Close Banner

This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Applied Too Much Face Makeup? This Is The No. 1 Trick For Making It Look Natural

Author:

Jamie Schneider

October 27, 2021

Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor

By Jamie Schneider

Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor

Jamie Schneider is the Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.

How To Clean Makeup Sponges: Expert Tips On What Actually Works

Image by twinsterphoto / iStock

October 27, 2021

We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Whether your complexion products come with a matte or dewy finish, from barely there coverage to full-face, there is an art to helping your makeup fuse to your skin. Essentially, it's all in the product selection and careful application: Use the wrong shade, a drying formula, or simply way too much product, and your base can appear heavy and patchy instead of bouncy and supple.

And, look, as much as we wish we could nail the perfect application every time, it's all too easy to pile on product to get a precise color payoff—and thus wind up with a cakey visage. Fear not, for we found a gold-mine tip from makeup artist Alexandra Compton, product development manager at Credo, to help your foundation or concealer look just like skin, even after going a wee bit overboard on the pigment.

What to do if you apply too much foundation or concealer.

"If you accidentally overapplied your foundation or concealer, use a few drops of your favorite facial oil, warm it up between your hands, and gently press against your skin to help lift and remove some of the overapplied product," says Compton.

cellular beauty+

This hack works a few ways: First, patting on a facial oil can help break up some of that excess product, considering most foundations and concealers are also oil-based. But the oil also leaves behind a dewy sheen to the skin, which can help your complexion appear less cakey. The warmth from your palms also helps absorb any excess foundation—just make sure to pat and not rub, lest you smear the makeup or tug at your delicate skin.

To further blend the pigment, you can take a damp beauty sponge and bounce it across those covered-up areas. The tiny pores on the sponge can soak up extra product and soften any harsh makeup lines, evening out the base.

"Finish with a translucent setting powder to mattify if dewy isn't your vibe," says Compton. (She prefers the "Un" Powder from RMS Beauty.) Press and roll the powder on specific areas you want to soak up the shine. You could also dust on a finishing powder (yes, they're different), which offers a slight glow to emulate the look of skin; rather than pressing the powder into your complexion, you can use a fluffy brush to sweep with featherlight pressure.

The takeaway.

If you've applied too much foundation or concealer, don't feel like you must wash off all your work and start anew. According to Compton, a few hacks can help lift the excess product and, better yet, leave behind a dewy glow.