Let's face it (no pun intended) - it's impossible not to stare (however much we try to hide it) when we pass someone in the street whose face is so orange it's been Tangoed, or whose spots stand out a mile under a layer of white foundation and powder thicker than the snow on the Alps. Do you want to be that person? I doubt it! I do not leave the house without make-up to cover my spots, dark circles, and any other blemishes - and more than one person has been surprised when I told them I wear make-up. I felt it was only fair to share my secrets with the world...
Everyone knows the importance of choosing the right foundation - picking a colour that blends into your jawline (definitely not orange) and getting a separate colour for summer and winter if necessary. It is equally important, however, to choose a foundation that gives the right amount of coverage. If you have slightly unevan skin tone, but no spots, it's fine to go for a thin liquid foundation, such as one with light-reflecting pigments. For covering spots, though, I've found a thicker, more matt base is much better suited. You may think this would look caked on, but in fact it allows for less to be used, whereas a thin one would need to be piled on for a decent amount of coverage. I have tried numerous foundations, from Almay to Lancome, but nothing has yet beaten Max Factor Hypersmooth for spot coverage.
The next step is applying the foundation. ALways apply in daylight, and after cleansing, toning and moisturising. Leave at least 10 minutes for your moisturiser to sink in - it helps if it is oil free if you want the foundation to stay in place longer. If you ask me, when you apply foundation you need a sponge, though many do use fingers. Either way, you need patience - a quick smear over your face will not look natural! I put some of the foundation on the sponge and start by spreading it to cover the whole face, wiping in upward motions along the jawline and cheeks (so that it does not cause the skin to be dragged down and to eventually sag), down the nose, over the eyelids (gently) and outwards from the centre of the forehead. The next stage is key and is too often ignored - you need to press the foundation into the skin. Think of the difference between painting a wall with a roller or a paintbrush: up close, you can always see the brush strokes. You need to use a medium amount of pressure to dab the sponge on the skin until you have covered every inch of skin on the face. This gives a much more natural, even finish, getting rid of the streaks and helping the foundation to last longer. Using this dabbing motion allows you to use only a thin layer of foundation whilst still achieving good coverage. Make sure that the foundation is blended thoroughly into the neck and hairline.
If you need more coverage, put a small amount of foundation on the sponge and fold the sponge in half so that the foundation sinks into the sponge. Then you can continue the dabbing method. You should not use more than two layers - do not aim to cover spots as that's what the concealer is for, though foundation can work wonders for evening the skin tone.
As for concealer, do not use a light reflecting concealer on spots - it will only draw attention to them. I have found that liquid concealers tend to give worse coverage too. Invest in a concealer brush and dab a tiny amount of stick concealer onto the spot. I find that laying the brush flat and pressing against the skin works best for blending the concealer, or you can use your finger - but make sure you press against the skin rather than wiping. In some cases, a dab of foundation on the concealer brush and pressed onto the spot can work equally well. Build up very thin layers, as often less is more. If you use too much, so that it looks cakey, you do not need to start your make-up again. Just put some cleanser on a cotton bud and wipe the make-up off the spot. Give the skin a few minutes to settle if possible and start again, making sure to apply less concealer this time.
For under-eye shadows, you can use either a light reflecting concealer or a solid concealer such as the type that comes in a pot. Less is more or you will end up with white circles under your eyes. Apply the concealer with the brush or by pressing into place with your finger, working from the inner corner of the eye to midway underneath the pupil. If using a solid concealer, you can buy two-tone pots where you use the lighter shade first to cover the dark circles and then a darker shade pressed on top to match the skin tone. Just make sure it is applied thinly, whichever type of concealer you use.
I tend to apply blusher at this point and leave it at that, but if you want to apply powder, follow the steps below and apply it before the blusher. A good tip when applying blusher is to make sure you do not brush over the whole of the apples of the cheeks or it can look overdone - I start from level with the middle of my eye and work outwards, so that the blush stops short of the nose. This stops you from looking too flushed, and makes the blush look more natural, whilst defining your face more. If you have taken the care to dab all the make-up on so far and to press it into place, it should last all day without needing powder to set it.
If you want to use powder, however, apply it in the same way as foundation. A powder that matches your skintone gives a more natural effect than translucent, and loose is better than pressed. Dust some powder onto a puff and fold the puff in half so that the powder is pressed into it, then dust the puff on your hand to get rid of any excess powder. Do not wipe the puff over your face - instead, press the powder into place with a dabbing motion, almost rolling the puff over the skin, until the whole face is covered. If you apply to eyelids, eyeshadow will last longer and go on more smoothly. Now you can apply blusher and you're done.
This seems a lot to do to achieve the natural look, but it can be done in 5 minutes once you've got into the habit, and it is well worth it to avoid any of the aforementioned make-up disasters!