Pulling rabbits out of hats is ambrosial and all, but we prefer an everyday kind of magic. Yous know, the way certain dazzler products can turn the states from slumber-deprived zombies into polished superwomen. One such item? A slap-up foundation. And while it doesn't perhaps trigger the same excitement as say, the perfect nude lipstick, information technology can transform your complexion—that is, when information technology doesn't get all cakey (meaning it appears thick, patchy, and mask-similar). If you're someone who feels like your makeup looks cakey no thing what products you utilise, nosotros get information technology. Just not to worry! The good news is that fugitive—and fifty-fifty fixing—cakey foundation isn't every bit hard equally it seems.

All you demand are the right application techniques and makeup hacks to get that coveted Instagram filter-like finish. Now, because we know that'southward much easier said than washed, we asked makeup artists for their expert tips and tricks, as well equally the products they swear by. Here, observe everything you need for a flawless, block-free makeup look.

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Beginning, make certain you moisturize before applying foundation.

"Every time y'all cleanse your face up, you lot're removing some of the natural oils and hydrators that keep your skin looking smoothen," says ​Dr. Rachel Nazarian​ of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC.

"Use a rich moisturizer later on cleansing—and before yous apply makeup—to ensure that the skin barrier is intact and healthy, which volition permit your makeup to sit more than evenly on your peel," she says. While the drier months are an easier reminder to moisturize more often, it's a addiction that should be a role of your year-round routine to maintain remainder in your peel's pH levels. That in turn helps your skin stay supple, youthful, and prevent bug (like acne) before they start.

"Requite your moisturizer a few minutes to sink in before applying makeup and so your foundation doesn't pill," adds Mai Quynh, a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Scarlett Johansson and Tessa Thompson.

To keep your foundation from looking patchy, prep skin with primer.

Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow Primer

Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow Primer
Credit: Nordstrom

Applying a layer of production underneath your foundation may sound counterintuitive to creating a cake-free end, but a lightweight primer can help smoothen skin. (Plus, information technology but takes a piddling scrap of primer to go a long way.)

"Recollect of it like this: When you give your walls a fresh coat of paint, you lot commencement use a paint primer to even out the surface and make your color final as long as possible," says celebrity makeup artist Min Min Ma. "The same goes for primer on your pare."

While moisturizer softens your skin, primer gives your makeup something to cling to and then it lasts throughout the day instead of sliding around your confront. The most innovative primers have bonus effects, likewise: "Charlotte Tilbury BrighteningYouth Glow Primer is one of my favorites to colour-right and give a luminous glow," says Ma.

Choose the correct foundation formula for your skin type.

You want your foundation to work with your peel—non against information technology—so it's essential to first determine which formulation volition work best for your skin type. If you accept an oily complexion, a not-comedogenic (read: information technology won't clog pores) and oil-gratuitous foundation volition practise the trick. If y'all have dry skin, a creamy compact foundation will ensure that your skin stays moisturized. If your complexion is somewhere in the centre (a.k.a combination skin), await for i that offers buildable coverage.

When in doubt, "whatever pare type can't go wrong with a sheer, liquid formula, which mimics the texture of actual skin," says makeup artist Mary Irwin. "A lightweight, liquid foundation will be less likely to cake over a heavy coverage stick or powder, especially if you're a beauty novice." Just apply it advisedly, adding thin layers until you attain your desired level of coverage.

Make sure you've picked the perfect foundation shade, too.

I of the biggest reasons foundation looks cakey? The colour is likewise light or too dark—so it's fifty-fifty more obvious that y'all're wearing it. To pick the perfect shade of foundation, look for one that literally disappears into your skin.

"Examination out the color on your jawline and make sure you're looking at it in natural light to run across all the nuances of the shade and how information technology'll look in person," says Quynh. "Sometimes, particularly if yous have a more oily complexion, a foundation tin can also oxidize in colour when it reacts to your skin, making information technology await streaky and unnatural. Let your makeup prepare for a minute earlier moving onto other products to ensure information technology doesn't get darker."

Utilise foundation with a makeup brush—or your fingers.

#55 Deluxe Blender Brush

TRISH MCEVOY #55 Palatial Blender Brush
Credit: Nordstrom

To decide the best brush for your foundation awarding, consider your skin'south texture. "For example, someone with skin that has some hyperpigmentation or acne might prefer a flatter castor, like the Trish McEvoy Brush 55 Deluxe Blender, to fifty-fifty out the texture," says Irwin. "It features densely packed brush hairs that provide fuller coverage." On the other hand, if your texture is more even, you lot might desire a fluffier castor, like the It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7, which grabs less pigment.

Simply the all-time tool of all might exist at your fingertips—literally. "For a truly flawless foundation look, i of my favorite hacks is to press the foundation into the skin with my easily afterwards brushing information technology on," she says. "The natural, subtle heat from the hands help melt the makeup into the skin."

Equally important? Don't forget to clean your brushes at least in one case a week with lukewarm h2o and soap to avert buildup and leaner, or else you'll go an uneven deposit of foundation on your skin.

To avoid cakey makeup, remember that less is more.

When it comes to natural-looking foundation, follow this rule: "But apply makeup where y'all need information technology," says Irwin.

To avoid a heavy-handed foundation application, get-go with a small amount and build as desired. "Focus on the eye of your face, which is commonly where redness and discoloration lives for most people," Irwin says. "To troubleshoot certain areas, dab a small amount of concealer (it'southward more than concentrated in pigment) instead of piling on foundation so yous prevent caking."

If yous're foundation looks cakey later yous've applied information technology, blend, and blend and blend.

The one thing every single makeup creative person agrees on? That blending is the most important step to avoiding cakey makeup.

"Start from the middle of your confront and blend outwards to eolith less product to the edges of your face, which keeps the whole effect softer," says Irwin. You should besides make certain to blend into your cervix and jawline—areas that tend to be lighter than your face.

Gear up your foundation with a translucent pulverisation or facial spray.

"​If you have combination or oily skin, use a sheer dusting of translucent powder to set your wait," says Ma. "Brand sure to focus on the T-zone and nether eye areas, which tend to wait the most worn-downwardly and cakey throughout the day."

For dryer skin (or if you just want to revive your look), a facial spray will help create the illusion that you're non wearing makeup at all, says Quynh.

And when people first complimenting your skin, ​not​ your makeup, know you've reached cake-gratuitous, foundation nirvana.

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