, and I like that this combo doesn’t feel heavy, but there’s still enough coverage to even out the skin.
It does take time, though. Definitely more than a one-minute job with tinted moisturizer and concealer applied with my fingers and buffed out with a brush or sponge (which is also a totally legit process, but also a totally different look).
If you’re gonna go this route, I recommend doing a couple things…
1. Wait for your face primer to dry
I usually apply my face primer at the start of my makeup, then do my brows and eyes to give the primer time to absorb. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll wait a minute or two, and then blot down as much as I can with a tissue or paper towel, but you basically want the primer to have fully absorbed so it can do its thing. You don’t want to jump to the next steps while it’s sitting on top of your skin.
2. Thin layers are key!
OH, THE MAGIC OF THIN BASE LAYERS. I could talk about this for ages, but here’s the gist of it: If you’re going for a good amount of coverage but don’t want your base makeup to look like cake frosting, use multiple thin layers of foundation and/or concealer, as opposed to just piling a ton of product on bare skin.
The thin layers will give you the coverage you want without looking like batter.
It does takes time and effort, though…
Apply each thin layer with your fingers or a sponge or brush, and blend it in with a buffing brush (you want to get the layers as close to your skin as possible). Also, wait for the previous layer to dry (at least a minute or two) before applying the next one, and repeat until you reach the coverage you want.
