How To Avoid Patchy Foundation

When applying foundation, a seamless, streak-free finish is always the goal. But sometimes life has other plans and that dream of pore-free, silky smooth skin flies out the window. Makeup is great when it’s covering up blemishes and redness … not so great when it starts to highlight dry patches and settle into your fine lines. Cakey, patchy foundation is suuuuper annoying, which is why I’ve put together these tips to avoid it!

Read on to find out how you can prevent your foundation from pilling or separating throughout the day.

1. Exfoliate in advance

When your skin hasn’t been exfoliated, foundation tends to cling to any dry or textured patches. To prevent this, it’s important to prepare your skin in advance of putting on your makeup – I’d usually say the night before. This gives your skin time to refresh itself overnight and means you’re not fiddling around with exfoliants just before you need to go out!

Physical exfoliants can cause micro tears in the skin, so I always advise choosing a chemical exfoliant instead. My favourite is the Paula’s Choice Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, this really helps reduce texture. The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is also amazing, but you will need to be more cautious when using this, it’s super strong!

2. Check the compatibility of your products

Before you begin your routine, it’s really important to check whether or not your beauty products are compatible. By that I mean you should figure out whether your main base layers (moisturiser, sunscreen, primer, foundation) are water-based or oil-based.

Using an oil-based product over a water-based product will cause it to pill (and vice versa), so it’s best to stick to the same base.

3. Moisturise well

Once you’ve chosen your compatible products, you’re going to need to add moisture to your skin. Exfoliation can mitigate some of the patchiness, but it’s moisturising that will really make a difference!

I usually tend to go for formulas that are rich and creamy as these leave my face feeling really soft and smooth. The CeraVe Moisturising Cream is my go-to, but some people might find this a little heavy. If you prefer lighter moisturisers, I’d go for the CeraVe Moisturising Lotion instead.

4. Prime your skin

Now it’s time to prime!

If you’re not really a primer person, instead of rubbing it all over your face, I recommend placing primer in the places that you tend to notice patchiness or separation. This way you’re still getting the benefit of the product without having to add a whole other layer to your makeup routine.

I usually go for the Smashbox Photo Finish Super Light Primer because it feels almost weightless on the skin. I also love The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer as a drugstore alternative.

5. Use the right tools and technique

If you’re buffing your foundation into your face and you notice that it instantly goes patchy, this is a sign to change your technique. I find that stippling (with a brush) or dabbing (with a sponge) gives the best results. This is because you’re not so much spreading the foundation across your face, but rather pressing it into your (perfectly primed) skin.

Tools-wise, I prefer to use a damp beauty blender because I feel this gives the best finish. But as long as you’re not dragging your foundation brush across the skin then you should be fine!

Try not to disturb the products underneath as this will make the coverage appear uneven. Always use a light hand and make sure you’re not missing any spots – double check your ears and hairline just to be sure! These are the easiest ways to dodge that cakey, patchy foundation look.

6. Slowly build up your foundation

Start by applying a small amount of foundation, so you can properly blend it in before you try to add more coverage. Like nail polish, if you go in with thick layers right off the bat, the product won’t be able to dry down and so it’ll remain tacky. This will usually lead to it smudging and … you guessed it … patchiness.

7. Don’t overdo the concealer

Sometimes it’s not so much the foundation separating, but the concealer on top. If you notice patchiness in specific areas where you’ve applied extra product (e.g. your smile lines and around the creases of your nose), it may be worth dialling back on how much you use.

I’ve also seen people forgoing foundation on specific points of their face, like under their eyes, and just using concealer instead. As they’re not layering so many products, the eventual finish is a lot more smooth and even.

8. Lightly set your base

To stop your foundation from moving – especially if you’ve gone for a dewy finish – you’re going to need to set it with powder. To prevent it going patchy though, just apply a light dusting. Any more than that and you might start to notice powder collecting in the creases of your face or accentuating drier bits of skin.

9. Seal with a mist or setting spray

After initially setting it with powder, I highly recommend finishing off your makeup look with a mist or spray. This keeps it looking fresh and protects it from creasing or separation. It also kind of melts all your makeup products together so the finish is less powdery.

The Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is a favourite in the beauty community, and for good reason! This stuff really helps your makeup stay in place and stops it from smudging or transferring when wearing a mask. It’s a must for any makeup wearer!

So, there you go, nine simple tips on how to avoid patchy foundation. If you have any other suggestions let me know in the comments below!