How to achieve a flawless finish with the Black Opal Creme and Powder Foundation (2023)

FAQs

How do you make powder foundation look flawless? ›

"Be sure to properly moisturize your skin first," she says. "Powder-based products adhere best to skin that's hydrated." Once your moisturizer has settled, you can use a flat sponge to press and roll the powder foundation into areas such as around the nose and mouth.

Don't Paint, Buff

No matter what tool you're using—a foundation brush, a BeautyBlender, or your fingers—buff (or bounce, if you're using a sponge) the foundation into your skin as opposed to “painting” it on to build coverage smoothly and avoid streakiness, says Park.

Foundation always looks best on skin that's been properly cleansed and moisturized and is free of any flakes, dry patches, or texture. “You have to make sure that the skin is smooth—not dry, not oily,” Bobbi says. A good moisturizer will do the trick, and a dab of eye cream will fill in any fine lines around the eyes.

The Fix: Take a minute or two to let your foundation dry before you sweep on any powder.

Sponges work best, for instance, with lightweight liquid formulas or stick foundations. Creamy, thick foundations would be better served with a brush (so you can buff out the edges for a more natural finish).

However, you can also use a powder foundation and powder brush over liquid or cream foundations for a fuller coverage. We love this technique for when our usual face makeup routine just isn't cutting it (hello, blemishes) or when we want to make sure our makeup will last without settling into fine lines or creases.

If you're using a powder foundation, such as Dermablend's intense powder camo, you will want to apply concealer directly to areas that need more coverage first and then buff on your powder foundation second. This will allow you to build your powder foundation coverage as much as you desire without looking cakey.

You may want to start with a primer to create a matte base to work with, and to ensure that your foundation lasts even longer. Make sure your primer is fully dry before applying your powder foundation. Then, place concealer on any spots that you want to camouflage. Now you're ready for foundation.

How do you make powder foundation look dewy? ›

Unconventional as it may seem, Deenihan says that applying powder foundation followed by the tiniest taps of lightweight moisturizer can lead to a dewy visage. “Apply your powder foundation and then with your hands, take your moisturizer and lightly press over your face,” she instructs.

If you're new to using setting powder, it's important to choose the right shade. If your shade is too light, it will give you a ghostly appearance, while a shade that is too dark can make your foundation look streaked. For best results, your setting powder should match your foundation shade.

The good news: "You can absolutely use both products together," Johnson says. "All liquid products before any powders, then setting powder to lock it all in, and a light dusting of the finishing powder over top."

You can apply setting powder using a fluffy makeup brush or a sponge.

Uneven skin texture can come in many forms, from under-the-skin bumps, to large, visible pores, or fine lines and wrinkles, all of which can contribute to foundation not sitting smoothly on the skin.

You're Using Too Much Product. Another possibility is that you're simply applying too much foundation. “This seems to be the most common reason for cakey foundation,” Lujan says. “Applying too much product can lead to an uneven application—especially if you are using a powder-finish product.

Start With Moisturizing the Skin

Prepping the skin for powder foundation is a must so start by applying a thin layer of moisturizer onto clean skin. Moisturized skin will grab on to powder, leading to a longer-lasting, seamless makeup look.

“Mature or aging skin has more texture and in some cases can be drier in some areas,” Page says. “It's best to use a hydrating liquid foundation, which is lighter and doesn't appear to have a 'cakey' finish. Liquid foundations can be blended easier on the skin and create a more natural finish.

Do you add water to powder foundation? ›

Yes, you can add water to your eye shadow or powder pigments to nab a bit more product and intensify the color payoff, but one product you may not have expected to mix with a little H2O is your foundation.

Well, the answer is that foundation should go first. The reason is that it is supposed to even out your skin tone and hide the blemishes and discoloration of skin that you hate so much.

I like to use brushes for application when I want to focus on a detail area, or when I want to use a sheer finish and give a wash over the skin. If the skin is really dry, I only use damp brushes when applying.

