Have you ever admired the impossibly seamless makeup of celebrities on the red carpet and wondered how they achieve such a natural, sculpted glow? The answer might be simpler and more counterintuitive than you think. It’s a technique known as underpainting, or ‘reverse contouring’, that has taken the beauty world by storm. Popularized by celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips on clients like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, this method flips traditional makeup application on its head. Instead of layering contour, blush, and highlight on top of foundation, you apply them underneath. This creates a stunning ‘lit-from-within’ effect where your features are defined, but the makeup itself is undetectable. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from understanding the core concept and gathering the right tools to mastering the step-by-step application. We will also cover common pitfalls to avoid and advanced tips to truly perfect your technique, ensuring you can achieve that flawless, skin-like finish at home.
What is underpainting and why is it trending
Underpainting is a makeup application method where contour, concealer, and color products like blush are applied to the skin before the foundation. This ‘reverse’ order is what gives the technique its other popular name, reverse contouring. The core idea is to build the structure and dimension of the face first, then unify everything with a sheer layer of foundation. The result is a much softer, more diffused look compared to traditional methods. With traditional contouring, products are layered on top of foundation, which can sometimes look harsh, heavy, or obviously like makeup sitting on the skin’s surface. Underpainting, however, creates the illusion that the shadows and highlights are naturally part of your own face. It’s a subtle artistry that enhances rather than masks. The recent explosion in its popularity can be directly attributed to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where makeup artist Mary Phillips shared her signature technique. Seeing it create such a flawless, second-skin finish on A-list celebrities made millions of beauty enthusiasts eager to try it themselves. The trend aligns perfectly with the modern desire for more natural, minimalist makeup looks that emphasize healthy, glowing skin over heavy coverage. It’s not just a fleeting trend; it’s a fundamental shift in how we approach base makeup for a more refined and believable result.
Gathering your essential tools and products
Success with underpainting heavily relies on using the right product formulations and tools. Because you are blending products underneath your foundation, creams and liquids are non-negotiable. Powder products simply won’t work for this technique as they will become muddy and patchy when foundation is applied over them. Your essential toolkit should start with a cream or liquid contour. Choose a shade that mimics a natural shadow, typically a cool-toned shade a few levels deeper than your skin tone. Next, you’ll need a cream or liquid blush for a healthy flush of color and a liquid or cream highlighter for that luminous glow. For concealer, select a creamy formula that is one to two shades lighter than your skin tone to brighten areas like your under-eyes. The tools you use for application and blending are just as important. A damp beauty sponge is fantastic for pressing and melting products into the skin seamlessly. Alternatively, dense synthetic brushes can be used to stipple and buff the cream products. Finally, the star of the show after the prep work is your foundation. The ideal foundation for underpainting is one with sheer to medium, buildable coverage. A heavy, full-coverage foundation will completely erase all the beautiful dimension you just created, defeating the entire purpose of the technique. Look for formulas described as ‘luminous’, ‘serum’, or ‘skin tint’.
A step-by-step guide to the underpainting technique
Mastering underpainting is all about strategic placement and thorough blending. Follow these steps for a flawless application every time. First, begin with your usual skincare routine, ensuring your face is well-hydrated and primed. A good primer will create a smooth canvas for the products to glide over. Second, apply your cream products directly onto your bare skin. Using a brush or your fingers, place the contour in the hollows of your cheeks, along your jawline, on the sides of your nose, and around the perimeter of your forehead. Apply your cream blush to the apples of your cheeks, blending upwards towards your temples. Dab your liquid highlighter on the high points of your face such as the top of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and your cupid’s bow. Third comes the most crucial part which is blending. Using a damp sponge or a stippling brush, gently blend out all the products. You want to soften the edges so there are no harsh lines, but be careful not to over-blend to the point where the colors become muddy. The goal is a soft, diffused map of color and shadow. Fourth, apply your foundation. Dispense a small amount of your sheer-to-medium coverage foundation onto the back of your hand. Using your damp sponge, lightly stipple and press the foundation over your entire face, right on top of the blended contour and blush. Do not swipe or rub, as this will move the products underneath. The stippling motion will deposit a thin veil of coverage that unifies the skin tone while letting the dimension from the underpainting show through.
