image: Heidi Mamoud
Article by BR Kellie
First there was contouring, then strobing, and now the beauty world is going crazy for baking your makeup!
I’m not going to lie, the first time I saw a YouTube vid talking about baking your makeup I thought there was some newfangled makeup that you cooked to get the best out of it. Gullible isn’t in the dictionary… right?
So what is this ‘bake your makeup’ trend? First of all, it’s not actually that much of a trend, it’s been around for a while, and is often used by makeup artists in the theatre, movie and television industry. While it might not be the easiest way to do your day-to-day look it is a great method to use when you want to really set your makeup or to highlight parts of your face in a more matte manner.
So what does it involve? Quite a lot of time as it turns out. This isn’t some wham bam thank you ma’am way to make yourself looking amazing. You’re going to need some patience, as well as concealer, translucent powder, a blending sponge and a big fluffy brush.
First of all you’ll want to ensure the areas where you’ll be applying concealer are well hydrated, especially in the under eye area, to avoid any lines or caking. Take a rich concealer and apply it thickly in a triangle shape under your eyes, next apply to other areas where you might want to highlight, and then blend it out. Once you’ve done that press a whole lot of setting powder onto the concealer using a sponge or blender, then leave it there for ten to twenty minutes, which gives the product twenty minutes to warm and meld to your skin. Once the time is up take your fluffy brush and sweep off the excess powder, then use your blender to soften any harsh edges.
Check out this tutorial from the gorgeous Heidi Mamoud for a step-by-step blow-by-blow guide.
Wayne Goss has an easier baking method:where you simply apply a thick layer of powder to the areas you would usually highlight or contour, then you let it set for ten minutes before knocking it off with a brush.
Whatever method you choose, if done correctly you’ll be left with a fabulous flawless picture-perfect finish.
So how do you feel about baking or cooking your makeup? Is it a step too far in your time-pressed routine? Or will you give anything a go to create a more flawless and defined finish?
I've actually never heard of this method before today. I would love to give this a go if I had some matte powder and concealor.