If a makeup hack promises to make getting ready in the morning easier, I’m all but guaranteed to give it try at least once. Since joining TikTok back in 2020, I’ve trialed quite a few beauty trends geared toward simplifying my makeup routine – examples being the five-minute makeup trend and facelift concealer hack, to name just a couple. So, when “underpainting” started popping up on my FYP, I couldn’t wait to test it out.
For those unfamiliar, underpainting is an old-school makeup technique that involves applying your blush, bronzer, and concealer under your foundation for a more natural look. It’s recently taken TikTok by storm, thanks to the new generation of people discovering its magic. I had never tried underpainting before, but as someone who likes minimal, barely-there makeup, I had a feeling it’d be a success.
To start, I grabbed my favorite cream makeup products – no powders. “If everything you’re using is a creamy product, layering in this way will help blend everything together seamlessly,” celebrity makeup artist Monika Blunder previously told POPSUGAR. I used my Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Face and Under-Eye Concealer ($38) to spot conceal under my eyes, around my nose, two blemishes on my chin, and between my brows. Then I used my Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick ($23) on my forehead, nose, and jawline, and my Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand in “Peachgasm” ($40) for blush.
With those products on my face, I used my damp makeup sponge (the Beautyblender Original BeautyBlender Makeup Sponge ($20) is my favorite) to blend everything. I rotated the sponge to use a different part in each area to keep them from muddying together. Once all of those products were blended, I grabbed the Maybelline New York Green Edition Superdrop Tinted Oil ($10) to use as a sheer foundation.
To apply foundation over the blush, concealer, and contour, I put some of the product on the back of my hand and dabbed my makeup sponge into it, then blended it over my entire face. This allowed me to get smooth, even coverage without overloading my face with foundation.
The cream and liquid formulas blended together nicely and left behind a smooth base that looked as though I was only wearing a touch of concealer, plus blush, bronzer, and foundation. The final result was super natural and lightweight while still giving me flawless skin. And possibly the best of all: it only took about five minutes to apply everything. To finish off the look, I swiped on some mascara and brow gel.
For no-makeup makeup days, like when I’m working from home, this is going to be my new go-to method.