How To Stop Foundation Creasing In Your Smile Lines With This Clever Makeup Hack

There is no greater betrayal than leaving the house with flawless foundation, only to look in the mirror at lunchtime and see it’s cracked and crumbled. However, unfortunately, as we laugh, smile, and talk during the day, our foundation can start to sink in and slide around, ending up sitting deep inside the creases around our mouth.

Despite how long you spent researching that perfect matte foundation or how good it looked in the chair when you had it colour-matched in-store, anyone can fall victim to their foundation falling apart.

However, according to Youtube beauty vlogger, Jackie Aina, there’s a solution to arguably the greatest makeup woe. The same as we might apply lipstick to our eyelids or a balm to our brows, she believes the secret to preventing foundation wrinkles and creases lies in this little tube of eyeshadow primer. 

How to prevent smiles lines

During her video ‘Preventing Makeup Smile/Laugh Lines‘ Jackie claims she’s solved the issue of foundation wrinkles and makeup creasing into our smile lines once and for all. Her secret weapon? Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($33 at MECCA).

But is it too good to be true or does this eye primer hold the answer to all our future makeup creasing qualms? We asked MECCA’s Head of Artistry, Tony Baumann for his thoughts on how this technique would actually perform. While he’s yet to test it out for himself, Tony believes the texture of the Primer Potion is a prime candidate for preventing foundation wrinkles and keeping makeup in place. “It’s designed to adhere product to the skin and keep oil at bay, so the same rule would apply for around the mouth,” he says.

Confirming that it would work, let’s discuss the how.

“I would use a domed synthetic eyeshadow brush to apply and buff it around the [smile] lines,” explains Tony, noting the importance of letting the primer totally dry before applying any product on top.

But it doesn’t stop there. If you really want to banish makeup creases around the mouth, Tony recommends feathering the product around your lip line to prevent your lipstick and liner from bleeding too. “You could also use it as a pre-concealer sealant of sorts, to lock down concealer that you’re using to cover any pigmentation or blemishes.” Perhaps it’s time for Urban Decay to rebrand this product from eye primer to every single thing on your face primer.

$33 at MECCA

Best foundation for smile lines

If you’re trying to avoid foundation caking and makeup creasing in your smile lines, it’s best to find the product that’s going to deliver your preferred finish using as little product as possible. What this means is that if you’re after a complete coverage, instead of layering on multiple coats of a dewy, lightweight formula, seek out a full coverage foundation, applying only what’s required to soften and blur the skin.

The best way to avoid foundation wrinkles and makeup creases is to keep the skin hydrated. Try a foundation like the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare ($65 at Adore Beauty) which has been enriched with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and vitamin E to keep the skin soft and moisturised.

FAQs

How do I stop my foundation from creasing my eyelids?

The easiest way to solve this? Stop applying foundation to your eyelids, it will always cause your makeup to crease. Use an eyeshadow primer instead.

What causes makeup creasing?

There are multiple reasons why you may experience makeup creasing, caking, or cracking. One of the reasons is when foundation oxidises. When our makeup looks perfect as we head out the door but has an orange-tinge by midday, the answer is typically oxidation, AKA ingredients in the formula reacting to the natural oils on our skin. How to avoid this from happening? Don’t apply your makeup with your fingers as this can introduce excess oil to the formulation, ensure your skin is thoroughly clean and cleansed, and unfortunately, trial and error to find a formulation that won’t oxidise.

How do I stop my makeup from making my wrinkles worse?

Dehydration is another culprit behind creasing makeup. As you’ve likely noticed, wrinkles appear deeper on skin that’s lacking moisture. Introducing a hydrating serum into your regimen will promote moisture levels in the skin, keeping the base plump, supple, and ready to comfortably host your foundation.

bh recommends: Habitual Beauty Hydrating Serum ($125 at Sephora)

How do you fix creased makeup?

Buff, smooth, and blend. Before you even think about applying more product to your skin, take a damp beauty blender or a foundation brush and buff out the foundation that’s already on your skin. Sure enough, there’s likely enough product still remaining to adequately cover your skin. If not, carefully dab more into your skin. Finishing with a powder and a setting spray to melt the layers together and hold everything in place. Voila!

Main image credit: @patrickta

Does your foundation crease into your smile lines? Do you have any tips to prevent this from happening?