Like any foundation, this aspect of makeup is the most important since it is the layer upon which all else is added. Smudge the foundation and you smudge your look. While it can be challenging to create a glow that seems to have used no foundation at all, mastering this means the difference between a beautiful, healthy glow and an odd, unappealing sheen.

Find Your Match

This is the hardest part. Everyone’s skin is different. What works for your friends won’t work for you. Luckily, stores have testers, allowing you to sample options before purchasing them (saving you a ton of money). Take advantage of this. Try every brand you can until you find a color and consistency that blends in flawlessly with your face. Make sure it looks natural and gives you a blemish-free canvas to work on.

Clean First

Your foundation will only be as amazing as the skin it is put on. Never underestimate the importance of cleaning your face before putting on any makeup. Ideally, you’ll want to wash your face and then exfoliate to wipe away the dead skin cells that can make foundation apply unevenly.

Start Small

You don’t want to look like your foundation is an inch thick. While this will cover up all natural color on your face, it will look unnatural and be extremely apparent to everyone that sees you. Instead, start with the smallest possible amount. To take this further, only apply the foundation to areas you want to fix. Once on, blend the areas to the skin you’re not covering with makeup.

Press Only

Regardless of what you’re using to apply the foundation, remember to avoid rubbing. Rubbing is what leads to obvious streaking. Instead, stipple by gently tapping the makeup onto your skin with either your finger or a makeup brush. This small effort results in amazing effects, seamlessly blending the foundation to your skin.