Anyone who wears makeup knows the time, effort and precision that go into achieving a flawless look. And yes, I’m talking about mastering the correct order of applying products to ensure your looks stay radiant and smooth throughout the day.
As a makeup lover myself, I fell deep into the rabbit hole of K-Beauty in hopes of locking down products that can make my go-to makeup looks last all day. My goal is to look at myself in the mirror at the end of the day and still see a glowing yet grease-free face. If you want to hear more about my experience, tips and personal recos, then keep on reading!
Start your makeup routine with primer
Using a primer at the start of your makeup routine ensures smooth and long-lasting adherence of makeup products. Have you ever experienced concealer or eye shadow settling into lines? A primer can help prevent that!
If you’re on the hunt for the best K-Beauty face primer, I highly vouch for espoir’s Dewlike Jello Glowrizer. Not only did I fall in love with its prettiest pastel pink packaging, but I also discovered that Winter from Korean girl group aespa uses this espoir bestseller to achieve a glowy makeup look. Its gel-like texture is infused with pink and purple capsules that absorb quickly into my skin for a dewy finish without any stickiness. A pea-sized amount is more than enough to prep my whole face!
Melt your makeup with setting spray
For my full-face makeup routine, I start by applying a thin layer of cushion foundation all over my face. My top picks are Parnell’s Cicamanu Serum Cushion (#34W Tan) and TIRTIR’s Mask Fit Red Cushion (#34W Toffee). Next, I reach for a high-coverage concealer, specifically TFIT’s Cover Up Pro Concealer (#04 Dark) to cover any redness and blemishes. I finish off with a cream bronzer and blush for fresh vitality.
The next step to ensure makeup longevity is to set everything with a setting spray. Setting sprays are typically water-based formulations that help melt liquid and cream-based products for a natural and non-powdery finish. For a hydration boost, spritz your face with setting spray after applying primer!
My product reco? TIRTIR’s Mask Fit Waterproof Setting Spray. It’s enriched with skin-soothing cryptomeria japonica, nelumbo nucifera and green tea extracts, making it safe for all skin types including oily and sensitive skin. After spraying it on my face, my skin looks super smooth and flawless without any cakiness. Remember to let the spray dry completely before layering on more products.
Set your makeup with setting powder
Once you’ve melted everything together with a setting spray, a dry product such as setting powder is key to mattify shiny areas, prevent creasing and help your makeup withstand heat and sweat.
TFIT’s Translucent Set Finishing Powder (#2.2 Dark Beige) is a perfect match for my medium deep skin tone. Its orange-terracotta color is almost undetectable when applied on my skin! I have combination skin, and this product controls excess oil on my T-zone and beautifully blurs pores for that matte finish.
The packaging also deserves a special mention. It features a nifty plastic divider for storing the powder puff and a mesh net for dusting off excess powder on the puff and preventing spillage.
Use finishing powder for an airbrushed effect
After setting powder, I follow up with a powder blush. You can also layer powder bronzer and contour on top, but I prefer to keep it youthful and rosy, so I often skip those steps. Once you’re done applying all your powder makeup products, it’s time to use finishing powder!
You might be wondering, “If I’ve already used setting powder, why do I need a finishing powder?” While you can skip the finishing powder, I personally love this extra step that gives my skin a soft-focus effect.
Milk Touch’s All-Day Perfect Blurring Fixing Pact is my go-to for touch-ups. Those with melanin-rich skin don’t have to worry about this finishing powder leaving a white cast. In fact, it adds subtle radiance to your skin for that glowy finish. I also appreciate the clever packaging. The powder puff is stored separately from the compact powder, and it even comes with a mirror – pretty and practical!
Lock everything in with fixing spray at the last step
If there’s one makeup product you absolutely can’t skip for long-lasting results, it’s fixing spray. The concept is straightforward: once you’ve applied all your makeup, you need something to hold it all together and prevent smudging or fading.
I’ve heard all the hype about TIRTIR’s Mask Fit Make Up Fixer and I get it now. It truly deserves its holy grail status. This product has become a non-negotiable in my makeup routine. The fine mist feels lightweight on skin, and it offers a calming feel thanks to centella asiatica in the formula.
At the end of the day, I like to do a little tissue test. I press a tissue against my cheeks, forehead and chin. The results? Little to no transfer! However, I’ve noticed that a bit of foundation often comes off when I blot my nose, which is one of the oiliest areas of my face. When that happens, I simply touch-up with fixing powder to keep any unwanted greasiness at bay. Overall, the performance of the TIRTIR Mask Fit Make Up Fixer is just chef’s kiss.
