The 45 Best Foundation Tips From Makeup Artists

There’s foundation. And then there’s Sweet Jesus, your skin looks amazing. The difference between the two: a makeup artist is usually responsible for the latter. (Think of all those times you had your makeup done for a wedding or a big event...and how awesome your skin looked.) To figure out how to apply our base better, we reached out to some of the best makeup artists in the business (including the one and only Laura Mercier and every It-girl's go-to guy, Hung Vanngo), to find out everything we could about putting on foundation, including how to pick out your perfect shade, what tools to use to avoid streaks and splotches, how to cover fine lines and large zits, and why you might be wearing too much foundation. Below, the best makeup artist tips to get you from start to flawless finish.

Pick Out the Right Shade and Formula.

"When you’re buying a new foundation, test a few shades in natural light, then squint. The color that disappears when you squint is your match." — Nick Barose

"You don’t want your face darker than your neck — test shades around your jawline, or dust bronzer on your neck to even everything out." — Jillian Dempsey

"Buy a foundation in two shades: one for imperfections and a lighter shade to highlight your chin, cheekbones, and the bridge of your nose. — AJ Crimson

"If you can’t find a perfect shade, buy one that’s slightly darker than your skin and one that’s slightly lighter, then fine-tune the color yourself." — Lora Arellano

" For photo ops, use a primer and a sheer matte foundation. Luminous formulas look shiny in pictures." — Nick Barose, Lupita Nyong'o's go-to makeup artist

"Most oil-free foundations oxidize — turn yellow or orange — on oily skin throughout the day, so test them for a few hours before you buy one." — Laura Mercier

Arm Yourself With the Right Tools.

"Look for rounded foundation brushes with synthetic hairs — they’re usually labeled powder brushes, but they’re the best for blending." — Arellano

"Small, fluffy synthetic brushes are fantastic for blending concealer over redness and imperfections on the chin, forehead, and nostrils" — Linda Cantello

"Mist a fluffy brush with facial spray, and press it over your makeup — foundation, blush, bronzer, highlighter — to make everything look more like skin." — Arellano

"Buff, buff, buff foundation into the skin — quickly, like a whirlwind — with a brush. It ensures the coverage won’t look heavy-handed." — Vincent Oquendo

"Put on foundation, and then press it into your skin with a damp sponge until it’s seamlessly blended."— Patrick Ta

Or Just Use Your Hands.

"I like to apply foundation with my hands to help warm it up, press it into the skin and into the contours of the skin. I usually go in outward, circular motions. Then, I fine-tune any additional blending with a clean foundation brush." — Joseph Carrillo, who's worked with Alexa Chung, Portia Doubleday, and Lily Rabe

"Use the natural warmth that emanates from your fingers to help diffuse the product, taking special care to blend well on the chin and jawline, as well as down the nose. Here is where Beautyblender (or any great blending sponge) is your best friend, as it really pushes the product into the skin and erases any 'makeup-y' texture — a telltale sign of badly applied foundation." — Suzy Gerstein, who's worked with St. Vincent and Camilla Belle

"I love starting with a sheer, lightweight foundation, blending it all over, and massaging into my face with my fingertips. This way, all the product is being blended into your skin and not being eaten up by your sponge or brush. This should give you a smooth veil of coverage, eliminating any redness or unevenness." —Joey Camasta, director of makeup artistry at Ready to Wear Beauty

The Secret is in the Prep.

"To achieve a glowy look, start with your skin-care routine. I like to use a face oil before I prime the skin, and then I follow with foundation." —Matin, who's worked with Claire Danes, Lena Dunham, and Tracee Ellis Ross

" Prepping skin gives you gorgeous, dewy foundation. Use face oil mixed with moisturizer on your cheekbones, chin, and the peak of your forehead." — Patrick Ta

"Mix water into foundation right before application. It adds moisture without any excess oil and makes the skin look even more radiant." —Rebecca Restrepo, who's worked with Mandy Moore, America Ferrara, and Emily Blunt

"Add foundation to your moisturizer if you want a lighter application, and in winter when your skin is really dry, I like to add a little bit of a superlight face oil to foundation, so I get coverage and hydrate my skin." —Fabiola, who's worked with Hilary Swank, Katie Holmes, and Jennifer Garner

"Unless you have dry or mature skin, I recommend distributing day cream more on the cheek area than in the T-zone to avoid unwanted mid-day shine post-foundation application." —Ma

"If you’ve got dry patches, press a small piece of Scotch tape over the area before you do your makeup. It’ll remove skin that’s ready to slough off." — Robin Black of Beauty is Boring

"Use an eye shadow primer on wrinkles to prevent creasing and create an even canvas for makeup."— Hung Vanngo

"When skin has a raised or bumpy texture, use primer and a creamy foundation. It’ll be just thick enough to smooth over the unevenness." — Mary Phillips

You Might be Using Too Much Foundation...

"It’s very French to let your skin show through your foundation. After you’ve put yours on, press a tissue on top to remove excess."— Mercier

"Don’t erase your skin. Foundation is meant to give you a cleaner palette, and then you can dab concealer on top where you need more coverage." — Black

"Your main focus should be using foundation more so on spots where [more coverage is] needed, like around the nose and eyes. Then, blend by dabbing (not rubbing!) with a Beautyblender to make your foundation one with your skin." —Azra Red, who works with Honey Artists

"By applying five dots of foundation—one each on your cheeks, forehead, chin, and neck—and distributing outward in circular motions using a foundation brush will give you a flawless result." —Ermahn Ospina, who's worked with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Carla Gugino, and Rosario Dawson

"Apply foundation sparingly — and only to the parts of the skin that need to be evened out. This way, you have some barer areas of the complexion, which gives the overall look a more natural finish." —Molly R. Stern, who's worked with celebrities including Reese Witherspoon, Lily Collins, and Mandy Moore

"For subtle dimension, apply foundation where you need it, then tap concealer on the bridge and tip of your nose, center of your forehead, chin, and Cupid’s bow.

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