What Does It Mean If Your Makeup Is Patchy

A Makeup Artist Showed Me Exactly How to Stop Foundation Looking Patchy, Cakey & Dry

Amy Clark is Adore Dazzler'southward Senior Editor and co-host of Skincare School the podcast (and self-appointed dazzler road-tester!). Amy's worked every bit a journalist, beauty editor and podcaster for several years, previously writing and talking about all things beauty at Mamamia and Yous Beauty. When she'due south not writing honest, no BS product reviews and taking selfies 'for piece of work', you'll discover Amy eating halloumi in a hair towel turban and... taking more selfies.

Amy Clark is Adore Dazzler's Senior Editor and co-host of Skincare School the podcast (and self-appointed beauty road-tester!). Amy's worked equally a journalist, beauty editor and podcaster for several years, previously writing and talking about all things beauty at Mamamia and Yous Beauty. When she'southward not writing honest, no BS production reviews and taking selfies 'for piece of work', yous'll observe Amy eating halloumi in a pilus towel turban and... taking more selfies.

Ask Amy BIQ

Always wanted to inquire a beauty editor your called-for beauty questions? Now y'all can with our new monthly series Enquire Amy!

Every month, Adore'due south Senior Editor Amy Clark volition exist answering a client beauty question. From skincare myths and pilus concerns to the best beauty tools and makeup buys, there's no such thing equally a dumb dazzler question.

Last calendar month, we covered the products you need to wake upward with glowier-looking pare ( yous tin grab upward hither ).

This month's question? Aid! How do I stop my makeup from looking patchy and flaky?

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Patchy, flaky foundation has to be right up in that location with the most annoying of first globe problems.

Like your Uber Eats order beingness cancelled and unforecasted rain, information technology's no big deal in the scheme of things.

Just in that moment, it sucks.

In fact, 'why does my makeup e'er look patchy' is one of the about unremarkably Googled beauty questions.

I have a few ideas on the topic of fixing crusty foundation, merely I decided to enquire my colleague and professional makeup creative person Marie Poulos (@mariepoulos.mua) how she approaches this trouble with her clients.

*And I mean, would y'all Look at her flawless makeup!? This selfie lone is enough to convince me to exercise literally anything Marie says.

Turns out, the solution has almost aught to practise with your foundation...

Why Does My Makeup Always Look Patchy?

A quick editor's note before we begin:

Real human skin has texture. Pores are normal. Uneven skin tone is normal. Blemishes and blackheads and random lilliputian bumps are normal.

Unless you're a wax figurine (or y'all've been using cosmeceutical skincare and wearing sunscreen religiously from an early on age, or have had cosmetic injectables), skin won't always look completely smooth.

Personally, I remember it'due south really cute when yous tin run across healthy, hydrated peel and natural texture showing through a stunning foundation.

This article isn't about erasing natural skin texture. We love when skin looks like peel!

Rather, it's for anyone who doesn't honey the way foundation gathers, creases or clings to dry and/or porous areas of the peel.

Or those who observe no matter how they apply their foundation, it always ends upwards balling, pilling, or making flaky skin wait even flakier.

Below, you'll find some makeup artist tips on how to become as seamless a makeup application equally is possible on homo pare, only part of information technology is accepting and working with your natural pare blazon and texture.

We good? Great! Onwards!

And then, when I kickoff asked Marie to share her ~thoughts~ on how to fix flaky foundation, she said:

"90 per cent of the time, flaky makeup is acquired by using the wrong skincare product(s), not the wrong foundation!"

And it makes total sense. Because no matter how much your foundation costs or how much time and attempt you put into applying it, the makeup will simply ever wait as smooth as the canvass.

The tools matter too - and we'll get to an epic foundation application hack a flake afterward - but a smooth, even makeup finish starts with skin care.

Both your regular skincare routine AND the skincare products you employ before your foundation.

Keep scrolling for Marie's top hacks on how to avert pilling, patchiness, crusty flakes (particularly around the nose) and brow texture when applying foundation.

i. Are You Cleansing Properly?

Sounds simple (and boring), but leftover makeup, sunscreen and grime can build upwardly in your pores.

Marie adds, "Yous'd exist surprised how many people just use makeup wipes [to cleanse]. The makeup just builds upward and creates this texture that you can merely sometimes run into with makeup on."

Effort using a balm or oil cleanser to remove makeup followed by a second gel, foam or milk cleanser - this is called 'double cleansing'.

Watch the video below to larn more than about finding the right cleanser for your peel type.

Here's a list of my favourite cleansers for removing makeup:

2. Add An Exfoliant Into Your Skincare Routine.

Remember how exfoliation is the key to glowy pare? Same goes for smoother skin texture.

Regular exfoliation i to iii times a calendar week using an exfoliant for your skin type will remove built up dead skin cells, dry bits and congestion.

This could look similar using a gentle exfoliating confront launder like Aesthetics Rx AHA Cream Cleanser 125ml as your second cleanser, or applying a glycolic acid exfoliating serum similar Skin Virtue Pure Radiance Glow Serum 50ml a few times a calendar week at nighttime.

