How to avoid and fix Cakey Foundation

by Basic Beauty Tools
Mar 15, 2019
3 min read

Updated: Nov 25, 2019

When your foundation en everything you've put on it, starts to settle into every crease, shows every dry and flaky spot or starts to separate making it very obvious you're wearing makeup, that's when your makeup looks Cakey.

Possible causes for this to happen are:

1. you've got oily skin and the oils and sweat react with your foundation and it will separate. This means you are wearing the wrong foundation for your skin type.

2. You've applied your products too heavy

3.. You have too many dead skin cells that are clinging to the surface of your face creating a rough base where makeup can't smooth over

4. excess dry skin

5. not using the right skincare for your skin type

6. using powder before or in between foundation

How to avoid it

Good skincare

To avoid the Cakey over-layered foundation effect, a good quality skincare regime is key. Exfoliation and nourishing moisturizer are a must to create a perfect canvas for applying foundation or concealer.

Prep the face

A primer is another tool to use to avoid an overly made up face. A primer usually smooths out your skin and helps to eliminate rough skin texture, pores, rosacea and breakouts.

Choose the correct foundation for your skin

Choosing a foundation that fits your skin type can prevent fake looking cakey makeup. When you have dry skin choose a foundation for dry skin, equally when you have oily or combination skin, choose a foundation that is specially formulated for those skin types.

Apply one good layer of foundation, work it in with a damp foundation blender and then only use concealer where needed. When you are a fan of cream blushes or other cream makeup products, you would want to apply these at this stage.

Set with powder

After foundation go in with a translucent powder (Laura Mercier translucent powder is fabulous) that won't change the shade of your makeup. After powdering stay clear of using any more liquids and cream products.

Use blotting paper to touch up

When you would still see your makeup break up or get shiny, go in with blotting paper first to take off any excess makeup, oil and shine. After blotting with a blotting paper then it will be fine to do touch ups and put some extra blush, bronzerpowder or setting powder to refresh your makeup. Blotting papers are a fantastic item to take with you for touch ups during the day when your makeup needs retouching. Muji does some good ones, click here to buy. They are also available at Superdrug (click here) and at Boots they sell the NYX blotting papers, which you can buy here.

Use a damp Foundation Blender

Wet the Foundation Blender, squeeze out the excess water and use it on the areas of your face where you feel your makeup is breaking up or looking cakey. Dabbing with the damp blender will soften your makeup and it will dilute and take away the excess product so your foundation can blend back into your skin and will look a lot more natural.

Spray a little face mist

This tip works specially for dryer skin types when your makeup starts to look cakey and you'll see dry flakes, spray a little facial mist to put some hydration back into your skin and you'll see your foundation will look as if you first put it on.

These simple tips and tricks will make sure you will look your best from morning to night.