How to Prep Your Skin for Flawless Makeup

It sounds simple, but it is surprising how many of us forget this step. It gets rid of any excess oils or dirt, getting your skin ready for products. If you have the time, wash your face with a rich cleanser first of all. We like the Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser as it helps soothe the skin at the same time as keeping it squeaky clean. If you're in a rush, then use a micellar water like the La Roche-Posay Micellar Solution. Just soak a cotton pad and sweep all over the face.

Lots of makeup artists swear by using a really rich moisturiser before doing their client's makeup. It helps to plump up the skin, smooth fine lines and add a little bit of natural glow. A couple of pro favouirites are the Darphin Hydraskin Rich and the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré. They both leave the skin feeling satin soft. If you tend to use serums before moisturisers and have a few layers of skincare, it can all start pilling. Avoid that by letting each layer of skincare sink in for 5 minutes or so and by making sure to pat in skincare rather than rubbing it in

This can be skipped if you're going to be indoors, but any outdoor time should always call for an SPF as part of your prep. It helps protect your skin longterm and the right one will help boost the effects of your moisturiser, keeping skin smooth and hydrated. We really love the Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield (at least half our office swears by it) and the La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid is ideal for sensitive skins.

With eyeshadow, liner and lipsticks all just as important as your foundation, don't forget to help prep your lips and eyes. An eye mask like the Gatineau Collagene Expert Eye Pads will hydrate and soothe the eyes, calming any puffiness or fine lines. For the lips, we love to use a lip scrub like the Laura Geller Lip Strip to get rid of any flakes and then apply a lip balm to absorb whilst we do the rest of our preparation. Our favourite right now is the REN Vita Mineral Lip Balm.

The finishing touch for the perfect base before your makeup is to use a primer. They help smooth the skin and help makeup stay on for longer. We've already shared our advice for choosing the right primer; find the one that supports your skin's needs. Some classic primers that we adore are the Stila One Step Correct, which helps to even out the skin tone, and the Illamasqua Hydra Veil, which self-levels on the skin to give a beautifully smooth base. Let that sink in and you're ready to start applying your makeup like a pro.