OK, it’s true, I seemingly have a new foundation routine every two seconds because I like to switch things up all the time. Lately I’ve been using a slightly different combo of some old faves, and I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what I’ve been doing with my skin. So I guess it’s working for me! Here’s the product lineup in order from start to finish…
- MAC Fix+: A few spritzes on bare skin
- MAC Prep+ Prime Natural Radiance: One pump applied all over face
- MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion: One pump on oily spots (forehead, nose, chin)
- MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC42 mixed with a few drops of Pinklite Strobe Cream (1-3 very thin layers)
- Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Liquid Concealer in shade 7 (under the eyes) and shade 8 (on cheeks and around nose)
- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in Golden Tan
- MAC Fix+: A few more sprays after all of the powder products have been applied (powder, blush, bronzer, highlighter, etc.)
I’d call this a medium-coverage base. The coverage is just shy of full, and I like that this combo doesn’t feel heavy, but there’s still enough coverage to even out the skin.
It does take time, though. Definitely more than a one-minute job with tinted moisturizer and concealer applied with my fingers and buffed out with a brush or sponge (which is also a totally legit process, but also a totally different look).
If you’re gonna go this route, I recommend doing a couple things…
1. Wait for your face primer to dry
I usually apply my face primer at the start of my makeup, then do my brows and eyes to give the primer time to absorb. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll wait a minute or two, and then blot down as much as I can with a tissue or paper towel, but you basically want the primer to have fully absorbed so it can do its thing. You don’t want to jump to the next steps while it’s sitting on top of your skin.
2. Thin layers are key!
OH, THE MAGIC OF THIN BASE LAYERS. I could talk about this for ages, but here’s the gist of it: If you’re going for a good amount of coverage but don’t want your base makeup to look like cake frosting, use multiple thin layers of foundation and/or concealer, as opposed to just piling a ton of product on bare skin.
The thin layers will give you the coverage you want without looking like batter.
It does takes time and effort, though…
Apply each thin layer with your fingers or a sponge or brush, and blend it in with a buffing brush (you want to get the layers as close to your skin as possible). Also, wait for the previous layer to dry (at least a minute or two) before applying the next one, and repeat until you reach the coverage you want.
It’s like walking around with a goat in your arms…
Not that I’ve ever carried a goat in my arms, but I imagine it would be similar to that or to working out with a sandbag…which is what I did last night at the gym.
Mondays and Wednesdays are my HIIT class evenings, and even though the classes are brutal, I look forward to them for many reasons, one of which is because I get to focus on myself for a while, and also because I’m not staring at a screen.
I’m in my head ALL DAY LONG, and it’s exhausting, but when I’m in HIIT class, even though it’s physically very difficult for my tired 40-something body, I like having to concentrate on my breathing while I do burpies (which really are the devil’s work!). It’s actually kinda fun for me.
I know — craziness.
Anyway, last night we did reverse alternating lunges using a sandbag…
OHEMGEE. This is what they look like:
This girl is a bad-@ss because she’s using — not one, but two sandbags! I only used one, and I could barely function. Just to get through it, the entire time I was doing them I pretended that the sandbag was a goat named “Beatrice,” and I had to carry her across a field to return her to her baby goat.
Ha ha ha! You gotta do what you gotta do.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Bahahaha!!!!! ??? I’m totally borrowing your Beatrice imagery next time I’m in CrossFit… sincerely, thank you— I needed that belly laugh! I come here as much for the laughs as I do for the makeup tips. ?
Hi Tara,
You gotta do what you gotta do to get through it, right?! I think up crazy scenarios all the time when I’m in the thick of it. I’m also the person mumbling to herself underneath her breath (“You can do this. Keep breathing. One more. COME ON!”), ha ha! How long have you been doing Crossfit? I have friends who swear by it but have yet to try.
Just a few weeks. I’ve been lifting weights at a regular gym for several years, but I just face the CrossFit a go right before Christmas.
Not sure about it yet— it can definitely be tortuous! But something like Beatrice might help me keep my mind off the misery!
I don’t know about Crossfit because I haven’t done it before but from the looks of what I’ve seen in class it seems much different than being in the weight room (I used to do that to, back in the day!). It seems like it shares a few similarities with HIIT, like the variety of different exercises. I will say that I used to NOT love lifting, but have fallen in love with it after doing HIIT for a couple years now! Doing silly mental exercises like Beatrice the Goat definitely helps, LOL!
