When it comes to blending foundation over your face, keep one mantra in your head: Blend, blend, and blend again, and then, just to be sure, blend one more time. All the other details are, well, just details, and not anywhere near as important as buffing off the excess foundation and smoothing out the edges to be sure you have the smoothest possible layer of foundation over the skin.
Exception to the rule: If you are using a foundation that contains an effective sunscreen, a thin or sheer application will not provide adequate protection from the sun. To ensure you will be getting the stated SPF, it is essential to apply the foundation liberally and in an even layer all over the face. If you prefer a sheer or spot application, then you will need to wear a separate sunscreen underneath your foundation or consider a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen or a pressed powder that contains sunscreen.
Keep in mind that the goal of wearing foundation is to create the illusion of smootherlooking skin, not a noticeable mask of color. Of course, the best place to check your blending technique is in broad daylight. Unfortunately, most of us apply foundation in bathroom light, with only minimal exposure to sunlight. Once you get into daylight, even on a cloudy day, the areas you missed, particularly next to the ears, mouth, jawline, sides of the nose, and temples, often look streaked, show a line of demarcation (even when the color matches perfectly), or appear blotchy or smudged. This is not the effect you are trying to achieve! Smoother-looking skin takes diligence and daylight, or the very best lighting you can create in your home where you apply your makeup. Always check your foundation in daylight before showing your made-up face to the world!
I recommend blending foundation with a sponge rather than using your fingers. The flat, smooth surface of a sponge is the best way to get a smooth application. The best tool is a flat, square, or round one-quarter-inch-thick sponge that doesn’t have holes and is not made of synthetic foam rubber. Together, the shape and density of this kind of sponge provide the smoothest application possible. I know that some makeup artists advocate finger application of foundation. The rationale is that the warmth of your fingers will help the foundation mesh with the skin and provide a more natural look. If you feel more comfortable fingerpainting than using a sponge, go for it. But humor me and make sure you always smooth out the edges of your finger-applied foundation with a sponge. I think you will find the results will be well worth the effort!
The sponges frequently found for sale or in use at most cosmetics counters are the thick, wedge-shaped, foam-rubber ones. These sponges are compact, but they drag over the skin, and that makes blending difficult. Also, because they’re so thick, most of the foundation is absorbed into the sponge, where you can’t get to it, which can waste a lot of product. Wedge sponges are used for traditional theatrical makeup. They are great for applying grease stick or pancake foundations, which require more “pull” across the face to apply them evenly, but that is the last thing you need when you’re wearing a lightweight foundation. Shiseido,
Sephora, Sonia Kashuk, and Paula’s Choice make some excellent makeup sponges—and these can be washed repeatedly without falling apart.
To achieve an even application with your sponge, shake some of the foundation from the bottle onto the sponge, then transfer the foundation to the face and over the eyes by dabbing the sponge over the skin. You can also use your fingers to transfer the foundation in dots from the bottle to the face and then use the sponge to blend the dots. Start by placing the foundation generously over the central area of the face, including the eyes but avoiding the sides of the face near the hairline, jaw, and chin. The foundation can go on in large patches or small dots all over the nose, eyelids, cheeks, and forehead, but only in this central area. Avoid placing the foundation all over the face unless you want a full makeup application or are using a foundation that contains sunscreen as your only source of sun protection. By concentrating the foundation over the central part of the face, as you blend down and out from the center there will be less foundation at the jaw and hairline. When applying a foundation with sunscreen, apply an even layer all over the face, and then use the clean side of your sponge to softly feather the edges of the makeup at the jaw and hairline. The objective is to soften, but not wipe off, the foundation.
Once the foundation is on your face, begin using your sponge to blend the foundation evenly. Holding the sponge between your fingers and thumb, spread the foundation down and out over the entire face with a stroking, buffing motion, going in the direction of the hair growth. (Going against the direction of the hair growth on your face coats the hair with too much foundation.) The idea is to blend the foundation color out from the center of the face, where you initially placed it, to the perimeter of the face, leaving no line of demarcation at the jaw or hairline. Use the edge of the sponge without foundation (or turn the sponge over to the clean side) to dab or buff away any of the excess that tends to collect under the eye or around the nose. You can also use the sponge to wipe away any of the excess that gathers at the jaw or hairline. When blending the foundation, do not try to force it into the skin. There is a fine line between blending something on and wiping something off. Instead, blend a thin layer over the face, smoothing it with your sponge as you go. Using this technique, you can build coverage as desired. At this point your sponge should not be full of foundation; if it is, you’ve used too much.
If you did not apply a concealer before the foundation, you can apply it now and blend that into place. Apply the concealer over the under-eye area and other areas you want to highlight, then dab it into place with your finger or a sponge.
Watch out for the jaw and neck. This is very important. Never, ever put makeup of any kind on the neck; you do not want your makeup to end up on your collar. Always double-check your blending. Places on the face that you are likely to miss with foundation include the corners of the nose, the tip of the nose, the corners of the eyes (especially over the concealer), and the edge along the lower eyelashes. Also, some places are likely to end up wearing foundation that shouldn’t, including the ears, the jawline, and the hairline— especially blonde hairlines. Be careful to remove this foundation if you’ve gone past your mark. Both situations can cause your makeup to appear sloppy.
Your sponge is an exceptional blending tool that you should keep near you at all times. When the edges of your blush or eyeshadow need softening, you can blend out the hard edges with the side of the sponge that was used to spread the foundation over the face. Using the side of the sponge that has foundation on it as opposed to the dry edge allows the sponge to glide over the blush or eyeshadow without streaking or rubbing it off.