Fine lines: nobody wants them, but almost everybody has them. You use makeup to correct flaws, but sometimes foundation draws attention to lines. Learn how to keep foundation on the surface of your skin, where it belongs.
How can you prevent this from happening? The key is properly prepping your skin.
When you apply makeup to skin that's dehydrated, oily, or layered with too many dead cells, the makeup can’t properly bind to the skin and do its job. With four simple steps, you can achieve a great skin prep that prevents makeup from sinking into your fine lines.
Step 1: Cleanse
Neglecting your morning cleansing might not seem like such a big deal. You’re busy, just looking to get out the door on time, and want to look as good as possible with minimal effort. You slap on foundation, eyeliner, and lip balm—and run.
Unfortunately, neglecting a proper cleanse in the morning only causes more distress in the long run. Though you wake up with a face that was cleansed the evening before, your complexion accumulates the following overnight:
Bacteria
Dead skin
Oil
Perspiration
Dust
Microscopic lint from your bed linens, etc.
You need to get those guys out of the way before applying your foundation. Otherwise, makeup simply sits on top of them and seals them in. Or worse, applying makeup rubs these impurities into your pores.
The result? Dullness, potential breakouts, and an uneven finish as foundation clings to these particles instead of your skin. If you’re looking for a great cleanser for everyone, asap daily facial cleanser works like a dream for any skin type.
Step 2: Exfoliate
Exfoliation is a step that can be done daily—just not in the way you think. Harsh, grainy exfoliators, or physical exfoliants, shouldn't be used daily.
However, acids such as glycolic and lactic acid (alpha-hydroxy acids) or salicylic acid (a beta-hydroxy acid) can be used daily to gently rid the skin of excess dead cells.
Chemical exfoliants help your treatment products and moisturiser penetrate the skin while creating a smooth surface for your primer and foundation. A good, mild daily exfoliant would be either a light serum or a pre-soaked acid pad or towelette.
Quick and easy, these products help your foundation stay right where you want it to be. Some great examples include Cosmedix Purity Balance Exfoliating Prep Toner and Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser & Gentle Exfol.
Step 3: Moisturise
When you don't moisturise properly, your skin sucks up all the hydration in your foundation. The pigment is either left behind, sitting unevenly atop the skin, or drawn right into those fine lines.
Regardless of your skin type, a moisturiser is 100% non-negotiable, especially if you wish to achieve a flawless makeup application. Top moisturiser choices are best suited to your skin type, but great universal products are Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream 30ml and Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base.
Step 4: Prime
Once skin is cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturised, it’s almost ready to go—but don’t forget a primer! Primer is the last line of defence against foundation migration. Primer not only offers immediate benefits but also works throughout the day to keep your makeup in place.
A smoothing primer helps fill in fine lines, open pores, and other areas of uneven texture so that your foundation can’t sink into them. Primer forms a barrier between your natural skin and your makeup, locking in hydration and creating a beautifully smooth canvas for your foundation.
Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer - GOLD and Dermalogica HydraBlur Primer work great for all skin types. Check out our entire primer shop for additional product options.
