There have been may times when I was caught up in a few photo’s, and when these pictures were snapped and I looked back at the photo’s, I found that my face had a weird look to it. When I looked closer I found that my makeup had a weird chalk like look to it. I wasnt sure at first what it could have been, but I began to experiment and try and break down what I put on that night to have a chalky look.
So why did my makeup look chalky, well the only answer that I could come up with was that it could have been a few factors, firstly you will need to go back to basics with makeup and begin with a good skincare regime, if you apply the wrong undertone it will give a different colour to your skin. You can apply the wrong foundation color’s and concealers, and not blend your makeup in correctly.
Not Exfoliating The Skin
One of the many reasons why makeup will look chalky is because the makeup is applied unevenly on the skin. If the skins texture is rough and uneven it will cause makeup to apply unevenly and this cause your makeup to look chalky. When under certain lighting this can cause the makeup to look chalky because it will accentuate the uneven texture.
Before considering applying any type of makeup on the skin its always wise to make sure you make your face a smooth canvass, by exfoliating the face on a weekly basis this removes dead skin cells off the surface of the face. Exfoliators usually have granules that help remove dead skin off the surface.
Once the skin is exfoliated it will look brighter and becomes smoother. Exfoliating the face also allows any other skincare to sink into the skin allowing the surface of the skin to be even more smoother, this will help accentuate any texture on the skin. Your makeup will be applied a lot more smoother on your skin without it sticking onto the texture.
Applying The Wrong Undertone
Before applying makeup to the skin its important to know your skin’s undertone. If the wrong undertone is applied the skin can either look too yellow or too pink. When it comes to pictures makeup can look greyish if the undertone is too cool for the skin.
This can give the skin a chalky effect especially in pictures. There are three main undertones to know which is cool, warm and neutral. Cool undertones usually have hints of red, blue and pink in them. Warm undertones have a more yellow and golden tones.
Neutral will have a mixture of both these undertones. Its always important to choose the correct undertone with a foundation and concealers to avoid having the grey chalky look on the face.
One way to determine your skin’s undertones is by looking at your veins, if they are blue then it means that the skin’s undertone is more on the cool side. If the veins are more on the green side it means the skin is more on the warm side.
Applying The Wrong Color Foundation/Concealers
When it comes to applying foundations and concealers its important to wear the correct color of foundation. If the foundation is too light and is applied on a darker skin tone, then this will make the foundation look chalky.
Its important to make sure your foundation or concealer matches the skin and blends into the skin correctly. When blending foundation, it should look exactly like your skin’s complexion.
When foundation is applied to the skin it should even out the skin’s natural complexion giving it an overall healthy look. If the foundation is the wrong color it will make your skin look chalky and an unhealthy look to it.
Not Blending Makeup Correctly
Another reason why makeup may look chalky is because it may have not been blended in correctly. If makeup is not blended in correctly it can look chalky. If the makeup is applied in thick layers it can appear chalky throughout the day.
In order to avoid this its important to apply makeup in thin layers, by applying makeup in thin layers, it give you more control on the outcome of the overall makeup look. When blending out makeup its important to use the correct tools.
For liquid and cream formulation with makeup look at using buffing brushes or beauty blending sponges. For powdered foundations look at using kabuki brushes and large powder brushes.
Not Dusting Off Excess Makeup
Makeup that isn’t set properly can look chalky. Sometimes when setting the makeup with setting powder and not dusting it off correctly can make the makeup appear chalky.
This is especially true if the baking technique is used and not dusted off properly. Baking is a technique in which setting powder is applied to the skin and the warmth of the skin allows the setting powder to “bake” into the skin which will help smooth out any textures. If this excess setting powder that is left behind on the face after baking can make the makeup appear chalky.
Setting powder is usually more fine mild and sets the makeup and allows it to last longer. Its best to remove excess powder with a large powder brush, by doing this the makeup will look less chalky.
Using A Translucent Powder With Light Reflective Particles
Translucent powders are worn to set foundation and to smooth out the skin. When using translucent powders to set your makeup its important to avoid wearing translucent powders that may have light reflective particles.
Light reflective particles are supposed to help the skin have more of a glow. Sometimes when translucent powders are applied to the skin and dusted off and there is nothing showing on the skin the light reflective particles may be sitting on the skin.
When a picture with flash is taken the light reflective particles begin to reflect making the makeup look chalky. Otherwise this is known as flash back, Its always best to either do a flash test with your camera or avoid wearing translucent powders with light reflective particles. I have wirtten an article on how to prevent flashback with makeup check it out over here.
Its important to also remember not to wear the wrong tinted translucent powder because if it’s the wrong color like foundation, it will look chalky in normal lighting.
Not Setting The Makeup
By not using setting spray to set makeup on the face can be a huge mistake for many of us. If there is a few layers of makeup its best to set the makeup with setting spray so that it melts into the skin which will prevent the chalky look.
Setting powder is one way of setting the makeup but by finishing the overall makeup look with setting spray can make a big difference in how your makeup can look. Setting sprays melts the makeup into the skin which allows it to last longer and prevents the chalky makeup look.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many reasons as to why your makeup can look chalky. It all depends on understanding the makeup application. Skincare can make a difference in how the over all makeup looks. If the skin isn’t exfoliated it can leave a texture behind in which the makeup can cling onto which can make it look chalky in certain lighting.
If the wrong makeup undertone is applied it can make the makeup look chalky especially in pictures. Always make sure the makeup applied has the right undertone to avoid a chalky look.
When using foundations and concealers always make sure it blends in with the skin and looks like your actual skin and not too light otherwise this will give the skin a chalky look. Always make sure that the makeup is blended out correctly with the right makeup tools so it doesn’t look chalky.
Furthermore, make sure you always set the makeup correctly so that it doesn’t have a chalky look. Setting the makeup will allow it to melt into the skin and last longer throughout the day.
Lastly, always do a flash test with your camera after the makeup application too make sure that the makeup doesn’t look chalky in your pictures.