How To Use Skin Care As a Makeup Base

Combining makeup with skincare can give you the perfect makeup base. We have teamed up with Makeup-up Labs to answer Google’s most commonly asked questions regarding makeup and skincare.

Q. Should I do my skincare before makeup?

MakeupLabs say: Absolutely! Skincare should be used to prep your face before applying makeup. There are many reasons for this. Firstly, regularly looking after your skin will reduce facial blemishes, dryness, and impurities. This will result in your makeup going on smoother, lasting longer, and looking better. Secondly, having a good skincare routine ensures that you properly remove all your makeup at the end of the day. Doing so, again, will keep your skin healthy and clean and this will provide the perfect makeup base. Lastly, a lot of people worry that applying makeup regularly is damaging to their skin. It is therefore essential for you to take care of your skin by having a skincare routine in place. That way your makeup will not be damaging and only accentuate your natural beauty. 

Dr Skincare says: “It’s important to set the base for the perfect face”

Dr Skincare (2022)

A beautiful makeup base comes from taking care of your skin. To get the perfect look, you need to prepare your face for makeup in the right way. Before applying makeup products, we recommend following a tailored skincare routine that complements your skin type. The first step should always be to cleanse using a product that meets your individual skin needs. For example, if you have acne-prone skin, it is best to use a cleanser such as La Roche Posay Effaclar gel cleanser, as it stops skin looking oily under make-up. We actually wrote a blog on this product as part of a full skincare routine for acne-prone skin. Exfoliation is another important step in your skincare routine however we recommend only doing this 3 times per week as over-exfoliation can irritate the skin. Start with a gentle exfoliant such as Goldfaden MD and watch your makeup base shine! A tailored serum is also an essential part of the routine and should be complemented with a moisturiser to set the base for make-up application. For example, if your skin type is dry, use a hydrating serum such as Dr Barbara Strum to ensure skin does not flake under make-up and impact your makeup base. 

Q. Is skincare the same as makeup?

MakeupLabs say: No. Whilst a lot of makeup is now formulated with skin-caring properties, and many skincare products feature slight tints and ‘makeup’ coverage, the two are not the same. You could have a skincare routine but not use makeup and vice versa. However, we believe that having a skincare routine and using makeup regularly can give you the perfect makeup base. The better you look after your skin… the better your makeup will look. 

While skin care is more important in the long run, that does not mean it is by any means better than makeup. There’s absolutely no harm in loving and investing in good makeup but your first and foremost priority should be healthy skin.

Compared to make-up which aims to cover imperfections or enhance facial features, skin care products seek to reduce the signs of ageing and help rejuvenate the largest organ in our body. Doing things like wearing sunscreen, washing your face daily, and using a good moisturiser can prevent invasive treatments down the road. Neglect can result in many preventable problems. Skincare has its roots in dermatology and all the products on Dr Skincare’s website have been curated by doctors and dermatologists.

Q. Why are skincare products important in achieving the perfect makeup base?

MakeupLabs say: As mentioned in the last reply, we think looking after your skin is extremely important to ahcieve a perfect makeup base. For example, for those of you who have sensitive skin, you might not be willing to experiment with makeup out of fear of doing more damage. But, having your skincare routine in place will make you more confident, improve your skin, and act as a barrier.

In today’s world, it is easy for people to get caught up in their busy lives and forget about taking care of themselves properly. Skincare routines, like our dermalogica nightly layering routine, are essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and can help you feel good from inside out. 

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it protects you from outside elements. It also serves as a barrier for things like bacteria to enter your body. When you don’t take care of this vital part of yourself, your immune system can be compromised! You also won’t be able to achieve the perfect makeup base.

Additionally, as you get older, your skin begins to age and there are natural processes that take place, like the loss of collagen, in addition to fine lines. This can be reversed by using anti-aging products or serums.

Q. What skincare to use before makeup?

MakeupLabs say: We think our partners, DrSkincare, will be much more knowledgeable on this one 😉 but we have our own personal favourites too. For us, the best skincare to use before makeup is exfoliators, toners, moisturisers and SPFs. We discuss how important SPF is as part of a skincare routine before applying makeup in our blog post: read here . Additionally, if we feel fancy, we use essential oils in our skincare routine – which not only helps your skin but it also is known to act as a calming factor. 

The skincare you use before applying make-up should always match your skin type. Most people fail to truly diagnose their skin condition, thus they choose the wrong products due to the lack of knowledge of skincare ingredients and how these pertain to their skin condition. Aside from hormonal fluctuations, most skin care issues arise from lack of water or sufficient oil to trap that water in the skin- a healthy moisture barrier. Balancing the oil/water ratio for your skin type will resolve most skin care issues and therefore allow for better make-up base. We believe that the best approach is focusing on a healthy skin barrier – once that is done, your make-up will glide on more smoothly. 

