Before you create a flawless makeup look you need to start with a solid skin routine. Makeup is art, which makes you the artist and your face the canvas. Every good masterpiece needs a good base. Whether you’re going for a more natural dewy look or a full matte look you need to ensure a smooth base for the best outcome. Here’s a breakdown of all the essential steps and products to consider and don’t worry, there will always be more cost efficient methods because we all know prices can be high!
Where to begin? First step should always be a gentle cleanser. A clean face is necessary for preventing breakouts. This will remove any impurities, left over makeup, and oil. Different skin types need different types of cleanser. If you have more of an oily skin type gel based cleansers are the best way to go. Products like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel are a great option especially if you’re not wanting to drop a whole lot of money. This product is roughly around $12 so definitely a steal! The foam pump in this product is so good for removing any left over makeup, and will help balance out the skin oils without completely stripping your skin. Also includes hyaluronic acid for plumping so no need for an extra serum! Now if you have dry skin a great product would be the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser, which can be priced at around $18. If you’re looking for something a little more on budget, products like Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser and CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser are both great options around $10-$15. All products contain ceramides and niacinamide which are the best for dry and sensitive skin types. Now lastly I’ll be going over products for acne prone skin types. My number one suggestion would be PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash. This cleanser is only about $6! This product isn’t just a facial cleanser, it can treat bad acne anywhere. Since this product contains benzoyl peroxide you will want to lather this on for a good few minutes until rinsing to get the best results.
Now once your canvas is all nice and clean the next step would be a toner. A toner helps keep your skin pH balanced and provides hydration to the skin. This step is also crucial because it preps the skin to better absorb your base makeup. Just like cleansers and really any skin care there are different products for different skin types. So if you have a more dry skin type some great toners would be the CeraVe Hydrating Toner and Hero Clear Collective Toner. Definitely budget friendly at the price of $11.99 and $12.99. These toners are extremely hydrating of course, and they also help restore the protective skin barrier. A great toner for sensitive skin would be the Byoma Hydrating Milky Toner. At $15 you may need to try this one, because it has so many hydrating, moisture-attracting, skin-soothing ingredients like glycerin that just melts into the skin. Adding a BHA toner can deeply exfoliate your skin and help reduce breakouts. For instance a great product is the Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2% Toner. With a BHA toner I recommend starting out using it 2-3 times a week to see how your skin reacts to it, because it is different from other toners so I wouldn’t recommend for overly sensitive skin types. My overall favorite toner is the LANEIGE Cream Skin Refillable Toner & Moisturizer roughly around 15-$20. It is an overall hydrating, dewy, and very light formula, and has never let me down.
You’ve made it this far now to the third step. Moisturizing! As we’ve talked about before, hydrated skin is key to a flawless makeup application. Like always you need to choose a moisturizer suited for your skin type to ensure that your skin is plumped and ready. Perfect moisturizers for dry skin types would be CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, Neutrogena Hyaluronic Acid Hydro Boost, and Eucerin UreaRepair. All of these moisturizers brighten, soften, and are gentle on the skin. The ceramides in the products lock in the moisture, perfect for dry skin. These products range from $10-$20. Products like La Roche-Posay Sensitive Creme and Bliss Blockstar Tinted Moisturizer are great SPF moisturizers. If you don’t have a separate sunscreen I highly recommend getting a moisturizer that has SPF in it to truly protect your skin. These products also range from $15-$20. Honestly you don’t have to be too picky with moisturizers because their main purpose is to hydrate which helps any skin type.
And last but certainly not least, primer! A primer creates a smooth base for the makeup, helping it last longer and look it’s best. It can also help with specific skin concerns like redness or large pores. If you want that sticky base perfect for your makeup to stick to I 100% recommend Elf Power Grip Primer for only $10! Primers also depend on what type of makeup you want to do. If you’re going for a full face matte look some perfect primers would be Master Primer Maybelline, Milani Blur Out Primer, and Pore Blur Revolution. All of these primers completely blur out your pores, almost creating a filter effect for the smoothest base for your foundation, and are all under $20. Now if you’re going for a more glowy, natural look a great primer would be the e.l.f. Power Grip Primer With Niacinamide, similar to the green e.l.f. Power Grip Primer It has a great sticky base but with the added niacinamide this provides a great glow for the skin. And of course all of these primers are under $15.
I hope you find the best products for your skin type because knowing how to care for your skin will always be the first step to a bomb makeup look. Not everything has to be high-end, and there will always be alternatives that will satisfy your needs just as much.