Cakey makeup is enough to instantly kill your mood. There’s nothing quite like looking in the mirror to discover that your foundation is patchy and your concealer is creased. Use these tips and tricks to finally learn how to avoid cakey makeup.
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Avoiding And Fixing Cakey Makeup

It’s always important to take steps to avoid cakey makeup if you can. There are bound to be some days that your foundation winds up patchy. It’s simply impossible to have flawless makeup every day. That’s okay, though! These tips will teach you how to avoid cakey makeup, and fix it on the days that it creases anyway.
Use Plenty Of Setting Spray
If you’re not using setting spray, it’s time to start. You can use a setting spray after finishing powder too! After putting on all of your powder, your face is bound to look powdery. That’s why you still need setting spray. It helps everything melt into your skin to reduce the powdery look that goes hand in hand with caked makeup.
Our Recommended Setting Sprays
Cover FX High Performance All-Day Setting Spray ($31)

This long-lasting setting spray has a professional quality to help your looks last all day long. It works hard to protect your makeup and your skin!
Highlights
- Algae extract protects your skin from environmental damage
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Fine mist
NYX Mattifying Setting Spray ($9.50)

This mattifying setting spray is the perfect way to have the matte makeup look you want. With up to 16 hours of wear time, you won’t have to worry about your makeup slowly fading away as the day goes on.
Highlights
- Absorbs quickly to give you a mattifying effect instantly
- Wear it by itself or with makeup
- Water-based
- Available in a mini so you can try it before you buy a full-size!
Blend Your Heart Out
Make sure that you blend with a makeup brush or beauty blender until you’re positive that your makeup is perfectly blended. Then, blend some more to be on the safe side. If your makeup isn’t blended enough, it’s more likely to crease.
Powder Your Nose To Be On The Safe Side
Most people that have combination skin have an oily T-zone. This is bound to be a problem as the day goes on and your nose produces more oil. Put some translucent powder on your nose to be safe, and prevent caking.
Less Makeup In Areas That Crease
There are certain areas that everyone has that crease. For example, that little area where your nose meets the rest of your face. Another common area for creasing is in fine lines and wrinkles. If you notice that your makeup keeps creasing in a particular area, start using less makeup in that area.
Hydrate Your Skin
You’re more likely to deal with patchy makeup if you have a dry skin type. Take the time to make sure that your skin is hydrated properly. Drink plenty of water to hydrate the skin from the inside. Ensure you’re using hydrating skin products to avoid dehydrated skin.
If you don’t know what skin type you have, check out this article to figure it out so you can make sure that you’re using the correct makeup products.
Skincare Is Important

Speaking of skincare, it’s important to have both a morning and nighttime routine. Having a proper skincare routine in place can help your skin stay healthy and hydrated, which is what it needs to keep your makeup in place.
Use Powder On Oily Skin
If you have oily skin, powder is a must. Apply powder to oily areas, and use a setting powder to set your makeup when you’re finished. The powder will help absorb excess sebum to make sure that the sebum doesn’t ruin your makeup.
Blot Away Excess Makeup
Before applying powder or setting spray, use blotting papers to blot away any excess makeup. Don’t forget that this also applies to powder foundations! When you wear too much makeup, it’s more likely to crease.
Always Prep Your Skin
Prepping your skin is a must. Using proper skincare steps is the first step in prepping your skin. Then, make sure to apply a good primer before foundation application to help create the smooth base that you need to prevent cakey makeup.
Exfoliate
Including exfoliating in your beauty routine helps remove dead skin cells that build up on the skin’s surface. If you don’t exfoliate, these build up on the surface of the skin, leading to flaky skin and patchy makeup. Makeup doesn’t stick to dead skin cells like it does clean skin.
Make Sure That Makeup Has The Same Base
A foundation with a silicone base calls for primer and other makeup with a silicone base. Using makeup with different bases results in patchy makeup that doesn’t blend properly.
That’s because oil, or silicone in this case, and water don’t mix. Instead, they repel each other. Your makeup might slip off of your face if you use two products that have different bases. Having base products that don’t have the same base is a common mistake that can easily be fixed by reading the labels.
Less Is Always More

The more makeup you wear, the more likely it is to cake. To prevent caking, always remember that less is more. Not only will this prevent caking, but it will also help you have a more natural finish.
Use Liquid Foundations Sparingly
The less is more rule is very important when using liquid makeup, including liquid foundation. It’s easy to apply too much makeup if your foundation formula is a liquid formula. Make sure that you use a small amount at a time, and always blot away excess foundation.
Switch Up Your Makeup Routine
Applying setting spray between layers can help create a flawless look that lasts. After applying concealer, set your makeup. Then, use the setting spray again after applying the foundation. Finally, use your favorite setting spray after finishing your makeup look. This is a wonderful way to avoid cakey foundation.
Get Your Beauty Sponges Wet

Instead of a stippling brush or your fingers, try a damp sponge. A damp sponge will help blend makeup into your skin flawlessly better than a foundation brush. If you’re applying loose powder, apply it with a brush and blend it with a damp makeup sponge.
Check Your Makeup In Natural Light
Natural light during the middle of the day can reveal much more than most lighting inside your house. Check your makeup in natural light before leaving the house. It can reveal whether your foundation shade is slightly off when compared to your skin tone if there’s a section of your face that does not have a matte finish or a slew of other problems.
Always Use A Clean Makeup Sponge
Makeup sponges tend to absorb more of a makeup product than most people realize. If you haven’t thoroughly cleaned your beauty blender, you add whatever makeup product your sponge has soaked onto your face. You could accidentally apply too much makeup without even realizing it.
Perfecting your makeup is the secret to having a flawless finish that lasts all day. Use as many of these tips as possible, and check out the rest of the site to learn more must-know makeup tips and tricks!
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