How To Stop Make-Up Creasing: Experts Guide

Ever noticed little creases of makeup forming under the eyes, around the mouth or on the forehead by midday? Sometimes, they may even show up mere minutes after you’ve applied your makeup. You may be using the best products on the market, but if the creases continue to appear, you could be facing a technique-based problem.

We consulted two experts to find out why this happens and how to stop makeup from creasing.

How to stop make-up creasing under eyes

Concealer creasing under eyes is one of the top reasons that your makeup is creasing around your eye areas. “Usually, concealer creases if you use too much,” says Charlotte McHale, Clarins Training Manager. “Concealer is a really pigmented product, so you don’t need to use very much of it. It kind of defeats the purpose of buying a concealer if you’re going to lay it on like plaster.”

London-based make-up artist Roseanna Velin urges you to moisturise your skin before applying any make-up, especially under the eyes. An eye care product like the Double Serum Eye adds loads of moisture and also sits well under make-up. 

“Make sure the skin is well moisturised,” recommends Velin. “And use products that aren’t too thick and heavy, so that they don’t sit in the lines.” Everlasting Concealer can hide dark circles, brightens the eyes and blends into the skin thanks to its ultra-light texture. It will deeply hydrate skin without creating any concealer creasing. 

When applying concealer under the eyes, Velin likes to tap the product using fingers. This way, you tend to use less product. Plus, the warmth of your finger helps the make-up melt into the skin easily.

How to stop foundation creasing

Foundation tends to crease on parts of the face that naturally fold: the forehead, smile lines, corners of the eyes and the forehead. 

How do you avoid this? 

Firstly, make sure you’re prepping the skin correctly before applying any make-up. Use a moisturiser that suits your skin type. “Make sure your skin is well-hydrated,” says McHale. “If it isn’t, it will take water from the foundation and leave the dry product on the surface, which is more likely to crease. 

Next, use a primer. 

Try: If you have fine lines, reach for the Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. The formula glides on the skin and smoothes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, without feeling heavy. You could also use it along the lip contour, if you have any wrinkles above the lip that cause your make-up to crease.

Then, apply your foundation. Remember that putting on a lot of foundation at once isn’t a short-cut to a flawless base. Instead, it’s just a recipe for creasing. 

“If you apply it in thin layers, adding more just where you need it, it will last a lot longer,” McHale explains. And you must be extra careful in areas that are prone to creasing.  

“I’m quite wrinkly on my forehead,” McHale says. “And if I put loads of make-up there, it makes the lines look even deeper. Because not only is my skin creasing, but the make-up is creasing on top of it. So, in these areas, I keep make-up much thinner. And I apply more on the smoother areas because it will last longer.” 

Lastly, powder – but don’t overdo it. 

Use powder sparingly and only where you need it. Powder lightly all over to make your make-up last long. But if you’ve got dry skin, you may only need to powder in very specific areas like the eyelids or the centre of the face. 

How to stop eyeshadow from creasing

Eyeshadow typically creases if you have oily eyelids or if your eyelids are hooded. The solution is to switch up the products you use. 

“Firstly, use a high-quality eyeshadow base or primer,” says Velin. “This helps to create a barrier between the skin and the eyeshadow. There is constant skin-to-skin contact on the eyelid, and it can become quite oily throughout the day which makes the eyeshadow separate and crease.” 

She adds: “Then, I use a firm blending brush to apply eyeshadow and really press it onto the lid, and then blend it. This way, the eyeshadow is quite well compressed onto the eyeshadow base. This really helps it to stay put.”  

If you have hooded eyes, concentrate the eyeshadow close to your lash line and blend lightly into the crease. Avoid applying thick layers of product in areas where you’re prone to creasing.  

Fixing midday make-up creases

We asked Velin what we should do, in case our make-up has creased anyway, despite our best efforts. 

“Firstly, use a blotting paper to remove any excess oil or sweat from the face,” she says. “Then, you can take a clean makeup brush or sponge to gently buff over the creased areas and smooth it back out. There are also some lovely refreshing facial mists that can help revive the makeup.”  

Environmental factors when we go out can make the skin dry faster and crease makeup. A hydrating mist like Hydra-Essentiel Hydrating Multi-Protection Mist will help plump and protect the skin from the effects of external stressors,

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