In What Order Should My Makeup Go

Before you even call up about adding a pop of lip color or going nuts on the eyeshadow and eyeliner, the best makeup looks starting time with a good base of operations.

And while in that location are no rights and wrong in terms of makeup awarding (your beauty, your rules) - if the club of products is confusing the crap out of y'all, get gear up to be saved by Benefit's Head Makeup Artist, Lisa Potter-Dixon, who has shared her guide to a glowing, your-skin-merely-better, base.

Here, you'll finally find out whether you're meant to use your concealer before or after your foundation, some easy contouring hacks and the prep steps you're probably missing...

Step 1: Prep

The almost important affair to practise in order to reach a gorgeous, glowing base is to prep your skin thoroughly. "If you don't moisturise your pare before y'all apply your makeup, it won't sit as well, it won't last as long and it won't look as good", says Lisa. And yep, even oily skin needs moisturising as well.

"Best case scenario is to moisturise ten minutes before y'all apply your makeup to permit it to settle on the skin."

Quick tip: Apply your moisturiser and and so do your hair or brush your teeth before moving onto makeup.

"When moisturising, actually piece of work it into the complexion and downwards the neck, and if you're prone to whatever dry areas, add extra cream in those spots. Do this no affair of your skin type, considering the makeup volition combat whatever other dilemmas like oiliness."

Lisa's faves: Pro-Collagen Marine Foam, £85, Elemis, Skinesis Dynamic Defence Anti-Ageing 24-hour interval Cream SPF 15, £54, Sarah Chapman, Essential Moisture Twenty-four hours Cream, £9.fifty, No.7.

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Step ii: Prime & glow

There are then many different types of primers, formulated to do unlike things. Hither'south how to pick the correct ane for you...

"If you endure from excess oil and open pores, a silicone based primer is best", says Lisa. "Make sure it's non-comedogenic so that it doesn't cake your pores."

"My favourite is an illuminating primer – putting this nether your foundation will give a long-lasting glow to your peel. For fairer complexions become for 1 with a silvery undertone, deeper complexions become for one with a golden undertone."

Yous should ever apply your primer after moisturising, only earlier foundation. "Start in the centre of the confront and blend outwards, and add together more than in oily areas (if y'all have any) as this volition help to gainsay the shine throughout the day."

Some people like to await a few minutes for the primer to adhere to the skin, simply Lisa says "y'all can apply your foundation immediately after."

"Apply your fingers to employ your primer as the warmth from your fingers will help to work it into the pare."

STEP 3: Foundation

"Ane of the biggest mistakes made we tend to make with foundation, is that we apply too much, thinking that the more than we apply, the more information technology will aid to cover any skin dilemmas", says Lisa. "Whereas really, your foundation is in that location to even out your skin, and your concealer is the problem solver."

If you're currently using more than than one pump of your liquid foundation, yous may want to endeavour scaling it back. "Yous can ever add more but it'south harder to take back. Less is always more than with foundation."

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"My favourite way to apply foundation is with a damp dazzler blender equally I detect this gives most an airbrush stop", says Lisa. "Having it slightly damp ways that the product doesn't soak into information technology and at that place'south less wastage."

Always beginning in the centre of the confront and work outwards, and avoid applying too much effectually the hairline, as this can cause obvious build-upward.

"Don't forget to also blend downward your cervix for an even cease", says Lisa. "If yous prefer a powder, apply it in the aforementioned way merely with a compact. fluffy brush and dust it on in circular motions as this gives a much nicer finish."

Lisa's faves: Sheer Glow Foundation, £33.50, NARS, Candid Foundation, £9.99, Revlon, Original Foundation SPF15, £28, Bareminerals.

STEP 4: Concealer

In example you aren't already well acquainted, concealer is your best friend.
"If applied correctly information technology can hide annihilation and everything; dark circles, redness, blemishes and hangovers."

"Yous need two different types of concealer in your kit – a liquid-based ane for under your eyes and a cream-based 1 for everywhere else", says Lisa.

For underneath the eyes, go for one about half a shade lighter than your foundation, equally you want this area to be lightened. Why liquid? "The eye area is 40 per cent thinner than anywhere else on the face up, meaning that fine lines are much more than visible in this expanse and a liquid concealer is less likely to crease", says Lisa.

The cream concealer can be the aforementioned shade equally your foundation, as it'south going to be used on the remainder of your face and you lot desire this concealer to human action more like a camouflage. "Cream consistency is better for this as information technology's more than malleable and will bail to the skin without budging and will look more natural."

"For the under eyes, draw a 'v' with your concealer, going from the inner corner of the middle, downwardly to the summit of the cheekbones and support to the outer corner of the eye", says Lisa. "This way, if you accept any darkness in this area, the '5' volition comprehend it in its entirety."

"Alloy the concealer upwards towards the lower lash line using either a damp beauty blender or fluffy eyeshadow brush."

