How To Apply Liquid Foundation With Brush, Sponge, And Fingers
Now you know the best ways to nail the smoothest foundation finish every time.
Shelly's journey within the makeup and beauty industry started at one of London's leading colleges, LCBT. She then furthered her training at LSMM, where she was trained by some of the leading names in the makeup industry. She has since gained 12 years of experience working within the media, fashion, and bridal sectors in the UK and abroad.
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Sushmita has a master’s degree in English literature from Gauhati University, Assam, and is an experienced content writer and editor. Genres like fashion, beauty, and lifestyle have always interested her, and this allows her to assist her team in creating high quality content.
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Experience: 7 yearsMadhumati is an associate editor with seven years of professional experience. She has previously worked as an editor, proofreader, and a writer with various organizations, helping her navigate through the various facets of content creation and refinement with ease.
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Anu is a beauty and lifestyle writer and a graduate of Amity University, Noida, where she refined her writing skills and cultivated her deep passion for the field. She pursued the Beauty Technician Training Program at Maquillage Beauty Institute, which has equipped her with practical skills in various beauty treatments.
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Foundation is the heart of a flawless makeup look. It is, thus, important to know how to apply liquid foundation to get a natural skin-like texture. The secret to a beautiful pay-off is the right tools and techniques. This article lists various ways to apply liquid foundation — with a brush, fingers, a beauty blender, and a sponge. Read on!
Keep In Mind- Natural Light: Natural Light Apply your foundation in natural light to ensure that you’re choosing the right shade and that your foundation blends seamlessly into your skin.
- Determine Your Skin Undertone: Natural Light Pick a foundation based on your undertones. If your veins appear blue or purple, you have a cool undertone. If they are green, you have a warm undertone. If you can’t decide whether they appear blue or green, you have a neutral undertone.
- Avoid: Natural Light Do not touch your face after applying foundation as it can cause smudges. Let the foundation dry before applying any other makeup products.
In This Article
How To Choose The Right Foundation Shade
You must know how to find your foundation shade to achieve a seamless and natural-looking base that matches your skin tone. Here is how to identify a shade that complements you.
- Identify Your Undertone: Identify if your undertone is cool, warm, or neutral. Warm tones are inclined towards yellow or golden hues, while cool tones have pink or blue undertones. Neutral tones have a mix of both.
- Test Shades: Swatch the foundation on your jawline or neck in natural light. Pick three shades closest to your skin tone to compare.
- Match To The Jawline: The right shade should seamlessly blend into your jawline without stark contrast. Avoid testing on your hand as it may differ from your face.
- Check In Natural Light: Step outside to verify the shade in natural light to ensure it matches your skin tone accurately.
Remember, the ideal foundation shade will enhance your skin tone. Moving on, learn how to apply foundation correctly for the perfect makeup base.
How To Apply Liquid Foundation (Tutorial)
Here’s what you need to apply foundation to your skin perfectly:
- Cleanser
- Moisturizer
- Primer
- Liquid foundation
- Concealer
- Foundation brush
- Sponge
With these tools in hand, let’s follow the steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Wash Your Face With A Cleanser
Use a cleanser to wash your face and remove excess oil and dirt that can make your skin look dull and oily. Pat your face dry with a clean towel.
Step 2: Apply A Moisturizer
Whether you have oily or dry skin, moisturizer is a must. It hydrates your skin and helps keep it glowing. You must also apply sunscreen if you are stepping out. Wait for five minutes before moving to the next step.
Step 3: Use A Primer
Two pumps of primer is all you need to blur the pores and create a smooth canvas for your foundation. Apply the primer with your fingers to your forehead, around the mouth, and areas where you need to blur. Remember to tap it and not drag your skin.
Step 4: Dot Your Face With Foundation
Pour some liquid foundation on the back of your hand and dot it all over your face. Focus on the areas that need coverage, like the chin, around the mouth, and pigmentated regions.
Note: You can also mix your foundation with a face oil or liquid highlighter for that extra glow. Less is more. So, use just a teeny-tiny bit.
Step 5: Damp And Stamp
Use two pumps of a setting spray and damp your foundation brush (a flat top stippling brush or Kabuki brush). Wipe off the excess, and with a quick and gentle stamping motion, spread the foundation all over your face, neck, and ears evenly.
Step 6: Blend With A Damp Sponge
Damp your sponge/ beauty blender and bounce it all over your face to blend the foundation, soak up the excess, and smooth out any brush stroke lines.
Step 7: Use A Concealer
This step is optional. But if you have hyperpigmentation or acne scars, a concealer can help you achieve even-toned skin. Apply a few dots and use your fingers to pat it and blend the outer edges.
Final Look
This is a basic liquid foundation tutorial for beginners. If you want to get into the details of using a brush, sponge, and your fingers to apply liquid foundation, scroll down!
How To Apply Liquid Foundation With A Brush
The type of brush you want to use depends purely on the look you are going for. A flat foundation brush will give you full coverage. However, if you are looking for something a little more natural, you can use a buffing brush, which will yield a medium coverage, or a stippling brush, which will give you modest coverage. If you want your foundation to look flawless, use a buffing brush to buff the product onto your skin in a circular motion.
Freiha, a blogger, shared her experience of applying foundation flawlessly. She wrote, “First I apply a thin layer of foundation all over my face using a flat foundation brush. I then buff the foundation into my skin using a dense brush. I do one layer all over my face and the second layer concentrating on the problem areas, followed by spot concealing (i).”
Quick TipHow To Apply Liquid Foundation With Fingers
If you have been following the trend on the internet, using fingers to apply foundation has made it huge. This is probably the best option for someone who is experimenting with a foundation for the first time.
