Pat McGrath's Foundation Hack Uses Hands For The Best Application (& Hailey Bieber Loves It)
Using one's hands to apply foundation isn't exactly a new or groundbreaking makeup hack, but it is certainly one that the beauty community is largely divided on. Many believe this method of foundation application to be icky or messy, while others swear by it. In fact, a number of makeup artists and beauty gurus on social media advocate this method for a flawless application.
In case you are sitting on the fence about it, we have some big news for you: Mother herself, aka makeup artist Pat McGrath, uses this trick on her clients, and we all know she can't do any wrong! Further testimony to the success of this simple little hack — if any were needed — has been given by Hailey Bieber. When asked about her best beauty hack in recent interviews, she referred to McGrath's technique of putting foundation on her hands and then rubbing them together before applying the product on the face. She believes this "warming" up of the product is the secret to the hack's success.
How to make the most of Pat McGrath's foundation application hack
As a makeup artist that is arguably at the top of the MUA food chain, Pat McGrath has many tricks up her sleeve that result in her clients looking beautiful from within. And as a beauty icon in her own right, Hailey Bieber firmly believes in McGrath's genius. Hence, when speaking to Stylist recently, the latter shared McGrath's trick of rubbing foundation into the palm of your hands before evenly massaging it onto your face. She also stressed on the fact that McGrath would apply the foundation to the skin directly with her hands. "I always thought that was such an interesting approach and it really does make a difference — it kind of creates this almost second-skin-like finish. I think she said it's something to do with warming the product up first, so it almost melts into skin differently. And I mean, she's Mother, so we listen to anything that she says," Bieber says.
In addition to this little trick, she also highly recommends one of her own. When speaking to Glamour, she adds, "I also love to add the Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid to the foundation to thin it out. When you apply it, you kind of get this really beautiful glow-y skin finish from it."
The benefits of applying foundation with your hands
Are you still not convinced of the merits of this beauty hack? You will be surprised to learn there are other benefits of applying foundation with your fingers. This method allows you to control the pressure of the product to give optimal results. Your fingers let you get into every curve of your face easily — whether it's around the nose, lips, or eyes.
By massaging the product in with your fingers, you can also prevent a cakey or heavy finish which may creep in with a brush or sponge, especially if you are not applying your makeup in good lighting. In case you feel the product applied is too less, then you can build up just the right amount you need using your fingers. When using your fingers to apply foundation, you are also less likely to apply an excess amount of product. Most importantly, finger application is definitely the fastest and easiest way to apply foundation onto your face.