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Hailey Bieber’s influence seems to know no bounds. She’s already managed to make me ditch nearly ever blush in my collection for her Rhode Pocket Blush, switch my phone case to her lip gloss-holding one, and even try blonzing. And now, my routine has been overtaken by her foundation hack.
Hailey Bieber’s Foundation Hack At a Glance:
- The Natural-Finish Foundation: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, $69
- The Lightweight Essence: Rhode Peptide Glazing Milk, $32
- The Redness-Reducing Milk: Ilia The Base Face Milk, $58
- The Oil-Free Toner: The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner, $14
- The Filter-Like Foundation: Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation, $69
It all started in 2022 when she last shared her Beauty Secrets with Vogue. “I love glowy foundation. I love something that feels like it’s just enhancing the skin,” she says, introducing Chanel’s Vitalumière Radiant foundation. “Because I really love that natural, natural skin, I like to take one pump of the Peptide Glazing Fluid and just mix it.” Bieber pats the peptide-rich serum and foundation mixture into her face with her hands, and when she’s done, it honestly doesn’t look like she’s wearing any makeup at all. Last year, I saw her do the same trick in one of her TikTok GRWM videos—though she swapped the Glazing Fluid for Rhodes Glazing Milk instead.
I’ve been on my own “no-makeup makeup” journey—subbing my medium-to-full coverage complexion salves with sheer-to-lightweight counterparts, and spot concealing where necessary to really let my skin’s natural glow shine through. To do so, I’ve been adding a couple tinted moisturizers and skin tints into my routine. But I never really considered Bieber’s approach—instead of buying new products, why not get creative with the ones you already have? As it turns out, the pros are big fans of this method.
“All great makeup artists mix custom foundations for their clients whether it be mixing tones, layering multiple types of foundation, or adding in skincare,” pro makeup artist Lauren Martinez says, emphasizing that mixing in a product like the Rhode Glazing Fluid will sheer out a foundation, making it appear more like skin. Fellow makeup artist Joselyn Biga agrees: she uses a similar technique for fashion shows and editorial campaigns, but thinks its great for everyday, too. “The goal of this technique is to achieve glowing, hydrated, radiant complexion, and healthy-looking skin,” Biga continues. “The milky essence/toner adds hydration and sheerness, giving the foundation a lightweight, dewy effect. It’s perfect for creating that “skin but better” look while allowing the skin’s natural texture to shine through.”
Normal-to-dry skin types benefit most from this foundation hack as it relies on deeply hydrating toners and essences, though those with oily and combination skin (like myself) can give it a go too—just opt for oil-free formulas. Martinez also cautions that this might not be best for longwear as “changing the formula can decrease a foundation’s wear time and will not last well for someone with oily skin.”
The Foundation
To try for yourself, you need a foundation. “Use an oil-free, matte, or semi-matte foundation,” Biga advises. “Water-based foundations are ideal to avoid separation or excessive shine.” She recommends the Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech or Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk. “This technique works well with thinner liquid foundations,” says Martinez, making Pat McGrath Labs’s Sublime Perfection, or Face Body formulations by Dior and MAC Cosmetics excellent picks, too.
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The Toner/Essence
Of equal importance is the toner or essence you choose. Use the one you’re most likely to reach for in your skin-care routine. A la Bieber, the Rhode Glazing Milk and Fluid deliver weightless hydration for all skin types, though the latter has a gel-serum like texture. Those in need of deeper nourishment will appreciate Laneige’s Cream Skin or Ilia’s The Base Face Milk, whereas oily and or combination skin should look to Violette_FR’s Boum-Boum Milk or The Ordinary’s Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner which skews more oil-free and mattifying.
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With your products ready, you’ll be mixing the foundation and essence. How much product you’ll use is dependent on your desired coverage and skin type. Really dry skin types or someone looking for a natural finish might want a 1:1 ratio of milky toner to foundation. For a better moisture balance and to better maintain the integrity of the foundation, you’ll do two parts foundation to one part toner, per Biga. For the most coverage, do three parts foundation to one part toner. The less toner you use, the more coverage you’ll get.
Combine both products to your liking—on your hands or a metal palette if you have one—then apply to skin. The mixture does feel quite creamy so some, like Bieber, will enjoy blending with the fingers, though Biga says applying with a small fluffy synthetic brush (like Real Techniques 402 Setting Brush) delivers a similar natural finish. For a more airbrushed finish, buff the foundation-toner mixture in with a round, fluffy brush like BK Beauty’s #106 or a damp sponge. “For extra coverage, use a small eyeshadow brush to apply concealer where needed, ensuring the rest of the skin remains untouched for a seamless look,” celebrity makeup artist Joel Vasquez says. Lastly, rely on a featherweight veil of setting powder strategically placed to the T-zone and oily areas to control excess shine then mist on a dose of setting spray.
Reading these steps might make trying this foundation hack might sound complicated or intimidating but I promise it’s not; and you really can use products you have in your beauty bag. Taking note of expert advice, I initially tried this with the Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection foundation. Despite it’s lightweight, serum-like texture, it’s rather hydrating and delivers medium, buildable coverage. Aiming for a natural finish with generous coverage, I paired two pumps of foundation with one drop of Ilia’s face milk—my current favorite essence. After warming the combination with my fingers, I massaged into skin as I would my face cream, then buffed out any streaks with my foundation brush. Words cannot express how good my skin looked, oh my goodness. My glow was unmatched—as if I didn’t have on foundation at all. With this hack, I was able to achieve the coverage and finish of a foundation with the additional nourishment and radiance of my skincare, without weighing my skin down.
I’ve fallen in love with this technique, and do it several times per week—often instead of a tinted moisturizer. (Both deliver similar results, but I appreciate the customization of this technique.) Some days I use less foundation and more toner, other days, vice versa. Just follow your instincts (plus, the expert advice above), and you really can’t go wrong.
Meet The Experts
- Jocelyn Biga is a celebrity makeup artist who often works with Nicole Richie and Kimora Lee Simmons.
- Lauren Martinez is a Nashville-based professional makeup artist who specializes in red carpet and editorial makeup.
- Joel Vasquez is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Dorit Kemsley.
