Levelling Up My Cream Makeup with Sephora

It’s been a while since I’ve been adding more cream makeup into my routine. And by a while, I mean along the lines of 3 or 4 years. “They” say it’s better after you turn 40 to use more creams than powders, due to less settling into any fine lines and creasing. (Disclosure, I’m 47 now. I started blogging when I was 29.) And while that is true, there’s a sharp learning curve. I’m sure we’ve all seen the reels and stories of women dotting various kinds of makeup all over their face, which then looks amazing when quickly blended. I wish cream makeup was truly that easy!

I’ve found that there really are some adjustments that need to be made for cream makeup. It isn’t something that should be slapped on quickly, or even really applied directly onto the face. When I do either of those things, the result is makeup that looks heavy on my skin, streaks when blended, or creases by mid-afternoon.

Today I’m sharing my biggest tips for cream makeup application that looks light and pretty and lasts all day! This is the makeup I wear to work, and it needs to last all day without reapplication or touch ups. I’m sharing my favorite products for each of these tips, and yes… you can get them all at Sephora! It did take me a while to find the best products to make this work for me, but some of them I was lucky to discover via the Sephora Rewards Bazaar! I love spending the points that I earn as a member of the Sephora Beauty Insider Program to get mini versions of favorites and new things to try. I also fully admit that I’ve become a bit addicted to the Same Day Delivery option they offer, though if I’m heading to work I will use buy online & pick up in-store instead since I drive right by the store. If you don’t belong to the Beauty Insider Program yet, consider this your reminder to join.

Skin Prep is More Important

Somehow, I initially assumed that because my makeup was going to have more creams instead of powders, I could either go a little easy or at least… not put so much effort into my skincare prep? But, I was wrong! Skincare prep is actually more important as you get older, and in part that is because my skin has gotten drier with age. Smoothing out any little dry areas with extra hydration makes a big difference under cream products. The creams will apply smoother and in light, even layer if your skin is well moisturized.

I’ve mentioned these products before, but I’ve really been loving the Farmacy Honey Milk Hydrating Essence and Wake Up Honey Eye Cream. They’re both hydrating, gentle on my skin, and sink in quickly so I can move on to my makeup. If I want super hydration under my eyes, the La Mer The Eye Concentrate Cream does also sink into my skin nicely to prep for makeup, but it is more moisturizing than the Farmacy. I usually reach for the La Mer in the winter when my skin is a little drier, especially if I’ve been outside.

Customizing

These products really should not be applied from their packaging directly onto the face. Your application will be too heavy, and while creams are blendable they usually don’t travel that far across the skin. I have a much easier time when I put the product directly onto the back of my hand first, where my body temp can warm it up a bit, helping to loosen up the product. I also love to customize it a bit when it’s on my hand. Here I’m customizing my Dior Forever Skin Perfect 24H Multi-Use Foundation Stick with a little bit of the Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter to add luminosity, and a spritz of Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Waterproof Setting Spray. I sometimes will add a bit Farmacy Honey Milk Hydrating Essence if I want to lighten the coverage a bit.

I also apply my cream shadows (when in a tube) to the back of my hand before applying to my eyes. I can pick up just the right amount with a brush before application.

Brushes are Your Friends

While it does feel like you could just quickly apply a couple of cream products with your fingertips, I’ve found that my results are a lot better if I apply with a brush. With fingers my application is too heavy and the blending inconsistent. I like to use a slightly stiffer brush when working with cream products, picking up a small amount of product first from the back of my hand and then usually tapping it on a clean spot of my hand to help with product distribution before applying to my face.

Some of my current favorite brushes to use with cream products:
• Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation Brush: It’s small and slightly rounded, but big enough to use for my entire face.
• Hourglass Vanish™ Seamless Finish Concealer Brush: Slightly rounded and it fits perfectly under my eyes and around my nose
• NARS #11 Soft Matte Complete Concealer Brush: I like that this brush is a bit stiffer and smaller, most of my other brushes have bristles that are too long and not great for working with a cream product. I use it for my eye shadows, I’m hoping to find a couple more so I have options when working on my eyes. Let me know if you’ve found some great options!

Creams and then Powders

When using cream makeup, my results are much less likely to crease if I apply in the order of creams and then powders. Creams never go on top of powders!

My current favorite creams:
• Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix: There’s a reason some of these colors are now so hard to find! Colorfix comes in a huge range of shades, finishes, including many nude shades. They work anywhere on your face, though I tend to use them as shadows. They blend well and you have a minute or two to apply exactly as you want and then they are set! These things are not moving. At all. Celebration and Ballerina are my favorite for a 1 shade quick eye look.
• Yves Saint Laurent Make Me Blush 12H Blurring Liquid Blush: I love this blush in 44 Nude Lavalliere, the perfect pink-peach nude shade. I love to pair it with this matching lip stain.

The Importance of Not Powder

Finally, after all of that work applying cream products, they need to stay in place! And it probably isn’t too surprising that I use almost no powder. I like to apply a little setting spray all over, either the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray or ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On ‘Til Dawn Setting Spray. ONE/SIZE has a slightly finer spray, but the Charlotte Tilbury is better for mixing into products for even longer lasting makeup.

One of my most recent finds is the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder. It works like a powder to set my makeup, but feels more like a balm. I’ve been applying with a puff, gently patting on to my skin. It does blur a little, which I like, and has a little coverage. Sephora calls it a tinted primer and foundation, but I’ve only tried it as a last step for my makeup. It’s done amazing things to my undereyes!

What are your best tips for using cream makeup?

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Sponsored Post: This post is a collaboration with Sephora. The post idea, the product picks, the thoughts and everything are my own.