Cream makeup is more pigmented than powder

Cream makeup is the perfect medium to deliver more pigment to your skin, while still allowing for your skin's natural radiance to glow through. This is essential for women with mature skin who may deal with redness or age spots that a powder alone could not cover.

This versatile foundation glides on as a lightweight cream to hide imperfections and even out skin tone, then dries to a powdery, soft-focus, matte finish.

Even the slightest signs of aging can be magnified with the wrong makeup, so if you'd like to see fewer crow's-feet or laugh lines, opt for a liquid foundation. "Powder can actually settle into wrinkles and accentuate them, but liquid products act like a filler for a smoother finish," Bruzzesi says.

The number one cause of cakey makeup is layering on too much product. When you really cake on the product, it'll be all too obvious that that's what you did, so make sure that you're sheering it out. And try to use your hand as a palette and then start to manipulate the product on your face.

Never put concealer or foundation on your eyelids as a base, it will cause your eye makeup to crease.

Typically, the face makeup routine goes something as follows: primer, foundation, powder, and lastly setting spray.

What happens if you put powder before foundation? ›

By using powder before foundation, you're able to give skin a matte finish that helps to soak up excess oil for a long-lasting effect, which is perfect for oily skin. Think of this method as a shield to keep your face makeup in place.

Apply makeup with your fingertip instead of a brush or sponge; the heat from your hand warms up the product so it glides over peach fuzz. Finally, use a light touch and smooth on makeup in the direction hair is growing to help tamp it down.

The most important step in achieving budgeproof dewy makeup is prepping your canvas. This means you need a makeup primer that grips everything on top. The blue agave extract in our award-winning Hydro Grip Primer helps form an invisible layer to lock in your look, while also adding glow and a burst of hydration.

After you are done baking, brush off the excess setting powder with a brush.

Should You Use a Setting Spray or a Setting Powder? While powders tend to work better for oily skin and setting sprays for dry skin, “if you really want to set and extend the life of your makeup, I recommend using both a loose powder and a setting spray,” Almodovar explains.

Translucent powder is best used to set makeup or finish a look. A colourless powder isn't going to provide coverage or even your skin tone. A translucent powder is better for smoothing out uneven textures, such as scarring,visible pores,bumpiness, orroughness.

When to apply setting powder. Setting powder should be applied after foundation and concealer, but before blusher and bronzer, to help set your base makeup in place and keep oiliness at bay.

With a Sponge

Once your moisturizer has settled, you can use a flat sponge to press and roll the powder foundation into areas such as around the nose and mouth. Moving on to the rest of your face, lightly press the sponge into the skin and roll it with your fingers to ensure an even application of powder.

"In general, powder should be applied at the end of an application; however, it can be used throughout the application if you want to set certain things," says Mellinger. "For example, I will use it to blend out shadow on the eye while I'm working even though I haven't done the foundation yet.

How do you make powder foundation last all day? ›

Add a primer to make your makeup last longer.

Let the primer soak in for 1 to 2 minutes before you move on. Primer is also an essential step before using powder foundation since it helps to smooth out your pores and create a flat, even surface for the makeup to sit on.

If you're using a powder foundation, such as Dermablend's intense powder camo, you will want to apply concealer directly to areas that need more coverage first and then buff on your powder foundation second. This will allow you to build your powder foundation coverage as much as you desire without looking cakey.

You may want to start with a primer to create a matte base to work with, and to ensure that your foundation lasts even longer. Make sure your primer is fully dry before applying your powder foundation. Then, place concealer on any spots that you want to camouflage. Now you're ready for foundation.

Yes, use the powder before the setting spray and foundation. Apply generous spritzes of setting spray all over your face. Let sit for 10-15 seconds until it's still damp and tacky. If also using a makeup primer, dab it on lightly now.

A setting spray will not only lock your makeup into place, but it will also take away any powdery residue and set everything into your skin for a more natural finish.

Applying a layer of product underneath your foundation may sound counterintuitive to creating a cake-free finish, but a lightweight primer can help smooth skin.