Achieving a flawless face is a lot easier than you think. Being born with a near perfect complexion is near impossible and we all have something on our face we would like to hide, minimize or enhance. However, If you are armed with the right tools and the right products covering up the most stubborn of HYPERPIGMENTATION, melasma, dark circles under the eyes and acne scars can be easily achieved. Here’s how I get my flawless base with the following simple steps:

Step 1 (PREP)
Start with great skin care! The first step of any beautiful makeup look is the canvas in which it is placed on. Layer on your favorite day serum, then apply a moisturizer that is best suited for your personal skin type (normal, oily, combo, dry or sensitive) and finish off with applying your favorite primer. Currently I’m loving the

Tatcha’s Silk Canvas Protective Primer ($52.00) which is good for all skin types. I particularly love that this primer is noncomedogenic, non-irritating, dermatologist tested, cruelty-free, and made without synthetic fragrances.

If you like a more creamier texture as your primer I highly recommend the

Bobby Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer ($60.00) it is best suited for normal, combination and oily skin types. I personally have dry to combination   skin and I find it works well on me.

If you are looking for a great drug store alternative,  I wish I could recommend one but I have not come across a drugstore makeup primer that I love.  What I’ve learned over the years is do NOT skimp on your skin care and makeup prep products! Try to buy the best skin care you can afford because it does make a world of difference!

When I do my makeup in the morning, I tend to go the extra step and try to use a moisturizer that already has sun protection formulated into the product or I apply a sunscreen specifically suited for the face right after I apply my moisturizer. Allow these products to penetrate and settle into the skin a couple minutes before beginning your makeup application.

Step 2 (Spot Conceal)
I have some slight hyperpigmentation and melasma on my cheeks so I need to do this step. I start with spot concealing those problem areas with my favorite concealer the Kevin Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer Concealer & Foundation ($48.00).

This product’s formula is very concentrated so use it sparingly…a little goes a long way! It takes me over a year to go through the tiny little pot of product and I do my makeup everyday of the year. So this product although on the pricier side is a great value because you don’t have to use a lot to see amazing results. It has a shade range of 16 shades that covers anything from pink/peach, golden and neutral undertones.

My perfect shade is SX10 (Medium with neutral undertone). Dot the tiniest amount on your trouble spots and blend. I usually use my Sephora Beauty Blender ($20.00) sponge or I use my favorite concealer brush the SmashBox Blurring Concealer Brush ($24.00) it always gives me that air-brushed finish.

 

 

Step 3 (Foundation)
Here is where I can talk about this subject for days and days. I love foundations! I love them all…sheer ones, medium coverage formulas and for those full glam days full coverage all the way. I am not exaggerating that my foundation collection is a lit bit on the ridiculous side. My theory is if your going to do your makeup you need that perfect blank canvas as a starting point. It’s like saying you are going to decorate a room and not paint the walls to start with a clean palette.

Today’s modern formulas run the full spectrum of coverage levels, how the foundation feels on the skin and many brands even include amazing skin care benefits added into the products themselves. They come in many forms; liquid, cream, cushion, powder and stick. Make sure you select a foundation that is best suited for your skin type. Not all foundations are right for everyone. Just like skin care, todays foundations are specifically made for personalized skin types. So pick your foundation accordingly.

I will thoroughly review my entire foundation collection in future posts and post videos giving your my honest opinion and details on each and everyone. Today we will focus on my everyday go-to product that I grab all the time and have repurchased multiple times. My favorite run out the door, I know it will always look amazing and hold up for me all day product is the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick ($46.00).

The coverage is medium to full coverage and I find that its creamy stick formula is great for my dry/combo skin. It also has amazing 34 shades range from the fairest to darkest of complexion shades.

Swipe the foundation over your cheeks, forehead and chin area and blend. If you feel you need just a little more coverage, apply a second layer only over the areas you feel need a little more and blend again. With this product I first blend with a brush and then go in with my blending sponge to remove any excess product and to get that seamless look.

Step 4 (Under-Eye Concealer)
At this point your perfect canvas is coming together but the under-eye can use a little help. The best tip I can give is use a formula that does not crease. It was trial and error for me for almost a year until I assembled my perfect personal arsenal of concealer all-stars that are specifically for my under eye area. Most of my product misses I found are still great performing products for the rest of the face but just not suited for such a critical area as your under-eye. The right product will make you look well-rested, youthful and refreshed and the wrong product will age you, accentuate fine lines and make your eyes look creapy. Let’s avoid the later! My favorite is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer ($7.49)

not only for its affordable price but because it performs like a high-end concealer. The cream concealer is super pigmented and does wonders covering discoloration in the under-eye area.

