There’s nothing more frustrating than having your makeup way off. The basis of patchy makeup is the foundation, as it decides whether the overall makeup looks, makes it, or breaks it.
The most common belief about a cakey look is because of the full coverage foundation. But that’s not true! The products you use, the suitable formula, the technique to apply the product, and the right product according to the skin type decide your makeup look.
So, all your issues regarding the cakey makeup look will be addressed here. What causes this look, what reasons, and how to fix it? Read along, and you can find your answers.
What Is Cakey Makeup?
Knowing about the meaning of cakey makeup will make you understand the reasons behind this mess. So, what exactly a cakey makeup is? To describe it simply, any makeup look with a heavy and thick foundation is called a cakey makeup look.
This look can appear in various ways, like the imperfection of makeup, a noticeable splotchy makeup, breaking up of foundation, visible creasing, sliding around, and flaking look.
Cakey makeup is something we all have been through, and we don’t realize our mistakes. Makeup experts have pointed out certain reasons for the patchy makeup, and there is a guide to fixing the foundation. From putting on too much makeup to the skin condition, there might be any reason behind the dry makeup look.
Let’s explore the reasons why the makeup looks patchy.
Reasons Why Your Makeup Looks Patchy
- You Didn’t Prep Your Face
Skin prepping is the first step toward a perfect makeup look. Dehydrated skin is one of the reasons why you get a patchy makeup look, and it peels off your makeup easily. Also, oily skin can result in splitting the makeup.
Cleansing the skin in a routine and making your oily skin is a misconception because exfoliating the skin in a routine removes all the dead skin cells and brings fresh skin beneath it. Doing so shall be critical to hydrate the skin again.
We would surely not recommend such action. Also, oily skin does require hydration. We recommend you use a hydration solution in your daily routine and buy a water-based solution instead of an oil-based one.
For dry skin, apply a hydrating base before applying foundation
For oil skin, apply a powder first before applying foundation
- Not Applying Primer
Now that you have prepped your skin with a hydrated solution, it’s time to move on to the next step; primer application! An important yet key step while applying a foundation is the application of primer before the foundation.
The ingredients present in the primer should match the ingredients within the foundation. Trust me, if you are using a silicon-based primer with a water-based foundation, this is your biggest mistake. Understand your skin type first and then choose the products.
For example, the silicon-based primer would be suitable for oily skin textures. Hydrating primers soothe and blur the dry skin patches.
- Not Letting the Primer Dry Before Applying Foundation
Letting the product dry out and absorb well into the skin before the next step is necessary. This tip goes for every makeup product and application step. In the case of primer, you need to blend the product well using your fingers, blender, brush, or anything.
Wait for the product to absorb well into the skin and apply your foundation. This way, the two products won’t mix up and become patchy.
- You’re Not Using the Best Formula for You
Foundation comes in different and various formulae. To avoid the patchy and uneven foundation look, just drop the idea of using a full coverage and dense foundation unless you know the right way of applying them. But it is best to use hydrated and moisturized light coverage foundation formulae.
A hydrated light coverage foundation provides a natural glow for everyday use. Keep your full coverage foundation for occasions and events where you can carefully blend your foundation and give time to your makeup.
The best formula for oily skin is a matte foundation. Mattifying the oil on the skin after the primer will help your skin keep the foundation long without making it patchy.
For dry skin, dewy foundation formulae are recommended, and for combination skin, it is suggested to use satin foundation.
- Applying Too Much Foundation
The best way to get a natural makeup look is through the thin-layered foundation application. Don’t apply too much product; blend the thin layer of foundation using a wet sponge or a thick buff. Blending is the key to the foundation application.
When you apply a small foundation to the critical areas, the result will be different, giving you a natural look. Apply a little foundation to the nose and mouth areas because the foundation separates and makes a crease there.
Also, too much foundation gives an older look, so it’s better to stay natural with minimal product.
- You’re Not Using the Best Tool
It is considered that the fingers are the best tool to apply foundation, but it is not true in many cases. There are seasonal effects, skin types, and the product you are using, all of which give different results on different days. There are different schools of thought, but we recommend not using fingers for your foundation application.
Fingers provide warmth to the foundation and glide on better. Honestly, there is no need to heat your skin when you have the right makeup tools.
