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By Sophie Joaman • March 20, 2024 • 6 mins read
Both foundation and concealer are fundamental to any flawless makeup routine, but which one should you apply first?
If you were to ask makeup enthusiasts and professional artists, many would tell you that the first step to any makeup routine is usually foundation. Sure, that makes sense, just from the name alone. It literally is the ‘foundation’ of your makeup look after all.
Traditionally in makeup application, putting on your foundation and then concealer is considered the easiest way to think of the step-by-step process, and that certainly does still work for a lot of people.
However, many modern makeup artists would turn that idea on its head and tell you that concealing your face before applying your foundation is where it’s at.
If you ask us, we personally think it’s great that so many of these techniques and ways of doing makeup keep popping up on social media because makeup shouldn’t just be about sticking to the rules. In fact, we think that everyone should break the rules now and again.
For some, applying makeup in the traditional way might not actually work as well for them, and so by breaking the rules, the possibilities within makeup become endless.
In addition, not only can it be fun to discover new techniques and ways of doing your makeup, but having more options under your belt can help you discover what works best for you. After all, how can we possibly learn what works well for us as individuals if we only stick to traditional methods and don’t experiment?
That’s also why we’ve put together this guide, to consider both sides of the coin so that you can decide whether concealer or foundation is the best first step in your makeup routine hence forward.
The best way to think of concealer is like the magic wand of makeup products. While you don’t apply the product to your entire face like you do with foundation, concealer is responsible for covering up any blemishes, imperfections, dark circles, and uneven skin tone.
Concealer also comes in various shades to complement your skin tone, just like foundation. But unlike foundation (whereby you want to match the shade as closely as possible to your skin tone), concealer does not need to be an exact match.
For example, choosing a concealer one or two shades lighter than your foundation colour can help correct dark circles and patches of skin. One or two shades darker can help to colour-correct specific areas of the skin.
If you want to take it a step further, concealers also come in colour-correcting shades such as purple, yellow, blue, and red, which can counteract various skin concerns and hide them. We told you it was a magic product!
Foundation is applied to the entire face and works by creating a smooth, flawless canvas for you to then work the rest of your makeup magic on. In the process, foundation also helps to even out skin tone and conceal any areas of concern on the skin.
With foundation, however you want to ensure that it does match your skin tone as closely as possible. This will help to give you much more natural results and keep you feeling your most confident self.
Foundations also come in liquid, powder, and cream formulas, so that you can choose the right type for your skin type/concerns.
While two different products with similar goals, both foundation and concealer work exceptionally well when paired together. You could say that they are the heroes of makeup, both with different jobs but working towards the same goal. Which brings us onto the matter at hand…
Well, traditionally, foundation comes first. It is, after all, the foundation of your makeup. For many of us, we’ve always been led to believe that foundation always goes on first (after our skincare routine, of course), followed by concealer, which is then applied to add extra coverage on top of the foundation.
However, there is no right or wrong when it comes to this question, and a lot of it is down to personal preference. So while foundation is seen as the natural first step, there are always other perspectives within makeup for you to consider.
One of the best things about makeup is how you don’t actually have to stick to any rules. The downside to this is that it can cause confusion, especially if you’re just starting out in makeup. But it doesn’t actually have to be confusing.
In fact, makeup artists are always looking for different ways to do makeup, which we think is great as it allows everyone (beginner or pro) to find the method that works for best for them.
So while foundation is seen as the primary product in any makeup routine, that’s not always the hard and fast rule.
Enter ‘underpainting,’ which has become a huge trend on TikTok recently after makeup artists to the stars Mary Phillips and Scott Barnes made the technique known to hordes of followers.
The makeup experts, who have worked on the glamorous looks of celebs such as Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and JLO, weren’t actually the first to do the technique of underpainting but have opened up the possibilities of makeup to a whole new generation.
The idea of underpainting goes that by reversing the order in which you apply your makeup, you can actually achieve more flawless, natural, and glamorous results than putting your foundation on first.
So with this technique, the process would go: bronzer and contouring shades first, concealer next, and then foundation on top. After that, you can add in your blush and highlight to tie it all together. Don’t forget to spritz and set your base for long-lasting results throughout the day.
Essentially, there are no real differences in how you would apply your concealer or foundation; the only difference is the order. What underpainting does give you is a look that is both natural and glamourous while also being well-defined and seamless at the same time.
As Mary Phillips said in an interview, “To me, it makes more sense. It’s like laying down the bones under the skin. So the contour and highlight being the bones and the skin being the foundation.”
Would you give underpainting a go, or are you sticking to foundation first? Whichever method you choose, there are no rights and wrongs. What ultimately matters is what works best for you.