Always employ concealer on superlative of your foundation so that you can target sure areas. If you employ it underneath, it volition simply motility and be rubbed away as you alloy your foundation.

"If the nether center area is very oily, feel free to lightly dust with translucent powder."

When applying your concealer to the balance of your face, Lisa recommends using your fingers to create warmth and bind your concealer to your foundation better. Simply you can also use a damp sponge or a concealer castor if preferred.

"Employ the foam concealer only where you demand it, and push it into that area to target the dilemma, then go along working it in until it'southward seamlessly composite and looks like a part of your base", says Lisa. "Layer if necessary, but focus on your blending for a smoothen finish. Otherwise, it can announced patchy throughout the 24-hour interval if it's just left sitting on top of the skin."

Lisa'due south faves:
Liquid - Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Concealer, £19, Fenty, Erase Eye Concealer, £8.99, Maybelline, Magic Away Liquid Concealer, £24, Charlotte Tilbury
Cream - Boi-ing Industrial Forcefulness Concealer, £18.50, Benefit, Secret Camouflage, £28.50, Laura Mercier, and The Sensual Pare Enhancer, £38, Kevyn Aucoin.

STEP five: Bronzer

Bronzer and blusher piece of work in perfect harmony together. Don't think that you have to pick one or the other, considering they practice completely different things.

"Bronzer should exist used to requite you a healthy, warm complexion, whereas blusher, gives you a pop of colour", says Lisa.

Whether y'all apply a powder, cream or liquid bronzer, the application can be the same for all.

"The quickest and easiest way to apply your bronzer, is by doing a figure of 3 either side of the face, starting at the forrard, going down o the cheeks and then under the jawline", says Lisa. "This volition requite y'all a soft, natural contour."

Don't forget to alloy down the cervix too, so that your cervix matches your face.

Lisa's faves: Hoola Caramel, £26, Benefit, Soleil Ta De Chanel, £36, Chanel, Matte Bronzer, £viii, NYX.

STEP half-dozen: Blusher

Peaches, pinks, and terracottas - the world of blusher can exist a large one, but once you've found your ideal shade, application is like shooting fish in a barrel.

"The quickest way to use your blusher is by smiling and putting it onto the apple tree of your cheeks and blending it up towards the top of your ears", says Lisa. "Less is more, and equally long as you make sure the majority of the colour is on the apples you tin't go incorrect."

Also as shades, there are plenty of textures and formulas to choose class. "Pulverisation is a great buildable blush, and you can go a multifariousness of finishes from matte to shimmer. This texture also tends to have the biggest selection of shades."

"Cream blusher is dandy for a dewy finish and works actually well with liquid foundation", says Lisa. "Lastly, liquid blusher is ideal for a natural affluent of colour. Only apply to a blusher brush and buff into the skin."

Lisa's faves: Cheekleaders Palette (available in Bronze Squad and Pink Squad), £52, Benefit Cloud Pigment, £fifteen, Glossier, Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks, £22, Bobbi Brown, Blush, £iv.l, due east.l.f cosmetics.

Step vii: Highlight

Highlighting (when done correctly) is super effective. Information technology tin add construction and luminosity to your face instantly.

"The best place to utilise highlighter is on the high points of the face", says Lisa. "These are the areas that the light hits, which in turn makes the construction of the face stand out. Buff along the cheekbones and under the brow bone, down the centre of the nose, and on the cupid's bow."

Similar to blusher there are many types of formulas and finishes of highlighter. "Liquid can be a little tricky, but tin can look then beautiful", says Lisa. "Effort pressing it into the skin with your fingers and apply it downwards the centre of the legs and highpoint of the shoulders too."

"Cream highlighters tend to be sheer, which is perfect for an 'inner glow' that looks more similar pare", she says. "Once more, blend with your fingers or use a fluffy eyeshadow brush to vitrify it in."

As for powders, these tend to be the near intense types of highlighter with the about shades and finishes available. "They're really buildable, and my favourite way to apply pulverisation highlighter is either with a fantail brush or an eyeshadow brush."

"If you desire a super, high-polish glow, layer a pulverization highlighter over your liquid or cream highlighter."

Lisa's faves:
Liquid - Liquid Highlighter, £9, ASOS Design, and Illuminator Drops, £30, Iconic London.
Cream - Cream Colour Base in 'Hush', £19, Mac Cosmetics, and Baume Essentiel, £33, Chanel.
Powder - Cookie (from the Cheekleader Bronze Palette), £52, Benefit, and Glow Pulverisation Highlighter, £15, Topshop.

LISA'S TOP 3 FINISHING TIPS:

Double-dip bronzer: Dust your bronzer beyond your eyes for an effortless eyeshadow look.
Eye-light: Press highlighter onto the inner corner of the optics to burnish.
Don't forget your face up framers: Use a fibre gel, like Benefit Gimme Brow (£21.50) through your brows for a groomed finish

Need more than production recommendations? Here'south our edit of the best contouring kits...