What is the best way to apply foundation? Wash and dry your face before applying foundation. If your skin is really dry, use moisturizer before using foundation. That much is a given. Foundation on oily skin looks greasy and tends to smear. Apply concealer before you put on the foundation. What about acne treatment? Do that at night, not before you put on makeup. And use a foundation that matches your skin color, so it doesn't make you look like a doll. I want to look like a doll, a pretty one. Only apply foundation with clean tools, so you don't end up looking like you have dry paint on your face. And don't put too much on. You don't want to look like you have Cake Face, as if you need a chisel to remove the foundation and other makeup each night. It makes you look like a clown. It makes you look old. If you are wearing that much makeup, they assume you are either ugly or old and trying to cover that fact up. So the point of foundation is to look like it isn't there. Putting foundation on with your fingers lays out a lighter layer than using a brush or sponge that looks most natural. Blend the foundation after you put it on, especially around the eyes, chin and hairline. So I need to find makeup that looks like I haven't spent $30 on it. What if I need to put on sunscreen? Get foundation that has SPF in it. If you need to put on additional sunscreen, put a bronzer on over the foundation. I might as well powder my face. You can choose to put powder on over the foundation. The powder gives you color, while making the foundation less obvious. All this work to look like I haven't done any!