Makeup trends

Flawless foundations

From skin concerns to treatment outcomes, Josie Jackson explores why beauty professionals are perfectly placed to help clients rethink their makeup routines

Clients may come to you for treatments, skincare advice and help navigating their at-home routines, but your expertise also extends to what they put on their skin afterwards. With makeup having the potential to influence both skin health and treatment outcomes, beauty professionals are well placed to help clients make more informed choices about the products and techniques they use.

While makeup has been fuelled by the maximalist versus minimalist discourse over the past year, there’s one thing both approaches have in common: using the right formulas and techniques to create a look that works for the individual. And what better way to personalise a makeup routine than by considering the skin underneath it? As Anushka Patel, makeup artist and head of Et Al, puts it, “Skincare alone is only part of the solution; makeup also needs to be considered as part of the overall approach to skin health.”

A dual approach

As Patel notes, skincare and makeup should not exist independently of one another when it comes to achieving your clients’ skin goals. In fact, while many clients may not consider the role their makeup is having below the surface, she explains how “the right makeup recommendation can support comfort, protection and confidence – while the wrong formula may undermine progress”.

This is not only true for clients following at-home skincare routines, but also those undergoing treatments in salons and clinics. Rebecca Tommie, brand educator for Jane Iredale, which is distributed by Healthxchange, shares, “With recently treated skin, the priority isn't always avoiding makeup altogether – it’s choosing the right makeup. When it comes to sensitivity, postprocedure skin, or redness-prone skin, ingredient choice matters as much as coverage”.

Highlighting some of her favourite ingredients to look out for in makeup products, Tommie champions niacinamide for strengthening and soothing compromised barriers while brightening tone, marine extracts to support collagen without harsh actives that could aggravate healing skin, and peptide complexes to smooth texture and defend against free radical damage.

The power of prep

Just like art, makeup relies on a well-prepped canvas. “It is important to first consider the characteristics of your client’s skin type, as this helps determine what the skin needs from both its skincare routine and the makeup applied over it,” explains Patel. There is plenty of discourse on social media as to whether makeup primers are necessary – and Patel is here to set the record straight. “When the skin is properly prepped and the makeup is finished well, foundations and concealers are far more likely to perform consistently.”

Red alert

While every client’s skin is unique and will present its own challenges, both makeup artists and skin therapists are able to highlight some common concerns. For example, Patel shares, “We are seeing adult acne far more frequently than before, so it is no longer an issue affecting only younger consumers, alongside increased redness and skin sensitivity.”

Exploring how to address this with clients in the chair, Patel recommends choosing skin-like, naturally matte finishes rather than highly light-reflective formulas, which can emphasise texture, and pairing this with a primer designed to reduce sebum over time while still deeply hydrating the skin.

Brighten up

Meanwhile, Cinta Miller, celebrity MUA and fashion makeup tutor at The Iver Makeup Academy, who works with Iconic London, believes that the eye area is by far the most common concern, explaining that clients “want to brighten dark circles, lift tired-looking eyes and create a flawless base for eye makeup”.

To try to achieve this, there’s a chance your clients are making a big mistake when it comes to their makeup routines at home – applying an excess of products in a bid to colour correct any dark tones. Her advice? “Use colour correctors sparingly: apply only where needed in very thin layers, allow the product to settle, then lightly layer concealer or foundation over the top.”

Her approach to concealer is similar, praising a less-is-more approach. “Build coverage gradually using thin layers rather than applying too much at once,” she explains. “I also love using fingertips to press cream products into the skin – they warm the product beautifully and create the most natural, skin-like finish.”

The mature approach

Patel notes that clients with mature skin may be seeing increased laxity, lines, pigmentation and discolouration. To address this, she advises helping them choose products that can protect and hydrate, maintaining a healthy finish. “A flexible foundation with controllable coverage works particularly well, ideally with broad-spectrum SPF, blue-light protection and antioxidant ingredients to help shield the skin while allowing the wearer to customise the level of coverage,” she explains.

When it comes to products like bronzer and blush, Miller recommends cream textures, as these can add hydration, freshness and glow without settling into fine lines. Cream products are often more forgiving when it comes to blending, so these are also a great option for clients that are worried about their makeup looking too bold or heavy.

Shine vs glow

Over the past few years, glowy skin has surged in popularity, which presents the challenge of achieving a healthy radiance without appearing shiny or slick; the aim is to control excess oil without stripping or dehydrating the skin. Miller praises the use of setting sprays to help master your desired finish, with a variety of formulations – from glow-enhancers to blurring finishes – available to suit a variety of skin types.

Unsurprisingly, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to makeup but by considering everything from skin concerns and sensitivity to treatment history, experience with makeup and the finish a client feels most comfortable wearing, therapisrs can help them build a routine that works for them. Because when makeup and skincare are approached together, the result isn’t just a better-looking base, but a more considered approach to overall skin health.