My Everyday Foundation Routine
School is out & summer is officially in session here at the Love household! Hooray! Bring on the tan lines & flip flops :) With the warmer weather comes a change in my foundation routine– I’ve tossed out my powders & I’m loving the way my skin looks so fresh & radiant. Read on to see the products I use & how I apply them to achieve that perfect summer glow.
Alright, you guys, skin is in this summer! Which meeeeeans I’m simplifying my foundation routine. I don’t want to wear tons of makeup in the summer (or really, ever) so I’ve been experimenting with a new application process. I’ve filmed a video tutorial if you want to see the products in action, you can check that out here:
First things first– I’m not using a makeup primer on a daily basis. I want my skin to breathe, so unless I’m taking the time to actually “do” my makeup for a special occassion, I’m skipping it & going right to foundation.
Foundation
For foundation, I’m using the R+F Radiant Defense Foundation. It’s great for all skin types, even sensitive! With SPF 30 in the formula, it’s the perfect option for summer. I feel like this goes without saying, but if you’re planning on spending a lot of time outside, be sure to reapply sunscreen! I use R+F Broad Spectrum SPF 30 because it doesn’t make my sensitive skin break out. Insert praise hands right here :)
I use two different shades of foundation– a light shade (Beige) to highlight & a dark shade (Espresso) to contour. R+F unfortunately only offers 6 shades right now, so a benefit to the highlighting/contouring method is that you don’t need a perfect foundation match!
Starting with my light foundation (1-2 shades lighter than my natural skin), I apply that to the center points of my face using my R+F Radiant Defense Brush— on the middle of my forehead, down my nose, under my eyes, above my lips, on my chin & along my lower jawline. I leave my cheekbones empty so I can apply my contour there later. This prevents layering products so you get a nice, lightweight finish!
Once I’m done blending my light shade, I go in with the dark shade (Espresso) to add some depth & dimension to my face. I apply this to the tip of my brush & blend it onto all of the “low” points of the face– the hollows of my cheeks, along the perimeter of my face, & on the sides of my nose. To make your lips look extra pouty, you can also apply right underneath your lower lip.
The great thing about using a liquid foundation is that everything blends nice & seamlessly, especially when you use the R+F Radiant Defense Brush to blend it out. I also love this brush because:
- it comes with a sweet plastic cover that protects it from getting bent or dirty!
- It doesn’t suck up my Radiant Defense Foundation into the bristles like some brushes do, so it lets me use less product
Concealer
I like to make my under-eyes the brightest point on my face so it gives a lifted look (read: awake, ha!) & covers my dark circles. I apply the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer for this brightening effect & blend it out with my R+F Radiant Defense Brush.
Blush
I have dry skin, so I haven’t been setting my face/under-eyes with powder, I just skip right to blush. My all-time favorite is the Milani Baked Blush in the shade Luminoso. It’s a pretty peachy shade (great for many skin tones) with a little bit of shimmer but not too much! It helps achieve that glow that I love so much.
I apply blush with a super fluffy dome brush– the fluffiness of the bristles helps it apply a subtle amount, while the dome shape applies it with diffused edges so you don’t have to work hard to blend it. I apply it on the apples of my cheeks & sweep it back toward my temples for a natural looking flush.
Highlight
My absolute favorite part of any makeup look– highlight! This is different than highlighting with foundation, though. Using a highlighter will help make your cheekbones pop & give you that final glow/radiance. I really use any highlight that I have handy, & sometimes I’ll even use a shimmery eyeshadow. I use the eyeshadow “Kitten” by Stila for most of the year, but I’m getting prettttty tan these days so I’ve also been using the Dose of Colors Desi x Katy Chasing the Sun highlighter for a warm glow.
My favorite way to apply highlight is with a damp sponge; it helps the product apply super smooth & gives it more of a ‘pop’ than you can get with a brush. So if you like a more intense highlight, try applying with a damp sponge! My favorite sponges are the Swisspers Wedges.
I apply highlight on the high points of my cheek bones, above the outer eyebrow, on my cupid’s bow & sometimes on my chin/forehead/down the center of the nose depending on how I’m feeling that day. One thing to keep in mind: highlight will make any kind of breakout/texture on the skin more obvious, so keep that in mind.
Dewy Skin Mist
The last step in my foundation routine is using the Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist. Ever since I started using this a couple months ago, I kind of can’t live without it. A couple sprays of this is all you need to make your makeup melt together for a seamless finish. It gives your skin that beautiful glow & just makes you feel good. (Does makeup do that to anyone else? Haha)
You can apply this at any point in the makeup application process (even before!) but my favorite time is when I’m finished with everything except mascara. Here’s why:
When I apply this spray before any makeup (or during), I personally feel like my makeup slides around a bit too much & it can be difficult to blend out eyeshadow or apply brows— everything is just a little too slick for me, even with my dry skin. So I spray it once my face makeup is entirely finished. The reason I spray before mascara is because it hydrates/nourishes my lashes & also makes them kind of “wet,” causing my mascara to transfer onto my under-eyes. You can spray when you like best, though!
And that is how I do my updated foundation routine! I hope you found this interesting/learned a thing or two about my makeup application process. I encourage you to try & see how you like it! & be sure to find me on social media so we can be friends :)
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