Fashion

How To Keep Your Foundation From Cracking

by Jillian Ruffo

A lot of dread comes to mind as the temperature drops: mounds of snow, freezing treks to work, more snow, and of course, dry, chapped skin. It’s an endless battle. You moisturize every morning, but by the time you apply your foundation, it’s as if your face has already soaked up every ounce of hydration, leaving you to cover up dry, flaky patches — a task that you know is impossible if you’ve ever attempted it. Even Maddi Bragg, who lives in sunny LA, says that she’s endlessly trying to cure her dry patches during cold months. There’s simply nothing worse than looking in the mirror to see that your foundation has settled in the cracks of what was once smooth skin.

But to your surprise, it doesn’t have to be so bad. By simply switching up the steps in your morning routine and altering the formulas that you use, your flaky foundation won’t stand a chance. And get this: your foundation will actually stay on all day.

So in an effort to maintain smooth skin all year round, we teamed up with Maddi and COVERGIRL to bring you the steps that will keep you flawless and smooth through April.

The Tools:

COVERGIRL+Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer, Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation, Clean Pressed Powder for Oil Control, all by COVERGIRL.

Step 1: Hydrate & Prime

The key to keeping your skin hydrated all day long is creating a moisture-packed base. Moisturize as usual, then apply a primer that both hydrates and smooths your skin.

Step 2: Apply Foundation

No matter how oily you are, don't reach for a bottle that boasts mattifying properties, which can dry you out. Instead go, for a creamy full-coverage formula that dries dewy. Apply a drop of foundation to the back of your hand and then smooth it onto your skin using a sponge, starting on your cheeks and chin and blending up and out.

Step 3: Set It In

If you're worried about oil, here's your fix. Sweep pressed powder foundation all over using a big fluffy brush. The extra layer will lock in the moisture beneath it, while the brush applies a light enough coat to keep your skin looking fresh and oil-free, without cakey-looking dryness.

And there you have it: smooth skin that will never fail.

Images: Lauren Perlstein/Bustle; Makeup: Joy Fennell; Hair: Adam Maclay; Sweater: ASOS

This article is sponsored by COVERGIRL.