Tutorial: How to fake flawless skin

So I have decided to do some makeup tutorials, just simple ones at first for those who don't know a lot about makeup and want to learn the basics. I am by no means a professional or anything, I just have a lot of years of experimenting, reading beauty magazines, and learning from others.  I will pretty much be showing how I do my own makeup and sharing tips and tricks that I've learned over the years. But please experiment on your own to find the best application techniques that work for you, and remember-Have Fun!!!

First Tutorial-Flawless Skin

I don't know about you guys, but to me good skin plays a big part in my overall mood and appearance. I always feel less confident when my skin is freaking out and it makes me feel like others notice it too and are judging me. My skin used to be really good when I was younger, but there was a period when I wasn't taking as good of care of it as I should have, and now it is showing.  I have a lot of redness and discoloration, and it gets really dry too. But just because it's not perfect doesn't mean I can't fake it, right? The following steps are what I take to make my skin look flawless

These are the current products I am using but these change all the time.

From left to right: Philosophy Supernatural Airbrush, Essence of Beauty Foundation and Concealer brushes (and a travel size concealer brush for smaller areas), and e.l.f. Powder brush

Right now I switch between e.l.f. Face Primer and Monistat Chafing Powder Gel. The Monistat gel works pretty good but it kinda has a funny smell. Both of these products are very inexpensive and work well, but they don't really  last a long time :(

I am in love with MUFE's foundation! This definitely helps me achieve soft, smooth looking skin. When I am in a hurry I use Benefit's Some Kind a Gorgeous, but it is too sheer for me now, so I am still looking for a replacement.

I use  e.l.f. Complexion Perfection powder and MUFE HD powder, but I used to use Coty's Airspun Loose Powder. I think it works really well and is what I primarily used before I got the MUFE powder. You can find it at drugstores or mass retailers, like Target or Wal Mart.

I switch between all three of these concealers, or sometimes blend a couple together. I actually really like the jane concealer, it matches pretty well and is very inexpensive.

So this is the before picture-I know, hideous right? It's funny because I have a lot of people who compliment me on my skin, but it's actually not good at all, I just know how to make it look good!

Okay, the first step is to prime your face. Actually, the first step is to do your skincare routine and make sure to moisturize, then prime. Using a primer helps to even out your skin's surface so that anything you apply over it has a smoother base and finish, and also helps your products last longer throughout the day.

(I don't know why the color in this picture came out so weird compared to the others)

Step 2: Dot concealer on any areas you want to conceal, mainly under eye circles, around the nose, blemishes, or discoloration. I have trouble with all these areas so I tend to use a lot of concealer sometimes :P Blend in well, and make sure you choose a concealer that is only one shade lighter than your foundation. If your skin is good enough that you only need concealer, than choose a shade that matches your skintone exactly.

Step 3: Pour a tiny amount of foundation onto the back of your hand so that you can dip your brush or sponge into it.

Step 4: Using a foundation brush (this prevents streaking and gives you a more even finish as opposed to using your fingers) dab the foundation on your cheeks, forehead, and chin. I think buffer brushes give a more soft focused look than flat ones. If you are using a buffer brush, you'll want to spackle ( is that the right word? I can't think straight right now :P) the foundation all over, then buff it in using small circles. Be sure to blend very well, especially around the jawline and hairline, you don't want foundation lines! Oh, and this is pretty obvious, but be sure to choose the right foundation shade, otherwise no matter how good a job you did applying it, if it doesn't match, people will know it's not really your skin!

Step 5: Now if after you've applied your foundation you still have redness or a blemish that didn't get covered all the way, I like to take my concealer and touch it up again. Actually, right now I am using e.l.f.'s Complexion Perfection. It doesn't do a whole lot unless you take a concealer brush and dip it into the individual colors and apply it that way, instead of taking a big fluffy brush and blending all the colors together.

 

Step 6: To set your makeup, you can dust on loose finishing powder with a big fluffy brush, or use a velour puff to gently press it into your skin. I actually like to use the same buffer brush  that I use for my foundation to buff in MUFE's HD powder, this gives my skin a soft focus glow.

 

Finished!

I hope this helps all of you to achieve the flawless look you want! Remember though, the best thing for your skin is to actually take care of it by drinking lots of water, washing all your makeup off before you go to sleep, and always wearing sunscreen. :) It's never to early to adopt a skincare routine!