Search iconsearch jane iredale products.
Close icon

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

Image caption appears here

Add your deal, information or promotional text

Makeup Blog

How to Apply Liquid Foundation

  • 3 min read

BY CHELSEA SIMMONS

Learning how to properly apply liquid foundation is almost as important as finding the right shade and formula for your skin tone and type. If you apply too much foundation, you may end up with a cakey finish, and if you apply too little the finish could end up sheer. There's also the question of whether to apply liquid foundation with a brush, a sponge or your fingers. We know how important foundation is— it's literally the base of your makeup look! That's why we have a series of makeup tutorial videos on YouTube to show you how to properly apply different types of products from liquid foundation to tinted moisturizer. Here are three videos that will help teach you how to apply different liquid foundations the right way.

How to Apply BB Cream

Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream is our most full coverage foundation, and a little goes a long way. Four tiny dots is enough to cover your entire face! The beauty of Glow Time is that you can keep the coverage sheer by mixing with Smooth Affair Facial Primer and Brightener. It's also packed with skin-loving goodies like Grapefruit Extract and Apple Extracts to refine and rejuvenate the skin and Sunflower Seed Oil to moisturize. You can use your fingers to apply, but if you prefer using a brush, we recommend the Blending Brush. Here's how:

  • With your fingertip, pat a small amount of Glow Time onto your face in key areas (forehead, cheeks, chin and nose).
  • Blend evenly into the skin using the Blending Brush working the product over your entire face. Try not to use circular buffing motions because that will cause the minerals to look ashy.
You can also apply Glow Time BB Cream with your fingers!

How to Apply Serum Foundation

Liquid Minerals foundation is what we like to call a serum with pigment or a "serum foundation!" A primary ingredient in Liquid Minerals is one of our favorites - Hyaluronic Acid. This means it's going to give your skin loads of hydration and nourishment, but it will also diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and minimize the appearance pores, all while evening out skin tone and providing a beautiful finish to the skin. For optimal results, here's how to apply it:

  • Pump the foundation onto the back of your hand, using it as a palette. One pump should be enough to start.
  • Using the Foundation Brush coat the bristles on both sides with the foundation, working to mix the pigment and the serum.
  • Apply the foundation to your face in criss-cross strokes so you're making an X shape on your cheeks, forehead, and chin, overlapping along the way. Continue to blend until the liquid is worked into the skin.
You can also apply Liquid Minerals foundation with the Flocked Sponge.
  • Pump the foundation onto the back of your Flocked Sponge and spritz your sponge with Hydration Spray.
  • Fold the sponge in half to spread the foundation out on the sponge, then, using the sponge dab the foundation onto your face in key areas (forehead, cheeks, nose and chin).
  • Use long downward strokes to blend the foundation across your entire face.

How to Apply Tinted Moisturizer



Dream Tint Tinted Moisturizer is probably the easiest liquid foundation to apply. It's formulated with lightweight minerals that provide sheer-to-medium coverage, but also help prevent trans-epidermal water loss. If you're a brush lover, you can use either the Blending Brush or the Blending/Contouring Brush. Here's how:

  • Pat dots of the tinted moisturizer on key points on your face (forehead, cheeks, chin, and nose).
  • Using long downward strokes, blend the tinted moisturizer across your entire face. You can give the brush a little swirl on your cheeks, but try not to buff it too much.
You can also apply this one with your fingers the same way you would apply your regular moisturizer.

More About Liquid Foundations

Do you want to learn more about liquid foundations, or our foundations in general? Here are some other blog articles you can read:

Shop our Liquid Foundations

glow time full coverage bb cream

Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream $50.00

suntan liquid minerals

Liquid Minerals $55.00

Light Dream Tint Tinted Moisturizer

Dream Tint Tinted Moisturizer $44.00

Chelsea Simmons

Chelsea Simmons

Chelsea began her beauty journey in 2010 as a fashion and beauty freelancer at Ladies’ Home Journal magazine. There she had the chance to test and review hundreds of products while quickly falling for the benefits the clean makeup she tried. After leaving the magazine industry, she worked as a publicist for international fragrance and beauty brands until 2016 when she landed at jane iredale. Here, she has discovered liquid eyeliner doesn’t have to burn her eyes, foundation doesn’t have to feel heavy, and that the jane iredale Global Educators truly have the best beauty hacks. Since then, she’s shared her 10+ years of experience with you on The Good Glow Blog.