How to prep your skin before makeup

What order should skin prep follow before makeup?

1. 1Wash your hands, then cleanse your face gently. A gentle cleanser removes dirt, oil and debris. Avoid hot water and scrubbing, especially if your skin is dry.
2. 2Pat your face gently, leaving it damp rather than rubbing it completely dry. Apply moisturizer to help trap water in your skin. For dry skin, apply it within five minutes of washing.
3. 3For daytime prep, apply broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher after moisturizer and before makeup. Cover exposed skin beyond your face, including your neck, ears and hairline. Follow the product's directions, and never spray sunscreen directly onto your face.
4. 4Let the sunscreen dry for a few minutes before starting makeup. Separately, allow at least 15 minutes between applying sunscreen and going into the sun. The drying pause before makeup and the wait before sun exposure serve different purposes.

What is the best skin prep before makeup?

The best starting point is a small routine matched to your skin type, rather than several extra layers. An effective routine can be inexpensive, even if the dressing table would prefer a larger cast. Using several different products can irritate skin. A moisturizer with broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher can combine moisturizing and sun protection in one step.1

• For oily skin, still use moisturizer. Look for products suited to your skin type and labelled noncomedogenic, meaning they are intended not to clog pores.
• For dry or flaky skin, use gentle washing and moisturizing rather than trying to scrub the flakes away. Choose facial skincare without fragrance; unscented products can still contain irritating fragrance chemicals.
• For sensitive skin, pay attention to stinging or burning after product use. Adding more products is not a useful way to simplify an irritating routine.

Should you exfoliate dry patches first?

Do not make exfoliation your first response to flaking. Exfoliating dry skin can remove more skin than intended and leave damage that needs to heal. Moisturize daily, and review your cleanser, makeup and other facial products if dryness keeps returning. Astringent toners and retinol can dry skin. Moisturizers containing ceramides or hyaluronic acid are options for restoring moisture. Get medical advice if dryness does not improve, stays pink, looks wet and red, or becomes itchy enough to interfere with daily life.4

Does makeup with SPF replace sunscreen?

Do not rely on makeup with SPF as your only sun protection. The amount of makeup people normally apply often delivers less protection than the label suggests. Use sunscreen underneath, including on cloudy days, and reapply at least every two hours, more often when swimming or sweating. Sunscreen also needs to be paired with shade and clothing that covers exposed skin.25

Check what touches your freshly prepped skin

Use clean brushes and sponges: wash sponges after every use and brushes every 7 to 10 days. Do not share makeup applied directly to skin or eyelashes, or with a brush or sponge. Makeup containers sometimes show an open jar symbol with a number and 'M' for months after opening, so the tiny jar is a calendar rather than decoration. Record when you open products. Discard makeup that changes smell, color, consistency or feel, and replace expired sunscreen.35