Why does my makeup look cakey? Is this the question you can’t find an answer too? Has cakey looking makeup become the bane of your life? Has it now affected your confidence whenever you step outside with makeup on? If so, this list of my tips and tricks to prevent cakey makeup will help you solve this problem.
Why does my makeup look cakey? Have you prepped your skin properly?
Prepping your skin before applying makeup is critical to ensure that your makeup looks flawless throughout the day. Make sure that you clean and hydrate your face with moisturising products before applying any makeup on. If your skin feels dry, tight, flakey or not hydrated, this is a sign to switch up your skincare.
Exfoliate routinely
Exfoliating your face once or twice a week can help with removing dead skin cells. This results in smoother, softer, healthier looking skin, to create a smoother base for makeup application. Makeup can cling to dry patches, and exfoliating will help to remove those. I love a mixture of manual and chemical exfoliation. I adore the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha-Beta Extra-Strength Peel Pads and also a manual exfoliator like Saturday Skin Rub-a-Dub or Wishful Skin Yo-Glow. If these are too harsh, the Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant may be better for you.
Use primer
Primer should be applied before your foundation, but after your skincare routine. Primer can help with making your face appear smoother and brighter, allowing for smooth and flawless makeup application. I personally am loving the elf Poreless Putty Primer at the moment as this creates a really smooth base.
Why does my makeup look cakey? Do you lock your look with setting spray?
A light mist from a setting spray can help lock in your makeup look, securing your makeup in place for the day. With a good setting spray, moisture is locked in, hydrating your face and preventing your makeup from turning cakey. Misting throughout the day can help keep up this hydration also. Any powdery residue that’s left on your face is almost ‘melted away’, allowing for a more natural finish. The Dermalogica Hyaluronic Ceramide Mist is a favourite of mine.
Blend, blend, blend
One of the main solutions when it comes to cakey makeup is to just continue to blend for a more flawless finish. Whether this is with a foundation brush, or a damp beauty sponge, you need to make sure your base is fully blended and that you do this throughout the day too as your makeup starts to get patchy. Blending well gives more of an impression of airbrushed makeup.
Conceal from the inner corner of your eye
You’re probably doing your concealer wrong if the area under your eyes keeps looking cakey. Are you swiping the product all across your under eye area? If so, stop. Take a bit of concealer and dab a bit onto the inner corner of your eye and then blend it out towards the outer corner. This way, less product is used but your under eye area is still concealed. Sparingly use powder to set if you need to, but if cakey makeup is a problem here, I wouldn’t – just keep topping up as needed instead.
Why does my makeup look cakey? Could you need to add a little bit of oil?
Once you’ve finished your makeup application, but still feel that your makeup looks cakey, it’s time to bring out the oil. I recommend hydrating and nourishing oils such as squalane or rosehip oil. A couple of drops patted onto the skin can help bring makeup back to life and add dewiness again. It can hide areas of cakiness too. Biossance do the most amazing squalane and rose oil.
Use less product
Less is certainly more when it comes to preventing cakey makeup. If your makeup constantly looks cakey, you might just be using too much product. Try using super smoother blurring skin tints instead of foundation for a lighter and less cakey look. Foundation might just be too heavy for you, so something light like the Iconic London Super Smoother Blurring Skin Tint would be perfect.
Pair the right primer with the best foundation – it’s the team you need to think about!
Some primers and foundations aren’t compatible with each other for various reasons. So, if you’ve got a water-based primer, use water-based or silicone-based foundations. If you’ve got a silicone-based primer, try a silicone-based foundation.
Main Image – Via Pexels, royalty-free photo by Anderson Guerra: https://www.pexels.com/photo/makeup-brush-on-black-container-1115128/
You can see more of what I’m loving, and what I’m doing, over on my Instagram @alifewithfrills