How to Fix Cakey Makeup in Less than 5 Minutes

You’ve spent hours on your makeup. Gone through all the usual steps. Just when you think you’re selfie-ready, you take a look at yourself through the phone cam only to see the dreaded cracks on your face! Cancel your plans and stay in bed? No way! Whether you’re suffering from cracked or cakey makeup, there’s definitely a quick fix. So take a deep breath, grab your beauty blender and get back to glam with these six easy steps on how to fix cakey makeup in less than 5 minutes.

For oily skin, use a toner immediately before doing your makeup and use matte foundation

For dry skin, wait for your moisturizer to dry completely before applying makeup and use a luminous finish foundation

If you’re wondering what causes cakey makeup, more often than not, the answer is applying too much makeup and not enough primer. Dehydrated skin also affects the way your face reacts to foundation formulas. For instance, if you have dry skin, your face will quickly absorb your foundation rather than stay intact on your skin. That’s why it’s important to invest in quality makeup brands that will protest your skin and give you the peace of mind that what’s on your face will protect your skin. 

1. Blend, blend, blend

Use a damp beauty blender or other beauty sponge to dilute and soften the excess makeup. Apply by using stippling motions to blend out the foundation around your hairline, cheeks and t-zone. If you feel that your foundation looks dry and cracked, change to a different formula or mix it with a nourishing beauty oil. 

2. Wipe and Refresh Under Eyes

To freshen up your eyes, wrap a makeup wipe around your finger and gently wipe off all the makeup under your eyes. If you have dry skin, prep the under-eye with a hydrating eye cream. For normal and oily skin, move onto the next step. Apply a small amount of makeup primer and wait 30 seconds to a minute to allow the product to absorb. This will prevent crease lines and hold the product in place longer. With your fingers, apply under eye concealer and use the tip of your beauty blender to smooth it out.

3. Set it

With a light hand, apply a soft layer of setting powder under your eyes and over your face. Use a tapered powder brush to dust off any excess powder. Make sure you don’t use the baking technique here because it will further dry out and crease your makeup. If you have dry skin, opt for a liquid setting spray.

4. Touch up

Now you’re ready to make small touch ups to your makeup! Start by applying a light layer of eyeshadow and going over your eyeliner and mascara if needed. Pop on a little blush to your cheeks and highlighter to the cheekbones. Lastly, touch up your lipliner, lipstick or gloss and you’re ready to go!

5. Mist every couple of hours

Use a water-based facial spray every couple of hours to refresh your makeup and prevent it from drying out again. If you have dry skin, chances are your face will quickly absorb foundation because it’s dehydrated. In this case, mist more often and carry a travel-size facial spray to use even when you’re not wearing makeup. Moisturizing both day and night, with regular misting throughout the day will bring your skin back to health.

6. Blot Excess Oils

In between sprays, use blotting sheets to remove excess oil and sweat buildup. To avoid smearing your makeup, apply the sheet by pressing and holding it down in place. Wait a few seconds for the paper to absorb oils and gently peel it off in one quick motion.

Have other cakey makeup tips and tricks? Leave them in the comments below: