Here's how to prep skin for makeup application

We’ll let you in on the secret - great makeup starts with great skin. You could spend all the money in the world on expensive make-up, but investing in your skincare routine is the best way to keep your makeup looking fresh and smooth all day long. Here’s how to prep skin for makeup that lasts all day (and night).

Benefits of Prep

Prepping your skin before applying makeup is a lot like priming a house before you paint it - you’ll get the best result if you put in more care and attention at the beginning. It doesn't matter your skin tone or your skin type, the best makeup artist will start with the prep. If you have dry skin or oily skin it doesn't matter you have to prep your skin.

Here are some of the benefits of prepping your skin well before putting on makeup:

• Makeup looks more professional
• Makeup looks smoother
• Makeup lasts longer
• Skin looks natural and flawless

Step 1. Cleanse your skin

Makeup is best applied on a clean, smooth canvas - so start by washing your face with lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser remove dirt, oil and other impurities from your skin. It doesn't matter if you're just using a makeup primer, eye shadow or a full face of makeup.

For dry skin, choose creamy soothing cleansers that contain glycerin or hyaluronic acid which attract water to your skin keeping it hydrated. Gentle cleansers like micellar water or cleansing milk are highly recommended.

For oily skin types, try a gentle cleanser with ingredients like salicylic acid to control oil production and keep pores clear. Clay cleansers can also help pull excess oil from your skin without being too drying.

Step 2. Exfoliate your skin

Apart from making our skin super clean and radiant, exfoliation sloughs away dead skin cells and helps your serum and moisturiser penetrate even deeper into your skin tissue. Exfoliating will also smooth out your skin for more even makeup application.

There are many different types of exfoliators to choose from. You could use a physical exfoliant such as a gentle scrub, cleansing brush or a clean washcloth - just be careful not to scrub your skin too harshly, as this can irritate and damage your skin.

Alternatively, chemical exfoliators such as an alpha-hydroxy acid toner will exfoliate your skin without being too harsh. Dry and sensitive skin should avoid mechanical exfoliation and look for a mild chemical toner with a low percentage of lactic acid or glycolic acid.

Step 3. Layer hydration

The next step is to apply a hydrating product to your skin, to prevent the skin becoming dehydrated throughout the day. This is particularly important for dry skin types, not so much if you have oily skin, to fight flakes and makeup settling into patchy dry areas.

Pat a light hydrating toner or essence into the skin for optimum hydrating right after cleansing. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and glycerin to quench the skin and lock in hydration right after cleansing when skin is still slightly damp.

Step 4. Apply serum

Before applying moisturiser, it is important to apply a nourishing serum that contains an abundance of nutrients your skin craves.

For oily skin types, a good makeup look can be ruined by a break-out halfway through the day, as your skin’s natural oils mix with your makeup. Using a serum that helps to combat excess oil production while still keeping skin nourished is a great way to maintain your makeup without worrying about triggering blemishes.



The Soothing Serum uses the microbial properties of tea tree oil to fight acne-causing bacteria to keep skin calm throughout the day.

The abundance of aloe vera powder provides a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants to keep the skin balanced and healthy while vegetable glycerin helps to keep the skin moisturised preventing the production of excess oil.

Step 5. Apply eye cream

When skin becomes dehydrated throughout the day, one of the first places you’ll notice it is around your eyes - causing your expertly applied concealer to suddenly start to settle into fine lines. Using a nourishing eye cream is the best way to prevent delicate under-eye skin from becoming dehydrated, to keep your concealer looking good all day long.

Our Correcting Eye Cream has been specially formulated with plant extracts like green tea extract, raspberry extract, and fig extract to brighten dark under-eye circles and fade lines thanks to its high levels of antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E.

Hyaluronic acid helps keep delicate under-eye skin hydrated and while botanical oils like avocado oil, olive oil and apricot kernel oil lock moisture into the skin.

Step 5. Moisturise

Moisturising your skin is vital for two reasons. Firstly, if your skin is fully moisturised then it won’t soak up your foundation in an ill-conceived attempt to hydrate itself (which can then cause break-outs). Secondly, moisture is the driving force behind your skin's ability to heal itself, prevent fine lines forming and keep your skin looking healthy and youthful.

The Light Hydrating Moisturiser is perfect for moisturising all skin types keeping your skin balanced with the combination of botanical oils. A powerful formula of apricot kernel oil, olive oil and sunflower seed oil lock in moisture to keep skin plump and dewy, the ideal base for your makeup.

Step 6. SPF!

SPF is a non-negotiable when it comes to prepping your skin before your makeup. Even if your moisturiser or foundation already contains some SPF, we guarantee it's not as potent as sunscreen.

Sunscreen is particularly important for anyone using exfoliating acids or retinoids, which can increase your skin’s sun sensitivity. Use a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to keep your skin protected from UV damage.