Blend it like Beckham – 3 Tips for Flawlessly Blended Makeup
Any makeup artist will tell you that blending is undoubtedly the most important part of your makeup routine. At one point or another, we’ve all lived through the horror of a poorly blended jaw line and lived to tell the tale. The key to a flawless look lies in the right tools, products, and lighting – stick with these tricks and tips and you can’t go wrong, especially if utilized together with our Ilios Beauty Ring - the best ring light in the world.
Use the right tools for the job
More than ever, the cosmetic industry is expanding rapidly to include more options for different skin types and tones, ranging from bold and exciting to soft and sophisticated. Likewise, different makeup tools continue to go in and out of style – anyone remember the silicone blending sponges that made the rounds a few years ago? Needless to say, we’re glad it didn’t stick. However, between the good, the bad, and the ugly, we’ve come across a few must have gems that are a staple of any beauty bag.
For a flawless look, three tools are absolutely key
- The beauty blender sponge: A makeup sponge is perfect for your cream and liquid products and will go a long way to giving you a flawless foundation and blending away little imperfections. While we love a good beauty blender, any brand will do – make sure you pair it with a good cleanser and clean it often.
- The powder brush: Whether you use it for setting powder, blush, contour, or bronzer, a quality powder brush is an absolute necessity. Opt for something with dense, soft fibers that hold on to and blend product flawlessly.
- The crease brush: If you’re going to have one eyeshadow brush in your stock, this is it. A fluffy crease brush will do the trick for a simple wash of color or a smokey look and will make blending a breeze.
Don’t skimp on your products
Your tools will only take you so far with sub-par makeup. Good makeup doesn’t have to be expensive but do your research and choose products that suit your skin type and complexion. A good place to start is identifying your undertones and choosing complementary products: Warm undertones are best complemented by peach shades, while cool undertones pair well with rosy shades. Likewise, you can mix and match shades to highlight different facets of your features, like your eye or hair color. Using the wrong shades, especially for foundations, blushes, and contour products, will make it difficult to achieve a flawless blend.
Once you’ve got your color palette down, learn how to layer your products for the best finish. You can play around with different layering to achieve different effects; however, in general, layered wet products over dry will emphasize any texture and unevenness in your complexion. If you’re looking for a smooth finish, use wet product as your base and layer with dry product on top.
Finish with great lighting.
Nothing is worse than perfecting your makeup look indoors, only to end up looking cakey in natural lighting. If you’re doing your makeup in a space without natural lighting, using quality artificial lighting is essential to a flawless face. The Ilios ring light mimics natural daylight with high quality LEDs and multiple tones and intensities, so you can prep your face for different settings. We promise, using the best lighting - illuminating and consistent, during your beauty routine will make all the difference. Don’t just take our word for it – the stunning @iamjessicahearns is proof enough.
