Has the way people apply foundation evolved over the years? Am I stuck in a rut?

[IzzyLeng]

Or are TikTok people a bit crazy?

When I was learning to do makeup as a teen we were told to buff our foundation. So put some on and brush round and round in circles…..well fingers back in the day. I still do this though now with a nice brush.

I keep seeing influencers just painting their foundation on like you would paint a wall. Bit brush stroke stripes of product until the entire face is covered. The other thing is there seems to be no concept of matching foundation to your actual face colour now. Seems to be pick a shade to make you look like you’ve got a nice golden tan and whack it on. There is no buffing.

My first thought was they must go through a lot of foundation! I mean they look good, do I need to be doing this? 😁

I've used brushes, sponges over the years but have gone back to fingers. But I use a solid foundation rather than liquid so it warms it up.

I recommend following Genevieve Turley on Instagram, she shows really simple makeup techniques that look fab. She even did a video not so long ago about 'are you a slapper' as in do you prefer to just slap it on with your fingers, no brushes. She's really funny too, and Jennifer Aniston follows her!

Can't seem to post a proper link but she's called genevieveturleymua

What amuses me is that these influencers seem to do their entire eye makeup first and then paint the foundation around it. I have always done the “base” first and eyes/lips last. Guess I’m ancient but it makes no sense to me to the eye makeup first.

Theres a whole range of make up influencers. Some do it for the art, and go for almost a stage/drag look. But for every paint it on influencer youll find a dab of concealer influencer.

The trend in make up atm is not thick foundation that does match your neck and hasn't been for about 10 years.

Yes I feel the same. I was always told to put foundation etc everywhere first to make eye make up stay longer.

Because if your doing a very heavy eye look youll get fall out around your eye which needs to be cleaned off, hence doing the eye make up first because otherwise youll ruin your base

But again I think thats more a 2014-16 thing where make up online was very heavy

If I look at make up tutorials for older women, there are plenty that go for a more natural look, and use much less foundation, and not all over the face. Worth a look?

I’m a stippler. Then dab dab dab with damp beauty blender.

But that’s not true if you apply powder after your foundation, nothing will stick to the powder and you can just brush any stray eye make up flecks away.

Omg I read that as stripper and I was so confused 😆

Oh no I have to do my eyes first, cannot be arsed with redoing my foundation if I have a mishap with the mascara !

Smokey eye make up can cause quite alot of fall out that wouldn’t just brush away. Also, we don’t all use powder either

I've seen young women in town who look like they've been to a kiddies' face painting stall.
They might look good on screen but not on the high street.

I'm in my 40s and still haven't grasped the art of applying foundation... or make up for that matter. I do try to match my skin tone though and I apply with a brush and brush in circles, I think more comes off with the brush rather than staying on my face though. Also don't get me started on contouring as my face doesn't look any different no matter what. So it's just foundation, eyebrows (to make them look like they're there) and mascara.

How does applying with fingers work out for even coverage - is it better than a brush?

My face if I take a selfie is smoothed out. My friends Instagram account the same. A British Hollywood icon now 93 is definitely smoothed out on Instagram, they've knocked off decades.

Both me and dd apply foundation like you do and buff it with a stipple brush. However trained and performed as a dancer and if she was applying make up for stage or for video then she would use a shade darker and paint it on thicker. It's not a good everyday look but it looks great on camera.

The "modern" way makes women look like drag queens, so I'd stick to your old fashioned methods!

It's all a blooming mystery to me. I've never, ever managed to find the secret to not having foundation settling visibly into my pores and I use primer. I hate having a really thick cover too so most of the time I use nothing! For my wedding I went all out and did primer and powder. I did go to a MAU who did the full on make up thing which was terrifying.... I looked great (albeit like someone off love island) in photos but awful in real life. And my facial recognition on my phone wouldn't work!

I'm mid-30s hardly ever wear foundation anymore but on the very rare occasion that I do, I use a beauty blender to apply it. I don't use fake tan so march the colour close to my natural and I apply it sparingly, I want a natural look just a bit more even and bright than what I look like without it. As a teen I used powder foundations instead so applied with a brush or whatever the sponge thing is called that comes with it! In my early 20s I used liquid foundation with a brush until I discovered beauty blender sponges and have settled on that as the easiest and quickest way to build light, even, natural-looking coverage...in my opinion anyway!

Also yes I've literally always done my eyes first. I hardly ever wear eye make up anymore but when I do I often use a lot of glittery eyeshadows which cause a lot of fall out. I have to clean that all up before I can begin my foundation, I definitely couldn't do it the other way around. I thought everyone did it this way tbh.

There is no day make up from a night out make up look anymore. Seems the fuller look is always worn daily.

@Starburst8 , I'm older than you and I don't contour. I put a BB or CC cream on my face, dab a bit more or concealer where it needs it, do eyes and lips (eyeliner and tinted lip balm), and a bit of natural looking blusher or bronzer on my cheekbones.

I'm of the 'less is more' mentality.

I'll use tubing mascara if I'm getting dressed up, but I don't bother otherwise because my tiny fair eyelashes are there to keep debris out of my eyes.

The 1990s lip pencil look seems to be creeping back in.

I'm intrigued. How do you do eyes first. I take five lots of eye drops three times a day. So first lot of drops in the morning, then foundation, blusher powder. Then second lot of drops. Then if I'm going out repair face, then apply eye make up. Even before the drops di the eyes after face.

I put a small amount on the palm of my hand and paint in on with a brush. It blends in beautifully with my skin, I never buff and It stays perfect all day.

Always do your eyes first.