Updated 6/5/21

Many of us start our makeup routine with, well, makeup. But if you’ve ever tried putting product on dry-as-the-desert skin, you’ll know the pain of foundation-colored flakes. And if you have a more oily palette, you’ve probably noticed your makeup slipping, sliding, or smearing halfway through the day.

For makeup to sit well on our skin, prepping our skin first makes a world of difference. Below, we’ve outlined the best ways to best prep your skin before makeup — whether you have normal, dry, oily, or combination skin.

Keep in mind that if nothing else, you can prep your skin beautifully with just two steps: cleansing and then applying a facial oil or serum.

Step 1: Gently Cleanse Your Skin

Let’s start with a clean, fresh palette, shall we? Begin your prep routine by washing your skin with a gentle cleanser that’s right for your skin type. This can be done the night before or the morning of. Take your 3-minute NakedPoppy beauty assessment to find the perfect cleanser for your skin.

  • If you have dry skin, consider an oil, gel, or cream cleanser like the NakedPoppy Nourish Cream Cleanser which help moisturize the skin while cleansing.
  • If you have oily skin, try a gentle gel or foam cleanser like the NakedPoppy Refresh Foaming Cleanser to get rid of dirt and oil without irritating your skin.
  • If you have normal skin, you can try a balm cleanser, or gel or foam cleanser that doesn’t strip your natural oils.
  • If you have combination skin, look for cleansers that are designed for specifically for this skin type.

Splash lukewarm water on your face to help open your pores (avoid hot water, which will dry out your skin). Massage a dime-size amount of cleanser all over your skin in a circular motion.

Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and then pat your face dry with a clean towel. Rubbing your skin dry may irritate your skin — and we don’t want that!

Routine here is key. Feel free to wash your face once or twice a day: once at night to remove makeup and other impurities, and once in the morning if you like. Ladies with sensitive skin may just want to wash their face at night.

Pro Tip: Exfoliate your skin once a week to get rid of dead skin cell build-up. It sounds a little icky, but between makeup, free radicals, and sun exposure, older skin cells can just sit on top of our skin. If your skin looks dull or feels rough, you might need to exfoliate more often. If it looks red or feels raw, you may want to exfoliate a little less. Look for enzyme exfoliants over physical exfoliants for a less abrasive cleanse.

Step 2: Apply Toner, Yes Toner

A lot of people skip toner because it seems like an extra step without much reward.

The truth is, toner is an effective way to help your other skincare products sink in better. Toners are also a great way to get a grip on oily or combination skin, because they can remove leftover oil that prevents makeup from staying on your face.

Go for a gentle toner with ingredients like rosewater, chamomile, or calendula like the Kari Gran Rose Hydrating Tonic. 

Squeeze your toner onto a cotton ball or pad and gently pat your face, as you did while drying your skin after cleansing.

Step 3: Apply Facial Oil or Serum

Think of facial oil or serum like your skin prep holy grail. They help your skin look even and glowy. If you do nothing else to prep your skin besides give it a cleanse and apply facial oil or serum, you’re good to go.

Apply 2-4 drops of your favorite facial oil or serum (our forever go-to is the
NakedPoppy Revitalize Organic Facial Oil) and you’re golden!

Step 4: Moisturize Your Skin

Moisturizing regularly makes for happy skin. Find your perfect moisturizer match by taking your 3-minute NakedPoppy beauty assessment.

Interestingly, the best way to apply moisturizer to your face is by pressing it into your skin using your fingertips — not massaging it in. Pressing in your moisturizer ensures you don’t apply too much, and also draws more blood to the top of the skin, giving you a natural, healthy glow.

Give your moisturizer a few minutes to sink into your skin before you move onto the primer. While you wait, you can brush your teeth and your lips to get rid of dry skin for a smoother lipstick application later 😉

Pro Tip: For an extra-dextra glow, makeup artists recommend misting your face with rose water after moisturizing. Look for rose water without added chemicals and make sure to close your eyes as you mist.

Step 5: Time to Prime (Optional)

Primers are designed to “prime” your skin for makeup products. Most primers help fill in any lines in your skin to reduce creasing, helping makeup go on smoothly making makeup last longer. Light green primers also counteract any skin redness you may have. And other primers are designed to help your skin glow or refract light.

Apply the primer to your whole face using your fingers to dab it all over, or use a concealer brush to blend it in. We love the Vapour Essential Daily Primer. And if you want to do your moisturizing and priming in one step — and throw all-important SPF into the mix — check out KYPRIS’s luxe Pot of Shade SPF.

Step 6: Apply Your Makeup — Or Don’t!

Your skin is now perfectly cleaned, toned, facial oiled, moisturized, and primed for smooth makeup application. The more consistent you are with this routine, the better your skin will look. So good, in fact, that you might not need to wear any makeup at all. Your call!

Any skin prep tips you’d like to share with us? Please do so in the comments below!

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