If you’ve ever wondered what order to put on makeup or whether you should apply your foundation or eyeshadow first, you’re in good company. While there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to apply makeup, completing certain makeup steps before others can help ensure a seamless end result. Moreover, standardizing the order of your makeup application can help take the guesswork out of your daily routine.
It’s true that some orders of makeup application yield better results than others. And in many cases, the timing of your makeup steps depends on the look you’re going for. With that said, there’s a general rule of thumb that works well for most makeup looks. Whether you’re learning how to do makeup for the first time or you’re looking to improve upon your existing routine, read on as we share a step-by-step routine that includes the ideal makeup order to craft the perfect look every time.
As a general rule, the best order to apply makeup is: base makeup, face makeup, eye makeup, then lip makeup (with some wiggle room on the latter two). We’ll break down each makeup step and explain what order to put on makeup ahead.
Skincare and SPF are the unspoken first step of any solid makeup routine, and they can have a big impact on the wear and finish of your makeup. Like makeup order, a skincare routine is personal, but before applying your makeup for the day you should include a cleanser, a serum (we recommend the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum), moisturizer, and SPF. The L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Lotion is a great choice for daytime; it contains UVA and UVB and blends seamlessly on all skin tones without leaving a white cast.
If you don’t have time for a lengthy morning routine, consider a moisturizer with SPF to prime and protect your skin in a single step. Look for formulations with SPF 30 or greater, such as the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power Day Lotion SPF 30. While it’s great to wear foundation with SPF, that alone does not offer ample protection from UV rays (you would need to apply at least a nickel-sized dollop to get full protection), so it’s best to still wear sunscreen under your foundation with SPF. And, as always, take other sun protection measures—like avoiding direct sunlight and seeking shade when possible—to help keep your skin safe.
Priming the skin is another essential makeup step, as primers can help extend the wear of your makeup and can improve the appearance of specific skin concerns such as enlarged pores, dullness, or unwanted shine.
After giving your skincare adequate time to absorb, apply a thin layer of the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer. The luminous primer offers a natural-looking glow with instant hydration. Keep in mind that less is more when it comes to primer—usually, a dime-sized amount should suffice. Apply it to the center of your face, and use your fingers to slowly blend it out towards your cheeks, forehead, and chin.
Addressing discoloration and blemishes is the last step of makeup before applying foundation, and it’s best achieved with a color-correcting concealer.
The rules of color correcting align with the color wheel: Colors that lay opposite one another on the wheel effectively cancel each other out. Green, for example, can help neutralize the appearance of redness caused by blotchiness or blemishes, whereas peach, bisque, and orange tones can help soften the appearance of dark circles, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation. Apply the appropriate color of concealer where needed, and use your fingers to blend it in until it’s even.
Consider foundation as an even canvas for the rest of your makeup. The key to finding your perfect foundation is choosing the one that matches your skin tone.
A simple way to tell whether a foundation matches your skin is to swatch it against your jawline: The best match should seemingly disappear into your skin. You can also use our Virtual Foundation Shade Finder for help narrowing down which foundation shade might be a good fit for you.
It’s also important to consider your skin type when choosing a foundation. Those with dry skin may prefer a radiant, hydrating formula such as the L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation and L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glow Skin Tint. On the other hand, those with oily skin may prefer the matte and long-wearing formula of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Foundation in a Powder. Oily skin types may also want to seek out foundations with key claims like non-comedogenic and transfer resistant. The L’Oréal Paris Infallible 32 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation, which has a natural finish, is one option that fits the bill.
The type of foundation you choose will dictate how you apply it: liquid foundation works well with a makeup sponge while powder foundation pairs better with a brush. Keep in mind, however, that you typically want to apply makeup in order of texture—liquids should always come before powders. If you’re using a powder foundation and a liquid or cream concealer, you may want to apply your concealer first for a smoother finish.
After foundation, the next proper makeup step would be to add concealer. The reason concealer is applied after foundation is because foundation helps even out your base—and once you apply foundation, you may find that you need less concealer than you originally thought.
Concealer is great for brightening up certain areas of your face and adding extra coverage to areas that may need it, like blemishes or dark circles. You can also use it to contour your face and add dimension. The L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer is a great choice for your makeup routine; it offers medium coverage that neutralizes dark circles and visibly depuffs under-eye bags. If you need heavier-duty coverage, try the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer Up to 24H Full Coverage. The pigmented formula gives full coverage with a flawless matte finish.
Your desired end result should guide your concealer application. If your only concern is camouflaging dark spots or redness, apply it just to the areas of concern. Otherwise, you can apply a small amount to any areas the light would naturally hit for a bright, lit-from-within look. Just be sure to blend it out well for an undetectable finish.
Editor’s tip: If you’re going for a smokey eye, or any type of dramatic and dark eye makeup look, your order of makeup may look a bit different. Consider applying your eye makeup first, then cleaning up your undereye area and applying your concealer and foundation afterward. This helps prevent eyeshadow fallout from disrupting your base makeup.
Face makeup—specifically, bronzer, highlighter, and blush—are the next makeup steps you’ll want to follow. You don’t need to use all three, but the best time to apply them is after you’ve perfected your base and concealer.
If you’re using a powder bronzer, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Soft Matte Bronzer, it’s best to pair it with a powder blush and highlighter. Liquid and cream bronzers, meanwhile, blend beautifully with liquid and cream products. No matter what type of formula you choose, we recommend applying your bronzer to areas you’d naturally tan, such as your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose, and along your hairline.
