Reverse Foundation sounds all wrong, but it might be the new way you do your routine once I explain how right it is.
Reverse foundation focuses on cream products and sheer foundation. It’s about using as little as possible to make your face look flawless. Instead of putting on foundation first, we put it on last! The idea is to use less powder, so your skin looks natural. It’s easy to get carried away with powder like using the ‘baking’ technique.
By avoiding heavy powder, you’re allowing your skin to breathe a little more since there isn’t as much product sitting on the face. Creams blend together and are usually more pigmented so that allows you to put less on to get the same effect. Even if you get carried away by adding a lot of cream, the sheer foundation will blend everything together and tone it down. Another benefit to using cream is that it wears out more evenly through the day, so you won’t see skin patches through all the product. The focus is skin and lightweight wear!
I have been trying this routine for about 2 weeks now and I have completely changed my routine since I found this technique. It takes about 10 minutes for me to do my base using this method and it leaves my skin looking like I have a “glow from within.” I like that it wears evenly through the day, so I don’t have to worry about touching up with my face but, I do have the option to touch up.
The Rundown
I like to put my concealer first and give it a minute or so to dry down a little, this gives me time to do my brows. At this point, you can spot treat blemishes with some concealer as well. I use the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer.
After blending out my concealer, I usually put down a cream highlight. My favorite right now is the Marc Jacobs Spotlight highlight stick 007. I just place the highlight on the tip of my cheekbones, temples, bridge and tip of my nose.
Once my highlight is down, I use a cream bronzer where shadows are naturally on my face, in the hollows of my cheeks and a little on my forehead by my hairline. I use Nudestix All Over Face Color in Bondi Bae since it’s a warmer bronze shade. I use this product with a sponge.
After my bronzer, highlight and concealer is in place, time for blush! I personally like blush in my routine, but I know everyone is different, so this step is optional. I use the Nudestix All Over Face Color in Bare Back with a sponge. I put this on the apples of my cheeks and blend it out.
Once you’re happy with how everything is placed and blended out, we get to the scary part, putting foundation over everything you’ve done! I like to use the Estee Lauder Water Blend or the Lancome Skin Feels Good foundation with a sponge. Both are very sheer and light so putting it over everything you’ve done won’t change it much. Also, using a sponge will help sheer it out as well. If you don’t have any sheer or light coverage foundation, another tip is to mix a heavier foundation with moisturizer and use a sponge with your new mixture — it will give you the same effect.
After my foundation is put in place, I usually touch up my concealer under my eyes and anything else that needs fixing. Then, I use a very light powder or one has “glow” in it and I just dust it over my face. The one I’m using is the Laura Mercier Glow Translucent Powder. I use as little as possible because powder can tone down all the work you’ve done.
Based on the way you do your routine, you can choose to do your eyes before or after or, just head out the door like this. Then after you’re completely finished, just set your face with setting spray! If you want to touch up, bring your sponge and cream products, then lightly add product over top so you look more refreshed.
If you need more instructions or different perspectives, here are two YouTube videos that help teach you this reverse foundation technique:
Samantha Ravndahl has acne prone skin which also shows that you don’t have to have flawless skin to do this routine. Even though there is less product being used, the coverage is still good. This technique evens out her skin in the video and she loves it.
Wayne Goss always talks about this routine in multiple videos since this technique is really great for an even base. His videos are short and he teaches well so you can follow it quickly.
If you’re looking for a flawless base with less product, then look no more! Cream products are easy to find and fun to use. Once you figure out where to place everything, this routine is quick and easy! I hope you love this routine as much as I do!