Building a Base

Before you press play

A good base doesn’t look like makeup - it looks like a good skin day. While you watch, keep these principles in mind:

1. Skin prep matters most. Moisturiser (and SPF in the day) goes on first. Give it a few minutes to sink in. Flaky or dry patches show through any foundation.
2. Less is more. Start with a pea-sized amount for your whole face. You can always add; taking away is messy.
3. Centre outwards. Most redness and unevenness lives around the nose, chin and cheeks. Start there and blend towards the hairline and jaw, getting sheerer as you go.
4. Bounce, don’t drag. A damp sponge pressed in a bouncing motion gives the most natural, seamless finish. Brushes give more coverage; fingers warm cream products nicely. All are fine.
5. Conceal after base. Your base often covers more than you expect, then you only conceal what’s left.
6. Set only where needed. A light press of powder on the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin), under the eyes and anywhere you get shiny. Dry areas can often skip it.

Matching your shade

• Swatch three shades in stripes along your jawline - the one that seems to vanish is your match.
• Check in daylight and give it 10–15 minutes: many foundations oxidise (darken slightly) as they dry.
• Match your face to your neck so there’s no line at the jaw. If your face and neck differ a lot, blend your base down onto the neck.