I started playing with eyeshadow in middle school, and by high school I added some poor quality eyeliner and mascara into the mix! Over the years I have learned many do’s and do not’s when it comes to makeup application that I feel so embarrassed when I look back and remember the horrible things I used to do to my face! I am compiling everything I know into a list of 16 tips for better looking makeup. By the end of this post you will know all of my ‘secrets,’ the reasons why they are highly important, and I am also sharing my favorite products under each tip in case you need some solid recommendations to get started. Together, we will leave your bad habits behind and fix your common issues and mistakes.
Tips for Better Looking Makeup
1) Use a Face Primer
To begin my tips for better looking makeup, always apply a face primer before applying your makeup! When I started wearing foundation I had no concept of what a face primer was. I would look in the bathroom mirror and wonder why I saw this orange line separating my face from my neck. Primer will prevent your foundation from oxidizing, which is when it turns a different color over time, thus causing your face to no longer match your neck! Primer also gives your makeup a base to adhere to so that it lasts longer and looks super smooth.
There are so many primers on the market tailored to your specific skin needs. For example, you will want a dewy primer if your skin is dry, or a matte primer if your skin is oily, and the list goes on. Below are some of my favorites from the drugstore and high-end.
- elf Moisture Lock Primer
- elf Tone Adjusting Face Primer
- elf+ Matte Oil Control Primer
- wet n wild primefocus Primer Serum
- Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
- Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer
2) Use a Setting Spray
Second, you should definitely use a makeup setting spray each time you wear makeup. I used to only wear it for special occasions or on days where I knew I would be wearing my makeup for longer than normal. But, now I know the magic of setting sprays! A good setting spray will literally melt the makeup into the skin and blend your products together, so that the end result looks beautiful! This is why they are a daily must. It is tricky to find a setting spray that also prolongs the wear time of your makeup, but they definitely do exist, which is another plus. Below are my recommendations for sprays that set, lock makeup in, or simply are good for daily use.
- Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
- wet n wild photofocus Matte Finish Setting Spray
- Maybelline Lasting Fix Makeup Setting Spray
- wet n wild photofocus Natural Finish Setting Spray
3) Wear a Lip Liner
Third, wearing a lip liner with any type of lip color is highly important. When you are dealing with liquid lipsticks, and sometimes with lip glosses, they can bleed outside of your natural lip line the same way that a marker bleeds on paper. A lip liner will keep your lip color inside your lip line. As an added bonus, they also help provide a crisp, defined line with your lip color, and especially with lipsticks, for a professional touch. Once I started wearing lip liner, I never went back! My absolute favorite lip liners are wet n wild’s perfectpout Gel Lip Liners.
4) Use an Eyeshadow Primer
Fourth, do not skip out on the eyeshadow primer! I have a blog post dedicated to this topic, but in a nutshell, eyeshadow primer is the key to avoiding fading, creasing, and movement. Beauty guru’s heavily promote using concealer on the lids, but that is not a long-term solution for all-day wear. Below are some of my absolute holy grails.
- Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer
- wet n wild photofocus Eyeshadow Primer
- elf Putty Eye Primer (White is pictured)
- Milani Eyeshadow Primer
- Urban Decay Original Primer Potion
- Covergirl Lid Lock Up
Related Post: Long Lasting Eyeshadow Primer
5) Set your Makeup with Powder
Fifth for my tips for better looking makeup, setting your makeup with powder, and the right kind of powder, is very important. I used to use whatever cheap powder I could find, which was another contributor to my foundation turning orange and leaving a stark line delineating my neck from my face. My issue was tinted powder that by no means matched my skin tone! Honestly, you can avoid this issue all together by finding a good, translucent powder. If you really do want a tinted, or colored, setting powder, be sure it matches your foundation shade closely.
Setting your face with powder helps lock down creams and liquids so that they last longer. A really good setting powder will even blur the skin and really act as that finishing touch. Here are my best-of-the best pressed and loose powders, and notice the pan on that wet n wild beauty!
- wet n wild photofocus Translucent Loose Setting Powder
- Maybelline Fit Me Loose Powder
- Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
- wet n wild photofocus Pressed Powder
- Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder
6) Gradually Build Foundation Coverage
Next up is a quick tip for avoiding cakey, or heavy, makeup. Always build your foundation up with the mindset that less is more! You can always add more foundation as needed, but you really cannot take it away once you overdo it. Start by applying a thin layer, and then add more as you go until you achieve your desired level of coverage. Consider building up coverage on the areas that need it most, such as a patch of redness, to help control how much foundation you use. Some foundations do not build and layer as well as others, so do be cognizant of that. Check out my picks for some awesome drugstore foundation.
- elf Acne Fighting Foundation
- Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation
- Physicians Formula The Healthy Foundation
- wet n wild photofocus Dewy Foundation
7) Use a Damp Blending Sponge for Foundation, Concealers, and Creams
I have literally been addicted to using blending sponges for foundation and concealer since 2013! Even though I have some brushes that do a great job, nothing beats the power of a damp blending sponge. Sponges will press your makeup into your skin leaving a skin-like finish. If you ever used a foundation or concealer brush that left lines in your foundation, you will never have that issue with a sponge! They even help absorb excess product, which is helpful if you are a bit heavy-handed.
I use a normal size sponge to apply my foundation, and a mini sponge for concealer. If you want more info, I do have a blog post where I discuss this topic further!
- wet n wild Makeup Sponge
- wet n wild Mini Makeup Sponge
- elf Total Face Sponge
- elf Camo Concealer Sponge
- Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
- ecotools Color Perfecting Minis
Related Post: Best Drugstore Blending Sponges
8) Avoid Blocky Brows by Filling the Center
Here is a tip I learned within the year that has changed my brow game! Say goodbye to overfilling your brows. That blocky look will be no more! Whether I am using a pencil or a pomade, I apply the product down the center of my brow, then I use a spoolie to disperse the product. You get a lovely, natural looking fill by doing this. I finish up by apply more product only to specific areas that need more time and attention. Throw in a brow gel/mascara here if your brows like to stick out in all directions.
- wet n wild ultimatebrow Micro Brow Pencil
- elf Lock On Liner and Brow Cream
- Maybelline Brow Extensions Fiber Pomade Crayon
- elf Instant Lift Brow Pencil
9) Moisturize!
You can use the best makeup products on the market, but if you apply them to skin that is not being taken care of, your makeup will never look good. Your face is your canvas, and you must treat it like such. But, you do not need some fancy 10 step skincare routine in order to wear makeup. If I can urge you to consider any skincare, at minimum you need to use a moisturizer. A good moisturizer will hydrate the skin and promote your makeup lasting as long as it can, and will make it sit on the skin better. All skin types benefit from the power of moisturizer because they can correct dry skin, or prevent oily skin from producing excess oil.
Related Post: Daily Skincare Routine
10) Apply Creams Before Powders
Pressing on with my tips for better looking makeup is one that everyone should know, but it is worth repeating. Creams and liquids should always be applied before powder products. When done in reverse, they will not sit on the skin very well, and will most likely look heavy and patchy. Making this mistake can even lift your under layers of makeup up and remove coverage! After you apply foundation and concealer, this is an ideal time to add any cream blush, bronzer, contour, and highlight. If you are working with powder foundation, then you have to apply all creams and liquids first.
11) Sweep Contour onto the Jaw for a Natural Look
I have a super quick tip for contouring your jaw line. When you are applying bronzer or contour below the jaw, be sure to sweep some up onto the actual jaw. It will look so much more natural if you do. Consider these awesome bronzers to help you get the look:
- The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer
- Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer
- Physicians Formula Murumuru Bronzer Palette
12) Conceal Redness with Pink/Peach Color Correcting Concealers
Color theory always tells us that green color correcting concealers will cancel out redness, which is absolutely valid. I have been using green concealers for years, but the constant challenge is when you can see the green peaking through your foundation. Did you know that pink and peach color correcting concealers do an amazing job at cancelling out green?! They hide under foundation well, which is an added bonus. Additionally, they make under eye darkness disappear like instant, real life photoshop. I pretty much only use pinks and peaches now.
13) Clean Up Mascara Mistakes with a Spoolie
Have you ever gotten mascara on your eyelid or surrounding skin? Forget what you know about trying to correct that mistake. All you need to do is allow the mascara to dry, and then rub a spoolie on it. The mascara will flake right off and will not harm your makeup underneath. In seconds, it will be like your mishap never happened! If you love a va va voom, voluminous, dramatic eyelash, I have some recommendations for you.
- Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
- Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
- Maybelline The Falsies Lash Lift Mascara
14) Bake Fine Lines to Avoid Creasing
I have some fine lines that are absolutely the bane of my existence. While this method does not fix them all, I never have to worry about the lines under my eyes when I bake! Baking is not for everyone. On some people it can cause their skin to look dry, or even make you look aged in a bad way. Luckily, it does work for me. Baking is when you take a damp blending sponge (although you can use a brush), dip it into loose powder, and then press that powder onto the skin in a thick layer. Then, you allow the powder to sit for a while so that the heat of your skin bakes it and really sets the makeup underneath. Finally, you brush the powder away. Maybelline’s Fit me Loose Finishing Powder is the best because it blurs the skin like instant Photoshop, but I have a few affordable recommendations.
- Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder
- wet n wild photofocus Translucent Loose Setting Powder
- Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder
15) Exfoliate Your Lips Before Applying Lip Color
To end my tips for better looking makeup, always exfoliate before you apply your lip color. It does not matter if you are going for a lip gloss, a lipstick, or what have you. If your base is dry and flakey, your lip color will emphasize that. Lip exfoliators come in bullet and jar formats. I prefer the bullet kind for a mess free job. I swear by elf’s Lip Exfoliator in Brown Sugar.
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Conclusion
In summary of my tips for better looking makeup, we are all guilty of doing cringe-worthy things with our makeup. But, as time goes on, we learn many do’s and do not’s from experience. With my simple tips you can avoid cakey foundation, scary eyebrows, an orange face, and the list goes on. I guarantee that a few of these tips will be new to you, while others are tried and true. As with anything, the absolute best way to get lovely looking makeup is with practice! Take these tips with you as you work to better your skills daily. Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.
What is something embarrassing you used to do with makeup?