Make up artist classes

Some people don’t like reusing sponges, but really they are no different from brushes (if brushes were 50 per  10 then the same people would be throwing them out after every use). If you want to do that, then that is fine, but really they can be washed quite easily with your brush cleaner/soap/shampoo/facial cleanser. If you wish to sanitise them, you can boil them or soak them in alcohol after you have cleaned them.

The Chicken or the Egg

So which comes first? Foundation or concealer? I think this depends on the foundation that you are using. If a powder foundation, I think it is better to apply concealer first, concealer (creme or liquid rather than powder in this case) applies better onto ‘moist’ skin, and may not blend properly over powder. Putting the powder second will also set the concealer. Lastly, a creme concealer over a powder base may stand out as shiny and different to the rest of the skin.

For creme or liquid foundations I would recommend putting the concealer after. Applying a liquid foundation after the concealer may rub it off or cause it to smear. Also, foundation provides a level of coverage, therefore adding the foundation on top may be overkill. Using the foundation first allows you to gauge how much concealer is actually needed.

Getting your Foundation to Last
No one likes looking in the mirror three hours after they applied perfect makeup only to find that their foundation has either gone completely, oxidised (turned orange) or has gone cakey.

At this point I cannot fail to mention primers. Primers tend to either be of the powder variety (for mineral foundations) or silicon. Either way, they sit right on the skin directly over you skincare and before your foundation. They provide a barrier between your skin and the makeup – meaning that less oils can pass through (less chance of oxidisation) and less foundation to sink into your skin (less chance of your foundation disappearing throughout the day). If you need it, there are some great ones on the market (Paul and Joe’s is very lightweight and great for summer, Smashbox’s offers colour correction and really helps create a flawless base).

Setting powder is shunned by some because they think it’ll make the face appear dry and matte whereas they want glow. If this is your issue you can try applying loose powder all over your face to set your makeup, and then spray over it with a glycerin based spray (like MAC’s Fix + or The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Energising Facial Spritz , or alternatively make your own), water spray (evian) or something like witchhazel or rosewater. The spray with meld your makeup together and reduce powderyness. The glycerin sprays are best if you want real ‘inner glow’. Then, throughout the day, only apply powder to your t-zone (brow bone, nose and chin), the ‘glow’ with remain on your cheeks, but you will keep your skin from getting greasy throughout the day.

Powder can either be translucent (appears white but contains no pigment and therefore looks invisible once applied – though colourless it’s really no recommended for super dark skin), colour corrective (blue for light, pink for radiance, green for redness etc etc) or can match your skintone. It is worth experimenting with them to find out what you like. As with foundation formulas vary between brands, you can even get some with antiperspirant in them (Ben Nye Neutral Set – designed for theatrical use), but I recommend looking for very fine powders as these will appear the most flawless.

Don’t want to spend a lot of money but still want great results? Head over to TKB trading and get a big bag of one of their cosmetic powders, put them in an empty powder pot and you’ll get something better than what you can buy at most counters. Silk powder is great for oily skin, Pearl powder is supposed to give radiance and have the benefit of being good for you, Kaolin clay if you are very oily and want a matte look and Silica for ‘airbrushed’ perfection.

Still not lasting? Head over to a theatrical shop and try out the makeup setting sprays. While not recommended for every not, once dryed you makeup will not be going anywhere. The industry favourite is Ben Nye’s Final Seal, spray in the air and let in gently fall to settle on your face (if you spray directly you’ll end up with shiny splotches). It contains alcohol and is therefore very drying, but for brides it is a must have.

And there you have it, my treatise on foundation. If I have left anything out, or you have a question then feel free to contact me. Go to thevanity.co.uk to find my email address, or alternatively leave a comment )