A Social Media-Viral Guide to “Smoothing” Your Skin Against Large Pores, Uneven Tone, and Blemishes

Ever found yourself spending hours trying to perfect your makeup, only to realise you look way older instead of achieving that fresh, radiant look you’ve seen online?

It can be pretty disheartening, especially when the trend nowadays is all about that clean and natural makeup look.

But before you start pointing fingers at your genes, makeup stash, or tools, take a moment to read this. We’ve got the ultimate guide to keep you looking fresh and glowing all day!

Achieve Fresh and Clean Makeup By “Smoothing” Your Skin

Want to know what gives K-pop idols like NewJeans members, Jang Won-Young, and Jennie Kim that youthful appearance? It’s the baby-like plumpness of their faces, free from any concave areas.

The key to anti-ageing in makeup is all about achieving a “smooth” complexion. Sometimes, after applying base makeup, you might notice concave or shadowed areas on your face, disrupting the uniform colour tones.

These shadows can add years to your appearance, and are particularly noticeable under your eyes, around your nose (nasal base), and at the corners of your mouth.

Moreover, concave areas can lead to uneven makeup application, giving your base makeup a less-than-ideal, dirty look.

Therefore, it’s important to make sure that your skin is free from any sunken or shaded spots in order to achieve that coveted, flawless, baby-like complexion.

The Ultimate Guide to “Smoothing” Your Skin

Tip #1: Use Primer to Conceal Pores

If you’ve got noticeable pores, it can mess with the smoothness of your skin and make your makeup look too thick.

To address this concern, gently wipe your skin with toner to prep it for makeup application.

Next, opt for a pore-blurring primer, such as the Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Face Primer, to achieve a soft and smooth base.

When applying the primer, use a circular motion to effectively fill in your pores and prevent any makeup from clumping later on.

Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Face Primer (22ml) retails for S$59 and is available on Sephora.

Tip #2: Apply Foundation Against Pores

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For a better foundation application, it’s important to consider the direction of your pores growth, which can vary across different parts of your face as seen in the image below!

For instance, the pores on your nose and around your nostrils typically grow upward. So, when applying foundation to these areas, apply it in a downward motion, as if you’re gently pressing the foundation into the pores.

Conversely, your cheeks have pores that grow downward, so when applying foundation there, press it upward. Avoid any pushing or pulling to prevent skin peeling.

For areas with more pores, apply your foundation in a circular motion, similar to how you would apply your pore primer. Then, gently pat to blend the foundation in.

This technique will help you achieve that flawless, poreless look.

Tip #3: Colour Correct Shadowed Areas

Once you’ve applied your foundation and evened out your facial tone, you may notice shadows in areas like your tear troughs, temples, and laugh lines, which often have a darker bluish tone.

To address this, lightly apply a coral or peachy shade to these concave areas using a colour corrector like MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Conceal And Correct Palette.

This ensures that the shadowed areas blend seamlessly with the rest of your complexion.

MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Conceal And Correct Palette retails for S$76 and is available on Sephora.

Tip #4: Use Light-Coloured Concealer for Brightening

After colour correcting, apply a hydrating light-coloured concealer like Hourglass Vanish™ Airbrush Concealer to the deepest part of the groove. Then, use a concealer brush or powder puff to blend around it.

Keep the area reasonably small, and be careful not to cover your lower lash line when blending upward, as this can make your eyes seem smaller.

This natural highlighting technique enhances the plumpness of your face and gives your base makeup a cleaner appearance.

Hourglass Vanish™ Airbrush Concealer retails for S$61 and is available on Sephora.

Tip #5: Set and Highlight with Powder

For a lasting highlighting effect, apply a transparent or slightly shimmering powder like CANMAKE Marshmellow Finish Powder – Dearest Bouquet on top.

Gently press with a powder puff—this not only ensures the highlighting concealer adheres smoothly to your skin but also creates a more seamless tone with the rest of your skin.

And there you have it! These five simple tips will effortlessly conceal the shadow and concave areas on your face, transforming your makeup into one that’s clean and fresh-looking all day!

CANMAKE Marshmellow Finish Powder – Dearest Bouquet retails for S$24.10 and is available on Watsons.

Feature image credits: @makeuplion/TikTok