The Skin Trick Makeup Artists Swear By

Let’s get to the point. Your makeup doesn’t look good because your skin is too dry. This is probably because you’ve been applying a thin layer of moisturizer with your hands before your primer and foundation. Try this instead: apply a thick layer of moisturizer with the Contour Blending Sponge. It plumps your skin with hydration and skincare and ensures that more product stays on your face instead of on your hands.

“I think where people miss the mark with creating really beautiful makeup is prepping the skin,” said PÜR beauty and makeup artist Angel Merino. He’s known across the internet and celebrity circles as @mac_daddyy. “I think people just kinda like rush to put on foundation and put on the makeup and they don’t take the time to really work the skin and perfect it.”

As he was creating a look for fellow PÜR beauty and YouTuber Laura Lee (@larlarlee), he joked about using half a bottle of Mac’s Prep + Prime Fix + to hydrate Laura’s skin. PÜR’s Miracle Mist works similarly and has 70 essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. Plus, you don’t have to use half as much. Angel used PÜR’s Contour Blending Sponge to layer on the MAC’s hydrating primer, an eye serum and Tom Ford’s Illuminating Primer.

“A dry eye is not a good eye,” they agreed.

If you want radiant skin, it needs to look that way before you apply your makeup, Angel explained. Dry and dull-looking skin is not a good foundation for makeup. You must take care of your skin first.

Beauty blogger Wayne Goss agrees.

“Prep is so important. You need to be using a huge amount of moisturizer to counteract negative makeup,” said Wayne in his “Number One Beautyblender Mistake for Flawless Skin” video. He explains how to use a blending sponge to apply moisturizer.

“Make sure it’s completely damp,”Wayne said. “You need to embed the product into the skin” You need to press this into the skin and I don’t mean bounce. I mean press it as hard as you can.”

The result is plumper, hydrated skin that allows you to layer on your primer, foundation and concealer without it settling in to fine lines and sticking to dry patches. Your skin will look like skin even after you contour and set your look. Plus, this beauty hack will keep your skin looking radiant even when the makeup comes off.

Check out Angel’s makeup tutorial using his favorite contour product, Cameo Contour Stick, on COSMOPOLITAN.com here.