Does The TikTok Foundation Hack Really Work?

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If you need your foundation to last all day, you’d probably apply your products in this order: moisturiser, primer, foundation and powder. Some people might add in concealer, others may swap powder for a setting spray. Either way, few would contest the order of application. At least that was the case until TikToker Jarida (pronounced yaa-ree-da), aka @jaridamat, posted a video and turned the whole thing on its head… 

What Is The Foundation Hack? 

Jarida starts her video with: “If you wear makeup, change your whole routine and try this instead.” First, she suggests, you apply your moisturiser, then dab on translucent powder, followed by setting spray. Once the setting spray has dried, use a primer and then apply your foundation. “It’s going to stay on 24/7 and it’s not going to crease,” promises Jarida, who goes on to reveal that this technique has been around for years, but has only just discovered it herself. 

The video has garnered over 530k likes and plenty of comments with people keen to put it to the test and some who swear by the hack themselves. 

Does It Work?

Having settled into a minimal makeup routine for the past five months, the idea of swapping Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser for powder, primer, setting spray and foundation wasn’t overly appealing. However, I put it to the test with the help of Kevyn Aucoin’s NEW Sensual Skin Primer, which on a side note should be a mandatory makeup buy for anyone who wears foundation. 

Through the lens of a camera or for a special occasion when you need your makeup to stay in place all day, there is definitely merit in this approach. My makeup looked as flawless at 5pm as it did when I applied it at 10am. Usually I find that my base wears away and my skin looks slightly paler and less glowy.

Overall though, it felt like I was wearing a lot of makeup and I found it a bit alien to use a setting spray before applying foundation. Usually I prefer to mist my face with a hydrating setting spray that boosts my glow and feels like it’s sealing my makeup in place. Having tried it just once I think I’ll stick to my tinted moisturiser with a quick layer Kevyn Aucoin’s lightweight primer underneath for the foreseeable. 

What Do The Experts Say?

“We’re all different, but for me skin should look like skin,” says makeup artist Anna Payne. “It should look healthy and natural and makeup should enhance it.The TikTok method can flatten the face and remove all contours from the outset. It also has the potential to look quite heavy.” 

Anna recommends using a pore refining primer before your foundation – she loves Becca Skin Love Brighten & Blur Primer. “Wherever possible, I avoid applying foundation to the bridge of the nose and cheek bones as these are the areas the eye is drawn to,” says Anna. “The trick is to use concealer and foundation only where you need it. This way you can get away with using more product but still look as though you’re not wearing much makeup.”

She finishes with a light dusting of Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder along the T-zone and leaves the rest of the face with a dewy glow.