Properly prepping skin before applying makeup is key to having it look fresh. My goal is to hydrate and plump up the skin to glow. Think Hailey Bieber. After that, makeup is just the cherry on top. Here are my favorite products to incorporate.
Exfoliation / Dead dry skin looks rough and dull under makeup. I use this exfoliating face wash at least once a week. When I want my makeup to have an extra smooth finish, I dermaplane to remove peach fuzz using these razors. Make sure your skin is wet with water the whole time while shaving. No, it doesn’t grow back darker. It’s so satisfying to see all the dead skin flakes come off. Don’t forget that mustache. Chemical exfoliants like BHA, AHA, and PHA are part of my daily skincare routine to clear dead skin out of pores and promote new skin regeneration. Double cleansing is a game changer.
Serum / After cleansing, I mist my face with a hydrating face spray or essence, then apply a few pumps of serum to pump up the hydration. I like to mix serum and moisturizer in my hand, and apply it in one step. I always switch up my serum based on the day. Here are a few of my go to options:
Moisturize / “Wet paper can’t crease” – Kristin Cavallari is my favorite saying. I cringe thinking about my skin feeling dry. In my opinion, many people should be using about triple the amount of moisturizer that they usually do. Bring it down your neck and chest, back of the neck, on your hands and arms, etc. If it seems like a lot, good. Give it a little time to soak in before sunscreen. My moisturizer combo changes daily, sometimes I add tanning drops, serums, or a face oil. The more benefits I can add to one step, the better. My holy grail moisturizer is $6 Ponds. TIP: Night cream is great under makeup and basically doubles as primer.
SPF / I have tried so many amazing sunscreens over the last year so I have a few favorites. I only skip sunscreen when I’m doing makeup that will be photographed for an event. I’m proud to say that this year I have been way better about applying sunscreen to my chest. I was definitely neglecting this area, and I unfortunately have sun damage to prove it.
Glow / Using a tinted shimmery/ glowy face tint like L’oreal Glotion or Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter has become a major part of my routine. It is such a great step for either incorporating into a full face makeup look (after primer, before foundation), or wearing alone to even out blotchiness.
I guess this turned into a skincare round up as well. Don’t forget to drink a gallon of water daily, ice roll, gua sha, apply lash serum, whiten teeth, oil the ends of your hair, and apply eye cream. I know it’s a lot, and I definitely DO NOT do all this daily. Whatever you remember to incorporate counts. Except I insist on the DAILY gallon of water part!
After your skin is layered with hydration, start with primer and continue with makeup. Or stop after sunscreen and have a fresh skin day. (This is what I do about 98% of days.) Hope this post motivated you to try a new product or technique. Thank you for reading!
-Kim
Instagram & Tiktok: @kimandmakeup