When most people think about burlesque makeup, they think about applying foundations, lip colours, eye colours, mascara, eyeliner, the whole works. They forget about the makeup preparation and in some cases, they don’t know how to prep the skin before applying makeup.

Everything takes time and practice to learn, fortunately for you, applying beautiful makeup is not one of the hardest things to do if you are willing to pay attention to details and prep your facial skin daily before layering it with your paints.

You see your face is like a painters canvas. For paints to be applied smoothly on a canvas to make a beautiful picture, the canvas needs to be cleaned and well prepared. It’s the same with your face and makeup, for the makeup to sit comfortable and glow on your face, the face needs to be specially prepared for it. There are many ways of doing it from facial masks to following a proper skincare routine. One thing that you need to know is your skin needs care and love!

STEP 1: CLEANSE

It is best to apply makeup on clean fresh skin. To do this, you’ll need to cleanse your face. However, you’ll need to do that with a cleanser that’s suitable for your skin type. For dry skin, you’ll need to go for a cream cleanser that both cleanses and moisturises your skin at the same time. If you have oily skin, then you should go for a gel or foam cleanser as they are best for cleaning pore spaces without upsetting the skin.

Once you’ve chosen a suitable cleanser for your skin, you should wash the face with lukewarm water while using just a pea size of the facial cleanser. Massage in gently onto your face, allow to sit for 45 seconds then wash off with lukewarm water.

STEP 2: TONE

Many people overlook toners. Toner is an essential step in prepping your skin especially as part of your burlesque makeup preparation and you shouldn’t count it out, even if you're pressed for time.

The purpose of using a toner is to wipe off leftover bacteria, dead skin cells and makeup that your cleanser might have missed.

You might choose to stay away from toners that have an alcohol base ingredient. These toners can dry your skin out and may leave it scaly. Do not scrub your face with the toner, you can simply add a small amount on a cotton pad and dab onto your face. This will help cleanse the skin pores.

STEP 3: EXFOLIATE

It’s important you exfoliate your skin regularly to prevent the buildup of dead skin cells. Most times, exfoliating twice a week is sufficient. If your skin feels raw and red, you are probably exfoliating more often than is good and you might want to give it more time, however, if your skin looks dull you should exfoliate more often.

There are many ways you can exfoliate your skin. You can even do it with your cleanser. Simply add your cleanser to a washcloth and gently rub around your face in a circular motion. Ensure you wash the washcloth after each use, otherwise, you’ll be reapplying the dead cells to your face the next time you use it.

There are lots of scrubs on the market which have been specially formulated for skin exfoliation, which are also a good way to exfoliate your skin regularly.

STEP 4: MOISTURISE

We are all aware of the importance of moisturisers on the skin. They are not only important for retaining skin moisture, they are also essential for making beautiful makeup.

You’ll want to consider your skin type before making a final decision on the type of moisturiser you go for. If you have oily skin or suffer acne breakouts, you should go for an oil-free moisturiser that is non-comedogenic. If you have dry skin then you should go for a creamy moisturiser, this gives dry skin a dewy look.

Most people believe in massaging the moisturiser into the skin. While this process is quite effective for the skin, it is not very effective for your facial skin. You should gently use your fingertips to press the moisturiser onto your face and leave it to sit on your skin for at least 5 minutes.

STEP 5: PREPARE YOUR LIPS

Your lips are important as together with your eyes there going to help you stand out. Before applying any lip shades like, red lipstick, glitter lips or foil lips, your lips should also be part of your burlesque makeup preparation so whatever you put on your lips can be applied more smoothly and stay on for longer periods.

To prep your lips, you should start by cleaning them with a clean soft damp washcloth. This should be done by rubbing the washcloth on your lips in a circular motion.

To keep your lip shade from soaking into your lips, you’ll need to moisturise the lips properly before the lip shade is applied. The moisturiser actually comes in between your lips and your lip shade, hence preventing it from soaking into your lips.

STEP 6: PRIME

Nothing prepares your skin for makeup you’re going to be putting on it like a good primer does.

There are lots of primers on the market which are great in burlesque makeup preparation. You should carefully consider your options and skin types before buying one. For instance, if you suffer acne or redness to the skin you should go for a green primer as it works wonders for concealing skin redness.

There are no rules for primer applications, you can apply it all over your face or just dab it on the troubling spots.

You may use the primer with a foundation but without it, it still works great.