Q. What makeup brands/products are good for your skin?

MakeupLabs say: If you’re looking at complexion makeup, the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation is particularly good as it keeps skin refreshed, radiant, and smelling good. For lips, the Le Rouge Perfecto by Givenchy is ideal at keeping your lips soft and glossy. We think that for eyebrows, the Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Gel is really subtle and not-harmful to your skin. You simply graze it across your brows, lightly applying the formula. This keeps your eyebrows soft and stylish.

We only recommend the best doctor and derma curated skincare brands on our website. Some of these include Murad, Dr Dennis Gross, La-Roche Posay, Dermalogica, Lancer, Altruist, Dr Sebagh, 111Skin and Goldfaden MD.  We explain each brands credentials in our blog posts on the Dr Skincare website.

Q. What makeup brands/products are bad for your skin?

MakeupLabs say: Thankfully, most makeup is completely harmless to your skin. However, some problems may arise if you don’t pay attention to what you’re using and how you’re applying it. For example, some makeup products have a long list of ingredients. These are typically products you want to avoid. Rather, opt for makeup with minimal ingredients that are natural and organic. As well, something we’re bad for, you need to make sure your makeup is in-date. We discuss how to determine if your makeup has expired or not. You can read more on that here (https://makeuplabs.co.uk/featured/expired-makeup/). Lastly, removing your makeup is the best way to prevent bad skin. Leaving your makeup on overnight is known to cause skin irritation and can lead to spots and blemishes.

At Dr Skincare, we don’t believe in gimmicks. Instagram is full of trending products such as charcoal masks, CBD skin care and jade rollers that, in our opinion,  are a waste of money.  Watch out for these and gather research from credible sources. 

Used daily, makeup remover wipes can actually cause friction and even tear the skin. Plus, since they’re dampened, a lot of alcohol and preservatives are required to keep the wipes from moulding neither of which are great for sensitive skin.Even if your particular skin can handle the abrasiveness and alcohol content of face wipes, they are not good for the environment and we believe it is important to support brands that have an ethical footprint.  

Q. What skincare brands/products are good for your skin?

MakeupLabs say: After reading DrSkincare’s blog post on the Best Dermatological Skin Care Products, we agree that the best skincare brands to use, which are good for your skin, are La Roche Posay and Dr Barbara Sturm. 

The brands selected to be on our website were chosen due to their strong credentials and doctor lead research that drives all product development. We recommend browsing our website to discover the story behind each brand and select products that match your skin type. We have recommended a few routines from La-Roche-Posay and Dermalogica that are specific for acne-prone and dry skin.  Take a look for some inspiration.

Q. Where to buy skincare in the UK?

MakeupLabs say: Easy! DrSkincare.co.uk – a must for all skincare products.

We provided detailed information of the derma and doctor curated products on our website:

Q. Where to buy makeup in the UK?

MakeupLabs say: Not to be biassed… but we think our website www.makeuplabs.co.uk is pretty great for your makeup needs. We also have a blog that discusses makeup tips, tricks and trends. Read it here.

Q. I’m a beginner, how do I start my skincare journey?

MakeupLabs say: Start by checking out the DrSkincare blog, which you can read here. We firmly believe that your skincare journey is super personal to you. Read around, speak to experts, and try it out for yourself. If you like a new product, we recommend doing a patch test before to see if it suits your skin. If in 48 hours there is no irritation, then it’s worth trying the product out properly.

First and foremost, it’s important to get into a routine and make skin care a habit. We view skin care as a form of self-care, as it has mental as well as aesthetic benefits for our well-being.  

In terms of starting routine, we offer a lot of sets on our website from brands such as Dermalogica, Murad and Lancer. This provides an opportunity to try out products before investing in larger sizes. It’s important to remember, results can take up to 3 weeks to show! Consistency and Patience is key. 

Q. I’m a beginner, how do I start my makeup journey?

MakeupLabs say: Our blog is a good place to start. We have a section called the ‘How To Guides’ (https://makeuplabs.co.uk/the-how-to-guides/) which is perfect for beginners. Try to figure out your best features, and research which products accentuate these, and go from there. We also recommend going to a makeup class if there’s one near you. 

An effective skin care routine is essential for providing a base to your make-up. We recommend you do some research to determine your skin type and take a look at the “skin type” section of our website to find products that suit your specific needs. https://drskincare.co.uk/skin-type/