How to Wear Foundation With Freckles
3 Makeup Artists Share All You Need to Know About Wearing Foundation If You Have Freckles
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"Who tried drawing on freckles with eye pencil in 2018?" makeup artist Hannah Martin asked me. I know I definitely dotted an eyebrow pencil over the bridge of my nose on occasion, and I know I'm not alone. Some might call it the Meghan Markle effect, or maybe we're finally starting to embrace our natural beauty more; whatever the reason, freckles are on trend right now. However, it's not always easy to apply foundation if you still want your freckles to show through. If you find yourself in this particular predicament, fear not.
Three celebrity makeup artists shared their advice on everything you need to know about wearing foundation with freckles, as well as a few tips on how to create faux ones for those who don't have any naturally. Read on for the best tips, and get ready to embrace, or enhance, what your mama gave you.
"Spot Treat" Your Foundation
Meghan Markle definitely brought freckles to our attention last year. The duchess's choice for ultranatural makeup, even on her wedding day, isn't something we're used to seeing in the royal family, specifically on the Duchess of Cambridge, who prefers a heavier application.
When discussing Markle's wedding makeup, her makeup artist Daniel Martin explained that it wasn't about trendy makeup but about making her look like herself, which meant her freckles were on show. Martin explained that the key to Markle's foundation being medium coverage and long-lasting but still ensuring her freckles shone through was by "spot treating" the foundation application. This meant he only used product in specific areas to "balance out any redness or uneven skin tone," which enabled her freckles to come through.
Welcome Some Face Oil Into Your Routine
Hannah Martin (you might recognise the name as the woman behind Princess Eugenie's beautiful wedding makeup) said, "For those lucky enough to have freckles naturally, now is the time to embrace them more than ever." She suggests using a foundation with a sheer formula that will still even out the skin tone without full coverage; one of her favourites is Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser (£34).
However, if you like your coverage slightly heavier, she recommends layering concealer, like Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (£24), over tinted moisturiser. Alternatively, she explained, "you can easily sheer out foundation over your cheeks by applying a little face oil in the area before you apply your foundation. The foundation will 'grab' everywhere but will be sheered out anywhere you've applied the oil."
Get on the Faux Freckle Train
Nikki Wolff, a celebrity makeup artist, is all aboard the faux freckle train (and so are we), as well as embracing your own. She, too, suggests using a tinted moisturiser and a separate concealer where necessary, which she says will give "fresh, natural-looking skin and is perfect for showing natural texture and freckles." Wolff likes La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation Broad Spectrum (£90) for lightweight coverage.
Wolff also recommends creating faux freckles using Freck (£17), which can be "dotted on to create super-natural-looking freckles." Alternatively, she likes to dot an eyebrow pencil along the bridge of the nose to enhance the appearance of freckles.
