How to Apply Foundation for the Most Flawless, Natural-Looking Skin Finish

Perfecting your skin is, without a doubt, the hardest part of the makeup application process. It doesn't take any special skill to swipe on a lip gloss or brush some mascara through your lashes. But getting your foundation to look both natural and flawless? That's a bit of an art form.

Read on for the best tips to ensure your foundation is so flawless and natural-looking, nobody will guess you’re wearing it.

Choose Liquid or Cream (Not Powder) Formulas

I know, I know. I used to be a massive bareMinerals Foundation fan, too.

The problem is that powder foundations don't give you the best finish. They're drying, tend to look cakey and can even accentuate wrinkles because they settle into the creases on your face. Some of the ones with shimmer in them can even make your pores look larger. Horrifying!

It's more natural and youthful if your skin appears hydrated, and even a little bit dewy. And the best way to get said look is with a liquid or cream foundation. Here are a few of my favourites.

Scroll to Continue

Baby2Baby Gala 2024: The Best (And Worst) Celebrity Hair and Makeup Looks on the Red Carpet

24 of the Best New Beauty Products Launching in November: Rituel de Fille, OPI and More

LACMA Art+Film Gala 2024: The Best (And Worst) Celebrity Hair and Makeup Looks on the Red Carpet

bareMinerals Foundation

Rather than their mineral powders, I absolutely love bareMinerals bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation. This is a thin fluid foundation that you need to shake before applying. It gives buildable coverage and is silicone-free, oil-free, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic. 

Sappho Foundation

Another liquid foundation in my regular rotation is Sappho Essentials Liquid Foundation. It's made with all-natural ingredients, no silicones and gives gorgeous light coverage. See my review here.

RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up

Speaking of natural formulas, I also adore RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up, which is best-known as a creamy concealer, but can actually be sheered out as a light-coverage foundation as well. It has the cleanest ingredients list of any product I've seen, and is super-hydrating. Just make sure to set it with powder—see my application tips here!

Make Up For Ever Foundation

If you are looking for higher coverage (and not specifically avoiding silicones), I recommend Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation. It gives a flawless, high-definition finish and has an impressive shade range.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

Of course, the foundation every makeup artist loves is Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. When I was a magazine beauty editor, it would always mysteriously disappear when we brought a bottle on set. Obviously, it photographs beautifully and the texture is to die for.

Make Sure Your Shade Disappears Into Your Skin

I don't need to tell you how important it is that your foundation matches your skin tone! 

When you're testing products, check the colour in three places:

• Underneath the eyes
• On and around the nose
• At the cheek/jawline

Do this all on one side of your face, so you can compare it with the no-makeup side. The perfect shade will pretty much disappear right into your skin.

These days, there are so many brands with extensive shade ranges that you should be able to find your ideal match. If not, go ever-so-slightly darker, not lighter. Erring on the side of a darker shade will help cover flaws, and will warm up your skin tone. 

But what if your face is a different colour than your neck and chest? 

If your face is lighter than your body, you can either choose a slightly darker foundation shade, or use a bronzer to warm it up. For the most natural look, avoid shimmer and use a matte formula, such as Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer.

If your face is darker than your body, you can also use bronzer—but on your neck and chest. For a more semi-permanent solution, consider self-tanners or tinted lotions to darken your body only. I like The Body Shop Honey Bronze Tinted Leg Mist (yes, it's technically for legs but you can ignore that).

Prep With Primer

Primers go on underneath foundation, and help your makeup glide on smoother and stay put longer. That means your foundation is less likely to slip and slide around your face, and there's less chance of creasing.

But that's not all—there are now primers that can help mattify shine, soften the appearance of wrinkles, hydrate the skin or boost radiance.

Becca Primer

If you're looking for oil control, Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector is the most mattifying primer I've ever tried, EVER. It also happens to be silicone-free! See my review here. 

Make Up For Ever Primers

I also love the Make Up For Ever Mattifying Primer for oily skin. Again, it's silicone-free; instead, it uses silica to absorb oil and reduce shine. See my review here.

In fact, Make Up For Ever's entire range of Step 1 Skin Equalizers are fantastic primers that address every possible skin concern. There are 10 to choose from. Besides the Mattifying one, I like the Hydrating primer because it boosts the skin's moisture balance, and the Redness Correcting primer because it has a green tint that neutralizes ruddiness.

Related: Make Up For Ever's 10 New Primers Solve Every Possible Texture and Tone Concern

Hourglass Primer

Another primer I have known and loved (before quitting silicones) is Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. It feels slippery when you put it on, but don't fret—it makes foundation go over top like a dream, and helps it last for hours. I love that it has built-in SPF, and is oil-free.

Chanel Primer

Finally, Chanel Le Blanc de Chanel Multi-Use Illuminating Base is one of the most unique (and beautiful) primers on the market. It brightens and evens out your skin tone while helping to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and reduce shine. AND it happens to be their national makeup artist's all-time favourite Chanel product (and she knows them all!). 

PS: I know everyone raves about this primer, but I just don't get the hype. It never did anything for me... but your mileage may vary.

Use a Foundation Brush

Unless you're a real pro, it's best to apply your foundation with a brush, not your fingers. That's because a brush will help you blend and buff it into the skin—meaning you'll get a much smoother, more natural application. 

Damp sponges work well (I've been trialling this one lately and it's very nice), but be aware that they can waste product. Personally, I prefer to use sponges AFTER I've applied my foundation, to further push it into the skin and even take away excess product.

When looking for a foundation brush, make sure it's synthetic, not animal hair. (You should never use animal hair with liquids.) Here are my top brush recommendations:

Artis Foundation Brush

Artis is the Rolls Royce of makeup brushes. Theirs have soft, densely-packed bristles and are designed to seamlessly buff and blend. The Fluenta Oval 6 Brush is ideal for foundation application.

Sappho Foundation Brush

A less expensive option is this Sappho Oval Buffing Foundation Brush. I have it, and it works well for me!

RMS Beauty Foundation Brush

To apply my RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up, I'm devoted to the brand's Skin2Skin Foundation Brush. The bristles are packed in a swirl pattern that blends makeup without streaking. 

Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush 

In flat foundation brushes, I love the Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush the most. Mine is like a decade old and still going strong! It will never fail you.

Sonia Kashuk Foundation Brush

If you have trouble blending foundation in harder-to-reach areas, such as around your nose, a pointed foundation brush is helpful. The Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Pointed Foundation Brush is really great, and also very affordable.