Your Makeup Is Only as Good as Your Skin Prep

Talk to any makeup artist, and they’ll agree: learning how to prep skin for makeup is the key to a flawless finish. In fact, skin prep sets the stage for better blending and longevity long before reaching for your favorite foundation and blush. ‘Imagine painting a wall that hasn’t been spackled, sanded, and primed—you’ll see every bump, ridge, and flake come through the paint,’ pro makeup artist Ariane Victoria tells Vogue, emphasizing that the same idea applies to our skin. ‘If you don’t start with a clean, exfoliated, moisturized, and balanced face, the makeup will never give you an even, healthy-skin finish. The lack of preparation always shows through the final look.’ Vogue’s Favorite Skin Prep For Makeup The Exfoliating Pads: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads, $24 The Micellar Cleanser: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Micellar Water, $20 The Water-Gel Moisturizer: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, $25 The Balancing Mist: Caudalie Beauty Elixir, $49 The Lightweight Hydration: Guerlain Youth Watery Oil Serum, $160 The Weightless Sun Protection: Vacation SPF 50 Super Spritz Face Mist Sunscreen, $22 The Makeup Primer: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer, $38 With that in mind, Victoria and fellow pro MarQuis Ward agree that there’s no single holy grail makeup prep routine. Instead, the process should shift from person to person based on their skin type and what their complexion needs that day. ‘Good skin prep is really about listening to the skin,’ Ward tells, encouraging us to pay attention to whether skin needs a little more attention, whether that’s dryness, texture, or excess oil. ‘The goal is never to pile on a bunch of skincare for the sake of it. Skin that’s well prepped so gives the makeup less work to do.’ As Ward explains, his approach is about using fewer products that make a noticeable difference. Victoria offers a similarly straightforward way to find the right products for your skin: ‘I never use products that add glow or light reflection on oily skin, but I love a dewy serum on dry skin,’ she says. Once you have your routine sorted, there’s another factor to consider: whether your makeup products will work well with your skincare. ‘The ingredients in your skincare absolutely react with your makeup,’ says Victoria, who prefers silicone-based makeup for its versatility and ability to layer well over both oil- and water-based topicals. ‘The key is applying everything in light layers and letting the skin absorb each one as you go.’ The pros break down the essentials of the best skin prep for makeup, offering a guide to everything from the products to use to the order in which to apply them. Step One: Fresh & Clean Skin Think of it as creating a clean canvas before you begin painting. For makeup artists, that might mean wiping a client’s face with micellar water to remove any excess oil. At home, you can do the same, or simply begin your routine after washing your face with your preferred cleanser. The goal is to remove anything that could interfere with product absorption or layering. Step Two: Gentle Exfoliation Victoria recommends reaching for a gentle exfoliant to even out skin texture and ensure everything layers on top beautifully. Her favorite is First Aid Beauty’s toner pads, which she appreciates for their convenience and gentle smoothing action. Step Three: Use a Balancing Face Mists or Essence Both Ward and Victoria reach for balancing face mists or essences to boost skin-care benefits without adding too much weight. ‘I’m always looking for products that make the skin feel cared for but don’t leave me with so much underneath that I have to fight it when I start applying makeup,’ Ward explains. ‘I never want the skincare to compete with the makeup. Everything I put underneath should make what comes next look better.’ Step Four: Layer with Lightweight Hydration It’s best to use lightweight formulas that can layer without feeling heavy. Ward explains texture, the amount of product you apply, and how long you allow each layer to absorb all play a role in how makeup sits on the skin. Keeping each layer light can help prevent too much product from building up underneath your makeup. Step Five: Opt for an SPF Mist Instead The pros aren’t telling you to skip your daily sunscreen but suggest using a mist for better application. ‘SPF mists add a layer of protection but is light enough to act almost like a setting product rather than a base,’ says Victoria. She recommends using it as the final step, then touching up any areas that look shiny with powder as needed. Step Six: Finish With an Optional Makeup Primer Primer isn’t always necessary. ‘The right skincare, applied in light layers and given time to absorb, is a more effective base (in my opinion) than any priming product on its own,’ says Victoria. For Ward, primer bridges the final step of skin prep and the first step of makeup. Does skin prep look different for everyone? The experts encourage us to alter our skin prep as needed. ‘Someone who normally has dry skin can sit in my chair on a particular day, and their skin is behaving completely differently,’ Ward explains. ‘That said, you can always stick to the basic building blocks: cleansed skin, an exfoliant, a balancing mist or toner, and a layer of lightweight hydration.’ Skin prep is absolutely the first and, in my opinion, the most important step of any makeup application. You have to have the canvas ready before you paint! It’s the make-or-break of every look. Good prep means addressing the needs of the skin and the clients’ different concerns and goals, while also considering the finish you’re going for: prep for a dewy look is very different from prep for a long-wearing matte finish. ‘No matter what, I always start with a clean face, a gentle exfoliant, some type of serum, and a moisturizer,’ Victoria says.