10 Foolproof Tips To Get Rid of the Cakey Makeup Look

Cakey Makeup Fix- 10 Foolproof Ways To Avoid and Fix A Cakey Makeup Everytime!

Admit it. We’ve all been there. You’ve taken your time to get ready, perfected your makeup and hair, put on that gorgeous dress and confidently headed to that party when instead of looking into your eyes, peoples’ eyes constantly drift to your face and one of them with poor boundaries says  ‘What’s up with that thick pancake-like mask on your skin’? Uhh..

Getting a cakey makeup look is faux pas and can easily be prevented keeping certain things in mind. Here’s a list of the top 10 reason on why you still continue to have a cakey look and steps you can take to prevent it from happening the next time!

1. USE THE RIGHT FORMULA FOR YOUR SKINTYPE

Always test the formula of the foundation on your face before purchasing it. Apply it on one side of your face and compare its shade, coverage, finish and feel to the other bare side. Take a sample home first, if you can. Most often the super matte, full-coverage formulations tend to look cakey. Same goes with powder foundations. They can look very cakey unless you take special measures to prevent it. What special measures? Here’s how.

2. AVOID POWDER FOUNDATION BUT IF YOU HAVE TO…

A powder foundation, most often than not, will result in a cakey finish. To fix it, use a facial mist like the MAC Fix plus and spray it lightly on to your brush. Remember to use the spray lightly and only from a distance as too wet a brush can spoil your powder foundation. Then use this to apply your powder foundation. After you’re done applying, finish it off with a light spray again.

3. MAKE SURE YOUR FOUNDATION GELS WITH YOUR SKINCARE

Sometimes some formulations do not gel with your skincare products, for example, with certain mineral-oil containing moisturizers for very dry/sensitive skintype that do not penetrate the skin easily. To fix this, give ample time for your moisturizer and sunscreen to absorb into the skin before you apply your foundation.If they aren’t absorbed well into the skin, your foundation will slide, become uneven and patchy before you know it. 

4. USE A MOISTURISER-LOTS OF IT!!!

Do you make it a point to apply a lot of moisturizer before you start with foundation? If not, its time to start doing it now. Use a LOT of moisturizer before you start with makeup and give it time to sink in. Atleast 5 minutes. Then if some of it is left on the surface, take a tissue and dab it in those areas. This will help your foundation to glide over your skin in a thin layer and really get into your pores as opposed to just sitting on top of your skin. Use a primer underneath, especially if you have an oily skin. It creates a barrier over your natural skin oils and prevents them to come on top and mixing with your foundation, which when happens, creates those unattractive patches of foundation on the skin. Oil and water don’t mix, remember?

5. SHAKE THE BOTTLE BEFORE USE

In many foundations, the pigments tend to settle so it is a good practice to always shake the bottle before you start dispensing the product.

6. USE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FOUNDATION

A foundation is meant only to create an even-looking base for the rest of your makeup. To cover everything else, there’s concealer. So apply your foundation only to the centre of your face and blend what is left on your brush outwards. Extend it to your earlobes and neck. This will prevent any visible boundaries of the foundation on your face. Apply your foundation little by little. If you still think you need more coverage, you can always build it up. It is much better than using a lot of product at one time and ending with a mask of foundation on your skin.

7. INVEST IN THE RIGHT TOOLS

The finish of your foundation depends a lot on the tools you use to apply it with. With a cream foundation, using your fingers is great because they help melt and blend the product with your skin. A wet beauty blender also does a beautiful job of sheering out the product as well. I’ve already done a post on different tools you can use to apply your foundation with and how they effect the resulting finish, so click on the link below to read more about it.

Read More: 6 Ways To Apply Foundation

8. SET YOUR FOUNDATION

When it comes to setting the foundation, we can sometimes go heavy-handed on powder. But using too much powder can be one of the most common reasons to why your foundation looks cakey. So if you don’t need any more coverage, go for a translucent powder.  Translucent powders do not have pigment in them which will prevent your face from looking cakey. If you still don’t like the powdery look, forego the powder altogether and use a setting spray instead. It will keep the dewiness intact and make your makeup last longer.

9. LEARN THE RIGHT WAY TO RETOUCH MAKEUP

Before you start re-touching your makeup, always use a blotting sheet to absorb any excess oil on your skin. Then, only when it is done, use a powder to re-touch. If you don’t use a blotting sheet beforehand, the oils on your skin will mix with the powder and create a cakey appearance.

10. KNOW WHAT COMES FIRST!

Sometimes we instinctively try to finish the base makeup before we head on to our blush, contour and highlight. But if you’ll be using any cream blushes, highlighters or contours, do it before you set the makeup with a setting powder. Any creams that go over the powder will create a patchy, unappealing look. There is an exception to this when you use only a small amount of cream product and just pat it (do not rub it) but it is a good practice to follow this as a guideline as much as possible.

Hope this helps those of you looking for a cakey makeup fix! Do you have any tips of your own? Do share in the comments below.

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