Start by applying the product in a “V” pattern under your eyes. Do not over do it! Start with a light application and go in a second time if you feel discoloration is still peeking through. This happens to me often on those days that I do not clock in my 8 hours of sleep the blueish tone in my inner corner of my under-eye is stubborn and needs a little extra coaxing into looking bright and refreshed. Ladies with more mature skin, please apply sparingly. Unfortunately due to having more fine lines around the eye area and because that area tends to look drier as we age, you do not want to exaggerate the area with too much product. In this instance LESS IS MORE! Blend the concealer outward into the temples and towards the hairline with your damp beauty sponge.

At this point, I go into full warrior princess mode and also apply a little concealer (usually a couple shades lighter than my skin tone) down the center of my nose, a little on my forehead and around the sides of my mouth. Blend once again with a damp beauty sponge and this will give you that lifted & brightened effect around your eyes and through the center of your face.

Step 5 (Set It & Forget It)
Final step is very simple. Dip your beauty sponge into a setting powder. You can be a little generous with your application at this point. Apply under your eye, around your nose and anywhere else you know you tend to get oily throughout the day or where makeup tends to lift on you. My problem area is mainly my nose. I wear reading glasses, sunglasses and live in a hot & humid climate so throughout the day I notice that if I don’t do an adequate application of setting powder I will see my foundation move around that area. No matter if I have used a drug-store or department store foundation it will cause the same result of my makeup getting ruined around my nose. So I apply a generous amount and let that powder rest for a few minutes and let that powder mesh with my skin. That process is called “baking” and I will go into that technique in a future post. After a few minutes, sweep away all that excess powder.

Now there are setting powers and then there are finishing powders…be aware there IS a difference. Both can be found in loose or compressed formulas. Which one you select is really a matter of preference. Setting powders are targeted for the under-eye area and other areas of your face where you do not want all that wonderful work you have just done to budge. A setting powder also removes that foundation stickiness feeling and ensures your foundation will not lift throughout the day. Currently I am very into the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose & Setting Powder ($34.00) because it is has a very light & silky texture that blends into the skin seamlessly.

A finishing powder has a more finely milled texture and mostly translucent in color but some brands do offer a few skin toned shades as well. Finishing powders are best suited for an all over application. The final step is to be lightly applied all over the face, even over a setting powder with a big fluffy powder brush to finish off your foundation application to give you that final flawless, pore less and radiant look. I suggest you try out the Coty Airspun Translucent Loose Face Powder ($6.00-$8.00) because it consistently receives high marks and found on all beauty insider’s favorites list.

Introduced in 1934 this powder has been a fixture on many beauty lovers vanities throughout the decades. I love it so much I am not kidding when I admit I have 3 backups in my makeup closet at all times. I fear the day they discontinue it or decide to alter the formulation. I’m going to warn you that if you are sensitive to fragrances this product might not be the right finishing powder for you. It does have a very strong vintage powder scent but it does quickly dissipate once on the skin. I usually don’t love heavily fragranced products either but the results of this product and how it performs throughout the day is that good that the scent is something I easily tolerate because the final results are amazing! Also it is so silky and finely milled that you can use this powder as a setting & finishing powder. So if you want to save some bucks and deal with one less product you will be totally fine using this one product. Hands down my most favorite drug-store makeup product!

At this point you’re thinking that you have used a lot of powder and you must look like a human powdered donut. Don’t despair! Just make sure all that excess setting and finishing powders have been swept away. Your last and final step is spraying your face with a setting spray. I call this last step as hairspray for your makeup look. The setting spray step miraculously melts all those powders together and helps them fuse with your skin for that professional flawless look.

I have an array of setting sprays on my vanity on any given day. Basically I chose based on the weather & environment I’m going to be in for that day or evening. It does matter what kind you use because they come in an array of formulas; mattifying, illuminating, and hydrating. So be aware that not all setting sprays are treated equally and select one that will give your the effect you are looking to achieve. If you tend to be on the oily side, avoid the hydrating or illuminating and if you’re on the drier side the mattifying might not be best suited for your skin type. Currently I am using the Lancome Set It & Forget It ($34.00)

 

With the right tools and selecting the right products that personally suit you, achieving that flawless face is super easy!