Over the past couple of years, I’ve mastered a perfect base for my makeup look, beating the filter allegations. Though I’m such a proponent for Facetune or Airbrush, I’m proud to say that my recent face cards haven’t had to swipe for either.

With this makeup look, it’s not even about the products at hand, but the techniques being used. You don’t need expensive or new products, whatever you have on hand will do the job.

If you’re looking to elevate your makeup look and look flawless, you’ve come to the right place!

Setting yourself up for success

Usually, I’ll tell you it doesn’t matter how you start, it matters how you finish, but this isn’t the case. The starting point is one of the most important steps here.

Any good makeup routine starts with a prepped base: skincare and primer. Without anything for your makeup to stick to, you’re setting yourself up for disaster.

Additionally, if you have areas that you wish to conceal, like redness or dark spots, color correcting will be your friend. If you have redness, color correct with green. If you have dark spots, color correct with red.

These are important first steps that will help with the longevity of your makeup, as well as the overall look of a “filtered face”.

How to perfect your makeup

Now that we’ve discussed the first step of prep, let’s continue to some key components of the overall makeup look.

1. Layering your makeup. Honestly, you can’t be intimidated by layering your makeup. Start with liquid and cream products, then add your powders. Liquid and cream products are essential to make everything look seamless. Powders set everything in place.

If you aren’t layering, chances are you won’t get the outcome you desire. It doesn’t mean you need an excessive amount of product - you can still do light layers. But trust that you do need layers.

2. Powders dont make you cakey! Despite what you might think, you need powders. As mentioned earlier, this sets everything else in place. This truly helps achieve the filtered makeup look.

It’s important that you add powders after the liquid and creams have dried down, though! If you add powder to something that’s still to wet, it will create a sort of a paste, so please, do not add powders right away!

This part can be the trickiest. After all of my liquid and cream products are blended, I fan everything down. Then, I take a handheld mirror to inspect my face and ensure that everything is blended how I like. Once everything looks good, then I take my powder puff of setting powder to set the entire face.

3. Pat your makeup. Whether you’re using a sponge or a brush, your makeup needs to be pat into the skin, not dragged. This will drastically reduce any splotchiness or patchiness that can possibly come from adding so many different layers of makeup.

4. Setting spray. The key to having a photo filter face is to use setting spray in between steps - after all of the liquids/creams, and especially after you’ve powdered. This will not only help with keeping everything intact, but it truly melts everything together.

Additional Note:

The one powder that’s changed my life is the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna - Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder. THIS is a game changer, when adding this to my makeup routine, it’s an instant filter on my face.