This is also a fact that after using a brush for foundation application, use your fingertips to press it on the skin.
To apply the foundation with a sponge, wet the sponge first and gently apply the foundation. For cream and liquid foundations, use brushes with synthetic bristles. With the right tools, you will surely get your desired results. Also, you will get the best-finished look at the end.
- Your Foundation Is Not the Right Color
Choosing the right foundation color is a must for a perfect makeup look. If the shade is too dark or too light, you are faking your originality, which can be visibly seen. Check the shade that disappears on your skin. That is the perfect shade according to your skin shade. A Suitable foundation for your skin can make a huge difference.
It is better to check the foundation on your jawline and ensure that the color matches your skin tone and looks natural. The foundation gets oxide when you have oil on your skin. After following the above steps and not making mistakes, you are now ready to make your makeup natural.
- Not Setting the Foundation
Giving time to your foundation and letting it set on the skin is an important step as other ones. Your skin requires much-needed time for the foundation to settle on and get the natural glow you want. After the foundation is settled, apply setting powder to even out the skin. This step will help you to remove the excess oil from the face.
- Too Much Setting Powder
Applying too much setting powder can make your skin look cakey. How to know if you have worn an excess setting powder or how much should you use? Well, less is always more in makeup.
So, less amount at first, and then after applying the setting powder on the necessary point like under the eyes, below the cheeks, and T-zone, use a clean makeup brush to remove excess powder.
Then take a moist beauty blender and blend it all over the face. It will surely help you have a finished look without getting a patchy, cakey look.
Fix Patchy Makeup Like a Pro
Following the above tips and tricks can give your makeup the finish and natural look you wish. But if you have already done with your makeup, then fixing the patchy makeup can be easy. Don’t panic and apply these fast fixes to the common makeup mistakes.
- Lipstick That Smudges and Bleeds
Greasy lipstick tends to smudge more often than matte lipstick. The creamy lipsticks tend to bleed and smudge around the mouth. So, it is better to switch from creamy lipstick to matte one. Go for matte lip glosses if you are a mom because they are easy and quick to apply than lipsticks.
The other way is to prep your lips using a primer pencil which helps hold onto the lip color. Also, apply matte concealer over the lips to lock the lipstick inside the boundary.
- Cakey Foundation
Generally, when we apply foundation inside a room, it turns out to be heavier in the daylight even if we blend it properly. To fix such a problem, you must dampen the makeup sponge slightly and stipple it all over the face. Blend the excess foundation by gently tapping the sponge. Make sure to evenly blend your foundation. Also, check if you apply the right foundation according to your skin type.
- Clumpy Mascara
Take a clean mascara wand and wet it with a small amount of water. Now smooth out your mascara with gentle strikes. Using waterproof mascara, you can use silicon-based makeup remover to remove excess mascara. Wiggle the wand to the lashes, making the dried-out mascara soften, removing the excess product, and separating the lashes easily.
- Crease Concealer
Prepping the under-eyes area is the key to a smooth makeup look. Apply a good moisturizer that is not greasy (do not overdo it). Now apply a concealer that is smooth textured, blendable, long-lasting, and has nice coverage to cover the dark circles.
If you have already applied the concealer, use your ring finger to smooth out all the creases. Now dust a little powder over this area.
- Blush
We all have been there by applying too much blush! If this happens, clean the excessive blush with a clean brush or apply a little loose powder over the blush. It is better to take your foundation brush or sponge and apply the leftover product.
- Brows
Use a clean brow brush or spoolie brush to comb your brows hair and gently brush through. It will help to soften the look by removing the excess product, and you will get a more realistic result.
If you have blonde eyebrows, then we would recommend you to try out the shade that is two-toned darker to avoid looking washed out or non-existent brow person.
- Eyeliner for Watery Eyes
Excessive tears due to dry eyes cause eyeliner to smudge. Use waterproof eyeliner. Even if it smudges, you can wipe off the product using tissue and reapply the liner. There are different eyeliner colors. It depends on the product’s ingredients and how much you put it on. Just remember to keep a tissue or makeup wipe if you tend to have watery eyes.
Conclusion
We all make mistakes while applying different makeup products. But there is always a solution to every problem. Fixing the makeup mishaps is possible. So, why take panic attacks and ruin the event? Use these tips and tricks and try them out, and suggest them to your friends and family.