When I was younger, I used to look at my mom's freckles all the time. I would ask her if I'd get them one day, to which she'd sweetly reply that "we would have to see."
Since then, I've found a beauty spot (as I like to call them) here or there, and as we've seen, freckles definitely became a huge trend in makeup and beauty in 2017. And whether it was a celebrity showing us how to recreate the looks at home, or people like SZA with natural freckles who gave us beauty envy, freckles are a beautiful addition to the skin. Because freckles are literally just spots of condensed pigmentation on the skin, it can leave you wondering how to work with them when applying your makeup.
First of all, you should probably opt for foundation that isn't full coverage.
"Stray away from full coverage foundations," says makeup artist Justine Purdue, "It can mask the freckles and leaving skin looking mottled! Try a luminous moisturizer followed by a concealer to spot conceal in places of need."
As you (should) know, moisturizers are none negotiable, so be sure to find something that'll leave your skin (and your skin needs) feeling great and refreshed. Use skin care products that will also help if you're acne-prone to reduce irritation and redness on the skin.
For foundations, if you are looking for something a little thicker, you can certainly mix your foundations with your favorite moisturizer to dilute the product some, but remember, this is all about ensuring your skin can breathe and isn't covered. And for concealers, I absolutely love the NARS radiant creamy concealer, which adds just the right amount of coverage but doesn't appear gunky or heavy on the skin.
You'll also want to ensure that you're not covering up your freckles, making them look dry under setting powders. "Powder products are not your friend because they stick to sit on top of skin and add unnecessary coverage, which is counterproductive to enhancing freckles," says Purdue. Instead, Justine recommends using something with more of a creamy or liquid base such as blush, bronzer and highlighters. "These are great because you can blend better into the skin and leave a lovely stain without covering freckles."
For those freckles that do get covered, use a brow pencil to fill in the gaps! Either use the "spray method" of flicking the color (if it's a liquid brow) onto your skin, or if you've got a pencil, lightly dot across your face. When filling in the gaps, be sure to use different shades to add dimension to your skin.
When it comes to freckles, less will be more. What are your favorite makeup tips for freckles?