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Choosing the right foundation for a flawless finish
The foundation you choose can make or break your underpainting look. This technique is designed to be subtle and skin-like, so pairing it with a heavy, opaque foundation is counterproductive. It would be like painting a beautiful mural and then covering it with a thick coat of primer. To let your carefully placed contour and blush shine through, you must opt for a foundation with the right coverage and finish. The best choices are sheer, light, or at most, medium coverage formulas. Products often labeled as skin tints, tinted moisturizers, or serum foundations are excellent candidates because they are specifically designed to even out skin tone without masking the skin’s natural texture and luminosity. A dewy or satin finish is also preferable to a matte one, as it will complement the ‘lit-from-within’ goal of underpainting. Matte foundations can sometimes flatten the dimension you’ve worked so hard to build. When it comes to application, the method matters just as much as the product. The golden rule is to stipple, never swipe. Use a damp beauty sponge or a dense foundation brush to gently press and bounce the foundation onto your skin. This motion deposits a thin, even layer without disturbing the cream products underneath. Swiping or dragging the applicator will smear your contour and blush, resulting in a muddy mess. Start with a very small amount of foundation and build up coverage only where you need it, allowing your beautiful underpainting work to remain the star of the show.
Common mistakes to avoid with reverse contouring
While underpainting can deliver stunning results, a few common mistakes can quickly derail your efforts. One of the most frequent errors is using too much product. It’s easy to get carried away with contour and blush, but remember that a sheer layer of foundation won’t hide heavy-handed application. Start with a minimal amount of product and build up slowly. It’s always easier to add more than to take away. Another major pitfall is insufficient blending. Before you even think about reaching for your foundation, your contour, blush, and highlight should be seamlessly blended into your skin and into each other. Any harsh lines or unblended edges will be visible through your foundation, creating a patchy or streaky appearance. Spend an extra minute with your damp sponge to ensure all the edges are soft and diffused. The wrong foundation choice is another common issue. As previously mentioned, a full-coverage, matte foundation will completely cover your work. Stick to sheer, luminous formulas to allow the dimension to peek through. Similarly, using the wrong product formulation can lead to disaster. Underpainting requires cream or liquid products. Attempting this technique with powders will result in a cakey, uneven mess as you try to layer liquid foundation on top. Finally, be mindful of your color choices. A contour shade that is too warm or a blush that is too bright can look unnatural, even when diffused under foundation. Choose shades that truly complement your skin tone for the most believable effect.
Advanced tips for mastering your glow
Once you have the basic underpainting technique down, there are several advanced tricks you can incorporate to elevate your look even further. For those who need extra coverage in specific areas or want to correct discoloration, you can incorporate color correcting into your underpainting routine. Apply a green corrector to cancel out redness or a peach corrector to neutralize dark circles before you apply your contour and blush. This allows you to use even less foundation overall. Another pro tip is to set your underpainted creams with corresponding powders for maximum longevity. After you have applied your foundation, take a very light dusting of a powder contour and a powder blush and gently press them on top of the areas where you placed the cream products. This will lock everything in place and intensify the dimension subtly, making your makeup last all day without looking heavy. You can also customize the technique for your skin type. If you have oily skin, consider using a mattifying primer before you begin and focus your setting powder on the T-zone. For dry skin, use a hydrating primer and consider mixing a drop of liquid illuminator into your foundation for an extra boost of radiance. Experimenting with placement based on your unique face shape will also take your skill to the next level. This technique is not one-size-fits-all, so learning what flatters your features most is key to truly mastering the art of the underpainting glow.
In conclusion, the underpainting or reverse contouring technique is far more than a passing social media fad. It represents a sophisticated and modern approach to makeup that prioritizes a natural, believable finish. By building dimension and color before applying a sheer veil of foundation, you can achieve a sculpted yet seamless look that appears to be part of your skin itself. The method, brought into the spotlight by artists like Mary Phillips, empowers you to move away from heavy, mask-like coverage and embrace a ‘lit-from-within’ radiance. While it requires the right products, specifically creams and liquids, and a mindful application process focused on blending, the results are undeniably worth the effort. Remember to start with less product, blend thoroughly, and choose a foundation that complements rather than conceals your work. By avoiding common mistakes and even incorporating advanced tips like powder setting and color correcting, you can customize this technique to perfectly suit your features and skin type. So, embrace this counterintuitive secret, flip your routine, and unlock a new level of flawless, celebrity-worthy makeup.
