My sister’s a makeup artist, and literally, when it comes to makeup – she is an artist.
There is no color combination, application technique, or trend too daunting for her. Faces are her canvas and she is a Picasso.
Me? I’m terrible.
If my sister is Picasso, I’m a two-year old that got into the crayon-box for the first time… blind-folded.
Fortunately a combination of genetics and career-choices have made it so that my skin looks presentable naked and I don’t need to wear makeup.
But…
I’m intrinsically, stereo-typically, whole-heartedly, such a girl, and sometimes it’s fun / empowering / confidence-boosting to have some cosmetic back-up. Plus, similar to clothing, makeup can help express the various versions of myself that I’m feeling each day.
However, as much as I love glitter and sparkles and smudgy black-kohl, they’ll never love me. When it comes to make-up – if it’s not idiot-proof (like tinted chapstick) the chances of me blending, applying, or contouring something correctly is near impossible.
For real — people who can pull off things like this are astounding to me:
Enter my most beloved skincare product to the rescue, yet again.
As mentioned in previous posts, I have brain-washed myself into abhorring sun exposure. I test-drive every new sunscreen that comes across my desk, and always find myself going back to our About Face “Porification Protect”. Nothing else provides the same effortless moisturization and sun-protection peace-of-mind. With an SPF-50, universal tint, healthy-skin ingredients like Vitamin E, Green Tea, antioxidants, etc., for me — this is the ultimate all-in-one product. (Bonus: It doesn’t feel like a sunscreen, and it doesn’t smell like a sunscreen.)
It also works beautifully as a makeup primer.
But guess what?
It also works BEAUTIFULLY as a goof-proof blender for your most pigmented, intimidating foundations, camouflage creams and highlighters. (If I can make this work, anyone can!)
Instructions for Perfect Summer-Skin Hack
To begin, start with skin that is clean and well-hydrated. (For me, the following process begins after I’ve washed my face with SkinMedica’s AHA/BHA cleanser, applied a few drops of SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum and 1-pump of Sente Dermal Repair Cream.)
1. Dab a smear of your favorite foundation, cover-up, concealer, highlighter on each cheek, across your forehead, a spot on your chin and a spot on your nose.
2. Next, apply a pea-size dollop of Porification Protect to your fingertips, and rub into your face as if the other stuff wasn’t there.
3. Control and customize how much coverage you want by adjusting your Porification Protect to makeup ratios. If you want more coverage, apply more foundation and less PP (is that abbreviation too terrible to use??). If you want lighter coverage, apply less foundation and more PP.
The creamy, moisturizing formulation of the PP is extremely forgiving, and helps diffuse the highly-pigmented makeup across your face, blending it into your skin in a way that lets even blind-folded two-year olds achieve flawless looking skin.
Yes, the sunscreen is diluting your cosmetic, but that’s what makes it easier to spread and blend. The hydration of the sunscreen allows even the thickest product to melt into your skin for a natural-looking, dewy result. (No more of that dry, cakey skin-look where your makeup visibly settles into every crack and wrinkle.)
What makes this the ultimate summer-beauty hack?
Mixing your makeup with SPF-50 means you’re sitting pretty, and safe.
When your skin looks perfect, it somehow makes everything else less stressful. Some mascara and a quick application of lip-color and I’m satisfied.
*Side note: This is also the only way I’ve been able to make Kevyn Aucions “Sensual Skin Enhancer” foundation (a Kardashian favorite) work for me, and this method also works beautifully with Marc Jacobs “Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter”.
(My sister swore I’d never be able to conquer DermaBlend Cover Crème. #mikedrop)
Bonus Pro Tip: This method of makeup application can also be used on the body. If you have blemishes or scars or just want your skin to look lit from within – apply the above recipe with a higher ratio of sunscreen. To prevent color transfer, allow a few minutes to pass before putting clothing on. (If you really want to lock-in the color, a quick dusting of powder will seal everything in until you shower.)