After applying your bronzer, tap a liquid blush, like the L'Oréal Paris Paradise Lumi Le Liquid Blush, onto the apples of your cheeks and blend out the pigment with your fingers for a soft wash of color. Then, draw attention to the high points of your face (such as the tops of your cheekbones, your brow bones, and your Cupid's bow) with the L'Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick, creating a glass-skin effect. If you prefer powder, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24HR Highlighter Powder instead. The buildable formula works for everything from a soft lit-from-within glow to a radiant high-shine finish.
Once you’ve finished your complexion, remove any leftover foundation from your brows and start perfecting your arches. The L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Mechanical Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil can help to shape your brows and create the illusion of thicker, fuller arches. For those with thinner or sparser brows, the L’Oréal Paris Faux Brow Hair-Like Brow Filling Pen is a fantastic option, as it easily creates hair-like strokes for a naturally full brow look.
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For a less intricate application, opt for the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24HR Brow Lamination, which is applied with a mascara-like wand. The clear gel leaves brows looking full and lifted and stays in place for up to 24 hours without any sticky texture or residue.
Next up in the proper makeup order is eyeshadow—though the shadow you wear and how you apply it is largely up to you. Natural eye makeup is a great option for daytime, since it’s designed to emphasize your features without overpowering them. To achieve a natural eye makeup look, we suggest using the L'Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick. The creamy formula comes in eight shades—some matte, some shimmery—and it can be applied directly from the tube for a one-and-done look. Keep it simple with a neutral shade for the daytime or add a darker hue to your crease and outer corner for a quick-and-easy nighttime smokey eye. Throw it in your makeup bag for re-applying during the day or for when you need to go from day to night.
Next in the proper order of makeup application is eyeliner to help define your eyes. If winged eyeliner is your go-to, try the L’Oréal Paris Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner. This liquid eyeliner is water- and transfer-proof plus, the precise felt tip is perfect for drawing the sharpest of wings. For the waterline, opt for the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner. This gel formula comes in classic shades, like black, brown, and nude, as well as trendier hues including turquoise and emerald green. For beginners, the L’Oréal Paris Infallible
Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner is a great product, due to its creamy texture and smudge-resistant formula.
It’s easier to get the perfect winged liner when you apply your eyeliner before your mascara, which is why it’s typically the next step of makeup application. Plus, a few coats of mascara bring the whole eye look together, so think of it as the perfect finishing touch. Curl your lashes and sweep on a few coats of the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Big Deal Buildable Washable Mascara to give your lashes endlessly buildable volume and length with a clump-free finish. If you’d prefer a waterproof option, we recommend the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Waterproof Mascara—the volumizing formula provides up to 24 hours of flake- and smudge-resistant wear.
Much like the way mascara brings your eye look together, lipstick or lip gloss brings the whole makeup look together. Start by lining your lips with the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lip Liner. Then, decide if you want to top it off with a lip balm, lipstick, or lip gloss.
To get instantly smoother, plumper-looking lips, try L’Oréal Paris Plump Ambition Hyaluron Lip Oil. Infused with hyaluronic acid and tripeptides, it comes in 10 shades and provides up to 24 hours of hydration. If you prefer lipstick, try the classic L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick or the long-wearing L’Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick.
The final thing you’ll want to do before heading out the door is set your makeup. Thismakeup step helps seal your products into place so you don’t have to worry about constantly touching up your look throughout the day.
A great way to set your liquid makeup is by using a setting powder, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blur-Fection Longwear Loose Setting Powder. The lightweight formula helps blur imperfections, brightens the skin, and provides long-lasting shine control. If you have dry skin, use a setting spray instead. We love the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist, as it helps keep makeup looking fresh for up to 36 hours and won’t settle into fine lines.
If you’re new to makeup, you might not be sure what works for you yet, and that’s okay. Half of the fun of makeup is that it affords you the opportunity to experiment with different products and techniques. Once you find a look that you love, write down what you used and how. This method allows you to remember what worked well and what you might want to tweak next time.
It’s also a good idea to take photos of your makeup in different lighting conditions, such as natural versus artificial light, to better understand how your makeup looks in various environments. This can be especially useful since lighting can drastically affect how your makeup appears.
Additionally, social media can be a great tool for tracking your progress and finding inspiration. You can create private albums to keep your makeup journey organized or even join beauty communities to get tips from others. These platforms can help you discover new techniques and products to experiment with in your own routine.
Regularly cleaning your makeup brushes and tools is essential for helping your makeup application go smoothly and maintaining healthy-looking skin. Dirty brushes can accumulate bacteria, oils, and product residue, which can interfere with your makeup application or lead to skin concerns. To keep your tools in top condition, establishing a simple cleaning schedule is a great idea. Here’s what we recommend:
It's also important to watch for signs that a brush or tool may need to be replaced. If the bristles are shedding or becoming misshapen, the tool may no longer perform well. Persistent stains or an unpleasant odor, even after cleaning, can also indicate that it's time for a replacement.
Makeup products have expiration dates to ensure they remain safe and effective. As a general guideline, mascara and liquid eyeliner should be replaced every three to six months due to the risk of bacteria buildup in the applicators. Foundation and concealer typically last between six months and a year, while powders such as blush, bronzer, and eyeshadow can be used for a year or two in most cases. However, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule—always refer to the expiration date noted on the product (it’ll usually be denoted by a letter and a number, such as 6M for six months).
To stay on top of product expiration, consider labeling your makeup with a label maker or marker, noting the purchase or opening date. This simple step helps you keep track of when products need to be replaced. It’s also a great idea to do a seasonal or biannual inventory check of your makeup arsenal. During this time, declutter any expired or unused products and restock your essentials to ensure your makeup routine is always fresh and ready. This will help you maintain a functional, organized collection and avoid using expired items that could cause irritation or not perform well.
Next Up: How To Build a Natural Makeup Routine, Plus 15 Fresh-Faced Looks
Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris
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