I’m impressed by how good this looks! It seems whenever I walk by the Mac store the workers always have a weird color to their face and I assumed it was the foundation. ?
Hi Jen,
I think MAC has a reputation sometimes for being OTT because the artists typically wear a full-on look, but if you go up the up to the counter and ask for something more natural, they can steer you to options like this one. I learned the Studio Fix Fluid/Strobe Cream trick from one of their Senior Artists!
Burpies truly are the devils work!
Your skin looks so good here, that routine is definitely working for you! I’ve been enjoying my spin class for the same reasons you love your HIIT class!
Oh, I love spin so much Rachel! Are you one of those fancy peeps who use the shoe clips? I could never get used to that.
No I don’t have those kind of shoes yet but I’m thinking of asking the instructor what brand would be best because if I could find a cheap pair on Poshmark I’d like to try it!
It feels different than putting your feet in the cages, for sure. The weight distribution is different, and you can feel your hamstrings working more! If you’re gonna stick with it, I say go for it!
But girlllll, you gotta tell me the shade of that nail polish bc it’s AMAZING (and it looks so good on you!)
Ooh, thanks for noticing, Dot! It’s Essie Labels Only. 🙂
I love this kind of base, ’cause it’s thin and quick to do! Thanks for your tips, as usual! ?
You’re welcome!
I noticed that you looked extra radiant, smooth, and plump lately. I’ll have to give this a try. I used to have oily skin when I was young, but now that I’m in my mid 30s, I’m suddenly dry and haven’t really figured out a good base routine that won’t be too heavy, dewy, or dry. I just want to look fresh and healthy!
Hi Christine,
The same exact thing happened to me in my mid 30s. I was oily — like oil slick oily! — through my teens and 20s and all of the sudden my skin was like NOPE GIMME ALL THE MOISTURE. Did it happen for you suddenly? Because it was that way for me. Like overnight.
Yes! Exactly! I thought it was my retinoid use that was making me dry, but it just doesn’t make sense that I all of a sudden starting having to slather on globs of my moisturizer. LOL! It takes getting used to the idea of wearing heavier creams. And I find with drier skin, a lighter base looks way better. I haven’t tried any of MAC’s strobe products, but you look so good that I’m going to have to. LOL!
Love your base tips! Haven’t tried any of MAC’s liquid foundations but I always hear great things about them and I love the idea of adding in the strobe cream.
Maybe I’m a sicko, but I actually enjoy reverse lunges – just can’t stand bulgarian split squats!
Angela at Blush & Pearls
You’re so crazy, girl! I don’t mind the reverse lunges when I don’t have to carry the weight of a small goat, LOL!
Bulgarian split squats are the wooooorst.
Just curious, do you use any products that have SPF in your base? I am trying to find that perfect combo in a primer that is not too oily!
Hi Jodi,
Yeah, in the past I have, with some tinted moisturizers and BB or CC creams, like NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint, which has SPF30. If you’re wanting SPF I’d suggest the NARS. Looks great in person and in real life, also photographs beautifully.
Ah, I love sandbags! And I also like burpees. I mean, ‘like’ is a relative term, but they are a great conditioning exercise. I make them a bit tougher. I like to hold weights, and after I jump up, I squat and then stand up and do a shoulder press. Then I jump down into the plank and start again. If that makes sense. It’s killer.
Oh gosh I don’t have time, or more likely patience, for this kind of base routine haha. But clearly you’re doing it right! 🙂
Oh, I’ve done those kind of burpies before. We call them “beast makers” in our class. SO TERRIBLE!
I work out with a trainer twice a week and yesterday was intense. Deadlifts (up to 170 lbs!) and back – working toward pull ups since that will help with trapeze.
Your skin looks great here! I need to touch up, we’re going out to dinner since it’s Zack’s birthday.
Happy birthday to Zack! Where did you guys go?
And rock on with your bad self with your deadlifts! But be careful… I seriously injured my left hamstring doing deadlifts and it took months, MONTHS, and lots of Icy Hot to recover.
I’ll keep that in mind! Luckily my trainer always has me work my way up to heavy weights and makes sure my firm is good.
We went out to a new noodle bar that we already love. It was so good! They also have “regular” Chinese food.
this makeup looks so great on you karen! I need to know though, what do you have on your lips here?
Thanks, Jenna! It’s a BECCA Lipstick called Yours Truly. Here’s a few more pics of it in action. I really like it a lot! Very smooth and opaque.