The Surprising Way To Nail Dewy, Never Cakey Concealer In One Layer

Contrary to what your social media feeds might have you believe, mastering an "effortless" makeup look actually takes quite a bit of thought. Achieving just the right amount of dew (without appearing sweaty) requires some precise marching orders, which is why makeup artists and experts are constantly fielding questions like What goes first: concealer or foundation? Bronzer or blush? And where do you fold in a contour? There is a science to layering your makeup (and we have a full guide for that, if you're curious), but have you ever thought about just applying all your products at once? 

Before we begin, a quick caveat: This trick only works with cream products. Blending a creamy foundation with a pressed powder blush is a recipe for pilling, so make sure you stick to cream or liquid formulas. 

From there, choose your products: concealer, foundation, blush, and contour. We're big fans of the LAWLESS Conseal The Deal Lightweight Full Coverage Concealer, the Kosas Revealer Foundation, the Jones Road Lip And Cheek Stick, and the Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick, as they all have precise applicators so you can easily place product on strategic areas. "The key is to use a setting mist," Morello explains. "This stops the product from drying out, so you can blend it, but it also infuses the makeup with the setting power of your setting spray." In Alba's video, she uses her sea-water-infused Honest Beauty Save Face Shielding Setting Spray.

All at once, dot your products wherever you would normally cover up, highlight, contour, etc. You can map it out however you please, but a good rule of thumb is to dot foundation along your T-zone, concealer underneath your eyes and on top of any blemishes you'd like to mask, blush on top of your cheekbones, and contour underneath your cheekbones, along your jawline, and across your hairline. "Instead of applying foundation over your whole face, then applying concealer on top of that, blush on top of that, contour on top of that, and bronzer on top of that, this is technically a single layer of makeup," notes Morello. If your face looks like a colorful polka dot painting, you're doing something right. 

Next, spritz your setting spray all over your makeup so it leaves a slight sheen—then you're ready to blend. When you blend (be it with a fluffy brush or beauty sponge), make sure to start with your lightest products first. Start with concealer, then foundation, then blush and contour, buffing upward to help lift your features. "Along the way, feel free to mist your face as you go to re-dampen everything," says Morello, so the products will really melt into your skin. 

The result? A full face of makeup that never looks cakey. In fact, because of the hydrating setting spray, it actually appears quite dewy. And because you're blending all of your complexion products in one go, you're able to strategically cover up and define areas without piling on product. "My typical makeup technique would end up with me having like five or six layers on, and it just doesn't look natural," says Morello.