Y'all could as well apply a thick layer of Aspect Fruit Enzyme Mask 50g before bed for supple, smoother-looking skin when you wake upwards. Or swipe a bit of Alpha-H Liquid Gold on a cotton fiber pad over the skin in the morning before your serums, moisturiser and/or sunscreen.

For more exfoliation tips and product recommendations, bank check out our exfoliation Dazzler IQ article or watch the exfoliation YouTube video below.

3. Are You Using the Right Moisturiser?

Fact: Nearly of us have had (or currently have) dehydrated skin.

Foundation will always look more seamless when practical on hydrated skin. Sure, the skincare products nether your makeup thing, but using a moisturiser daily is but as of import.

"Some people say they take really oily skin, so they'll only use very lightweight moisturisers or even skip moisturiser and go directly to a mattifying primer," Marie says.

"Oftentimes, their skin is actually dehydrated, leaving the outer layers with dryness and texture. Using an emollient barrier cream with moisturising ingredients as a part of your regular skincare routine will help soften the pare."

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Hither are some of Marie's favourite emollient creams for softening flaky bits:

If you're worried about greasiness, save thicker creams and face oils for nighttime time.

Plus, a hot tip for anyone who gets crusty $.25 on the sides of their nose like I do:

Apply a thick layer of Lanolips Gilt Dry out Skin All Over Salve wherever you get dry. It creates a barrier that seals in moisture and softens crustiness.

4. Skin Prep For Smoother Foundation.

OK, at present you've got your skin intendance sorted, here's what to put on your face under your foundation.

Face sucking the life out of your makeup? Prep your skin with a hydrating serum first.

Beauté Pacifique Submersive Serum Paradoxe 30ml is a jewel of a product from i of my favourite skincare brands Beauté Pacifique.

I recently rediscovered this lush serum/oil hybrid, and honestly, it makes foundation glide on my super dry, thirsty peel like butter.

You tin apply it day or dark as a confront oil, before makeup equally a hydrating foundation primer, or even by adding a drop to your foundation!

You could also endeavor a hydrating primer to add together extra hydration to the peel, while besides giving your foundation something to grip onto for a long-wearing finish.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer and Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Moisturiser are both excellent.

Same goes for sunscreens like Aspect Sun Hydrating Face SPF 50+ 75ml and Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen that comprise hydrating ingredients.

OK, only what about the states oily skin-havers, you lot ask?

"You might exist oily due to the pare being dehydrated, just sorting out your skincare routine will aid with that!" Marie says.

"True oily or combination skin types who observe foundation separates or looks patchy tin apply a mattifying primer like Brand Up FOR Always Footstep 1 Pore Minimizer Primer 30ml over the top of your hydrating products, but only where you get oily like the forehead, nose and chin."

Adore'due south resident oily pare type Hannah does exactly this to achieve her signature dewy foundation finish that lasts on her oily skin all twenty-four hour period!

dewy foundation for oily skin

5. How to End Foundation Separating and Pilling.

Notice your foundation balls up and flakes off? This usually ways your skincare products underneath are ambivalent.

E'er leave enough fourth dimension for your serums and moisturisers to dry out betwixt layers. Applying hydrating serums to damp skin can too help.

If foundation separation is your issue, endeavor to use products with similar textures.

For example, water and oil repel each other, so if your foundation is water-based, using an oil underneath your makeup might crusade separation.

Oh, and Marie says adding more pulverization to fix foundation that's separated or settled in pores only accentuates peel texture more. Her tip?

"Utilize a small brush to apply powder precisely only to oily areas. Touching up during the twenty-four hour period isn't a bad affair - a lilliputian touch up keeps foundation looking fresh, whereas packing on powder adds extra texture to the skin."

6. How to Use Foundation For A Seamless Finish.

Finally, let's talk about how yous're applying your foundation.

I've always loved using a flat buffing foundation castor to apply my base, but Marie says it can really make flaking or dryness await more than textured than information technology is.

"Brushing or rubbing foundation around with a brush tin make texture more noticeable. If texture is a concern, effort pressing and pushing product into the peel with a damp makeup sponge instead."

Existent Techniques Miracle Finish Sponge is amazing (and affordable) for a seamless foundation terminate.

Spectrum Pink Wonder Sponge is some other first-class selection.

You can also use different size sponges in the Real Techniques Phenomenon Sponges 6 pack to blend concealer, pulverization and cream bronzers and blushes.

Dampen your sponge with h2o, a hydrating confront mist or a setting spray like M.A.C COSMETICS Prep + Prime Prepare+ then squeeze out excess moisture and bounce the sponge to alloy your base of operations.

What About the Best Foundation For Dry, Flaky Skin?

Hang on... how come we haven't talked most the best foundation to utilize to end makeup looking cakey?

Because as Marie says, "Nine times out of 10, patchy, flaky foundation is caused by a lack of pare care."

And what Marie says, goes.

If you lot're still having issues with your foundation after trying these tips, then permit'southward chat nearly if yous're using the 'wrong' foundation.

P.S. Some other of Adore'due south ridiculously talented in-house makeup artists Megan put together this YouTube video on choosing the perfect foundation for your skin below.