Use your index finger to dot the foundation on the required areas. On the large areas of the face, use all your fingers to spread the foundation. For places like under the eyes and around the nose, use your ring finger. This will make sure that the foundation doesn’t sink into the creases. However, do not use your fingers if you have oily skin as the natural oils in your fingers can spread to the face.
How To Apply Liquid Foundation With Beauty Blender
The beauty blender has taken the world by storm and changed the makeup game for a lot of people out there. It is an egg-shaped sponge and a great alternative to a brush when you want your skin to look flawless skin.
To apply foundation with a beauty blender, dot the foundation all over the face. Go over the product with a damp beauty blender and blend away! Take your time and have patience while blending. Make sure that the product is evenly distributed so that it doesn’t look cakey in places.
Quick TipHow To Apply Liquid Foundation With Sponge
Sponges are cut into squares and wedges and used to apply the foundation to the skin. You can use these sponges either damp or dry. Dab the makeup sponge with the foundation and start applying it to the face in light strokes. Start from the center of the face and go outwards. Keep working on it until you are happy with the coverage. Also, remember that blending is key to avoid cakey makeup, so dab multiple times until you achieve an even layer of application.
The tool you use depends on what you are comfortable with. If your fingers give you better control than a beauty blender, use them to apply foundation. All you have to do is give each tool a try and find what works best for you.
Quick TipAlways use the widest and thickest end of the sponge to dip into the foundation before application.
Do Not Forget To Set It!
Creating that flawless long-wearing base also depends on how well you set it. Apply a translucent or setting powder to set your liquid foundation. You can either use a big fluffy brush or a makeup sponge for this purpose.
Give your brush/sponge a swirl or two to pick up the powder. Start from the center of your face – the corner of your eyes, the center of your forehead, the nose, the mouth, and the chin. Whatever is left, use it on your cheeks. on your neck and ears.
While applying foundation is desirable, keeping your face clean is also important to avoid pore-clogging and breakouts. An easy way to do this is to remove the foundation at the end of the day. Here’s how you can do it.
How To Take Off Foundation
You Will Need
- Oil-based makeup remover/ olive oil
- Cotton pad
- Face wash/cleanser
- Clean towel
- Toner and moisturizer
Directions
- Soak the cotton pad with the remover or oil.
- Use gentle circular motions to remove the foundation from your face, neck, and ears.
- Rinse your face with lukewarm water and face wash to clear any leftover foundation and oil traces.
- Pat your face dry with a clean towel.
- Apply the toner and moisturizer to close your pores and soothe your skin.
Infographic: Top 4 Ways To Apply Liquid Foundation
Effective skin prep and choosing the right foundation shade and formula are the keys to achieving a radiant base. However, the tools you use to blend your foundation are equally important, especially when it comes to liquid foundation. They help make applying the foundation a lot easier and smoother. Check out the infographic below to learn about the four best tools to apply liquid foundation and try the one you find the easiest!
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
We hope this article could answer one of the most asked questions – How to apply liquid foundation? Foundations can either make or break your look. It all depends on how you use it. Knowing all the makeup tips or beauty tips, and using the right makeup techniques, beauty products, and makeup brushes can help give a flawless makeup application. Check out some makeup tutorials online before you begin. Before buying a liquid foundation, it is important to know your skin color, shade, tone, undertone, texture, and type. As you hit the market, you will know that there is a foundation that is made just for you. So be sure of the shade your skin needs. Always follow your skincare routine before applying makeup. Cleanse your face thoroughly and moisturize it. Do not forget to apply your primer. And most importantly, make sure you have the right tools to create the magic. Finally, take your time to blend your liquid foundation well to prevent the makeup from appearing cakey.
Frequently Asked Questions
When to color correct?
Go for color correction if you have hyperpigmentation to prevent the foundation from looking ashy. It also neutralizes any purple or red tones. Talk to a beauty professional to find out which color corrector suits your skin tone.
What is the best liquid foundation for oily skin?
In the high-end range, you may want to try the double wear foundation by Estee Lauder. If you are looking for something cheaper yet efficient, the Pro-matte Foundation by L’Oreal is the way to go.
What is the best liquid foundation for dry skin?
When it comes to dry skin, you can try the Face and Body Foundation by MAC or Revlon’s Colorstay Whipped Foundation. These foundations are said to have a high moisture content, which creates a smooth, dewy base with no dry patches.
What is the best liquid foundation for combination skin?
The Even Better Makeup SPF 15 by Clinique and Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation are good options for those with combination skin. These foundations add just the right amount of moisture without drying out the skin.
What is the best liquid foundation for acne-prone skin?
The temptation to go for thick and creamy foundations is understandable, as you may think that this will hide your acne. While it may do so, it will also aggravate the acne. Hence, go for a lightweight foundation so that your skin can breathe. You can opt for the Laura Mercier Smooth Flawless Fluide foundation or the Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup by Clinique. Both are great choices for preventing any further breakouts.
What is the best liquid foundation for sensitive skin?
The Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation and Nars Sheer Glow foundation are suitable for sensitive skin. They are light and easy on the skin and provide decent coverage.
Key Takeaways
- The key to perfecting the art of applying liquid foundation is using the right tools and techniques.
- Liquid foundation can be applied with your fingers, a brush, a beauty blender, or a sponge.
- It is important to remove your makeup before you go to sleep as it can clog your pores and cause breakouts.
Illustration: How To Apply Liquid Foundation For A Flawless Finish
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
Want to know what Megan Fox looks like without makeup? Get ready to see her natural beauty! Check out this video to see her incredible transformation.
Personal Experience: Source
StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. My Flawless Foundation Application Methodhttps://freihawander.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-flawless-foundation-application-method-real-techniques-pixiwoo-expert-face.html
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