There's nothing worse than when you spend 30 minutes doing your makeup for it to peel, flake off or even split before you even leave the house, meaning that you have to start all over again. Many think that expensive makeup products are the key to a great makeup routine that lasts; however, the most important thing is a smooth and solid base for a long-lasting look.
The perfect base starts with a good skin care routine and ends with effective application techniques. So before you spend hundreds of pounds on expensive makeup products, perfect your pre-makeup routine and application and notice a huge difference. Without further ado, here are 3 tips to create a perfect base for your make-up.
Start with clean and hydrated skin
The perfect base begins with clean skin. Ensuring that you remove all oils, dirt and old makeup is essential for a smooth and flawless base, as any leftover makeup or dirt can disturb new makeup and cause pilling. Use a gentle cleanser suited to your skin type to remove it, and use circular motions to avoid agitating thin skin and causing irritation, which can make it harder to apply makeup.
Next, ensure that skin is effectively hydrated using a lightweight gel or cream moisturiser for oily skin or a rich and hydrating formula for extra dry skin. Hydration is key for a seamless foundation application, and moisturised skin reduces texture and patichiness that can greatly affect application. Ensuring that skin is well moisturised also helps make-up to last longer, as by prevents oil overproduction.
Exfoliate for a smooth surface
Exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells that can make skin look texturised and create dry patches that makeup may not stick to by smoothing the area. Chemical exfoliants such as AHA or BHA are great for gently smoothing the skin and should be used 1-3 times a week, depending on skin sensitivity and skin type. It's important not to exfoliate and to ensure you do so gently, as over-exfoliation can result in harming skin and breakouts.
Use a high-quality face primer
Face primer is an underrated but useful tool to smooth skin and help makeup to last longer. Primer not only helps makeup to grip onto your face, but also helps to reduce the appearance of pores and control shine. It's important to choose a skin primer based on your skin type for maximum effectiveness, for example mattifying primer for oily skin or a smoothing primer for textured skin. The barrier created between the skin and makeup helps the foundation glide on, therefore lasting longer, transforming the look of your base.
Final thoughts
Great makeup starts with creative preparation. By effectively cleansing, hydrating, exfoliating and priming skin, you can have a flawless base for longer. Whether you adopt one of these techniques or all of these techniques, you will see a noticeable difference. So, what are you waiting for? Create your smooth base now!
