It's a myth that all New York Fashion Week [1] models have perfect skin. They've got zits, visible pores, oily t-zones, under-eye circles, and dry patches like the rest of us. In that sense, it's not just a makeup artist's job to create a pretty face for the runway; it's their duty to conceal and perfect in order to create the most gorgeous, flawless skin imaginable. We were naturally curious about how they work their magic on exhausted models who go through multiple makeup changes in one day. So we asked them to dish on their best tips and tricks that anyone can use — runway model or not. Here's what they said!
Super Cleanse Your Skin
"I think the most important thing about foundation is the skin that's underneath it. That means super cleansing your skin — making sure that you take your makeup off before you wash your face. That also means exfoliating and using a good hydrating serum every day," said Rick DiCecca, the lead for Artistry [3] at Pamella Roland.
He added, "For a lot of women, that doesn't make sense. They think that one step is the way to go. I think that was very true in the '50s and '60s — when women were in the workplace for the first time in a long time and they wanted to do it quickly — but you can't get great skin quickly. What you take off at the end of the day is just as important as what you put on in the morning."
Exfoliate and Liberally Moisturize
"The hardest thing with applying foundation is having dry patches or dry skin, so you want to exfoliate that first, and then put on a cream," said James Kaliardos for Maybelline [4] at Cushnie et Ochs.
And when it comes to applying that moisturizer, don't hold back, he urged. "Some of my most famous clients will just [lightly dab on their moisturizer], and I'm like 'No!' You want to put it everywhere. You want a full, smooth canvas. It's like a painting. Then, when you put on foundation, it will smooth on in the same way. That really helps, and a lot of people just don't do that."
Use an Illuminating Moisturizer Under Foundation
"Always prep with the appropriate moisturizer, whether that's just a simple hydrating cream to add a little bit of glow or dimension," said Marc Reagan, the key makeup artist for Bobbi Brown [5] at Bibhu Mohapatra. "Today, for that flawless, glowing skin, we're actually using our Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm [6] ($68). It's wonderful because it adds just a hint of highlight to the cheeks or any high point, and it just gives the skin a luminous glow under foundation and concealer."
Match to Your Collarbone
Before applying a drop of foundation or concealer to your face, make sure you've got the right color. "I always begin selecting shades by matching the collarbone or lower part of neck. By matching this way, there will never be a jump in color from the body to the face," explained celebrity makeup artist Robert Sesnek [7], who prepped celebs like Hailey Baldwin for the front row at NYFW shows.
He added, "[When matching color] this way, there will always be a perfect match of continuity to both body and face."
Conceal Only as Needed
Every single MUA we interviewed agreed that "less is more" when it comes to concealer and foundation, including Romy Soleimani for MAC Cosmetics at Milly [8]. If you've got blemishes, you can go in and carefully conceal, but don't overdo it.
"The biggest mistake is that people put too much concealer on, in the wrong color, all over their face where they don't necessarily need it," she said. "Conceal as needed means conceal as needed — not everywhere. It's not paint by numbers, or like, 'Oh, you're supposed to put it from the inside corner of your eyes to the outside corners.' You're only just supposed to put it where there's darkness, imperfections, or redness."
Her technique is to dot the concealer on, then press it in gently with fingers. "We really want it to look like skin, so brushing it on and pressing it into the skin just makes it feel more skin-like," she explained.
Concentrate Foundation at the Mask
"I see a lot of women put foundation on as if they're putting face cream on, but you really only need to apply it where you're discolored most," said Kaliardos. "I put the foundation mostly in the center and work my way to the outer edges of the face."
This makes perfect sense, as the area that's most discolored is the "mask," which is around your nose and under your eyes. Kaliardos said you can use a clean brush, makeup sponge, or your fingers when applying. Just make sure you're blending really well, especially in those harder-to-reach crevices.
Skip Foundation Altogether
You can also try skipping the foundation completely, which is what Gucci Westman did backstage at Badgley Mischka. Instead, she explained that she mixed Inglot Cosmetics AMC Face & Body Illuminator [9] ($17) with a moisturizer to create a supersheer, porcelain-like finish. The subtle luminosity gently diffuses light and softens the skin.
Try a Powder Highlighter in Strategic Places
Alexander Wang wanted to create a bold, strong woman and did so by taking away color and creating more of a softly chiseled, contoured face. Key makeup artist for Nars [10] Diane Kendal explained that after applying contour underneath foundation, she went back in to strategically place powder highlighter on top of the eyelid, at inner eye corner, down the nose, and on top of the cheekbones.
"The luminosity is a nice contrast with the contouring — it creates a really sculpted but luminous face," she said. Regarding powder vs. liquid, she said, "I find that with powder, you can control it more. Sometimes with creams, it ends up getting too spread out, but with a powder, you can really go into the areas that you want."
Go Easy on the Powder
Setting powder is one of the greatest tools in any makeup artist's kit, but it's so easy to abuse it, noted Pep Gay for MAC Cosmetics [11] at Tadashi Shoji.
"Yes, powder might fix the makeup, but if you go overboard, then it looks too heavy," he said. Instead, lightly apply it on top of concealed blemishes or in a very thin veil on top of your foundation, and be done with it.