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We’ve all been there: You spend an hour perfecting your base, only to look down and see half of your foundation on your phone screen or your friend’s white shirt.
It’s frustrating, messy, and can make even the most expensive products look patchy by lunchtime.
According to expert makeup artist and beauty creator Kevi Kodra, the reason your makeup always transfers isn’t necessarily your skin type, it’s your technique.
“The reason your makeup always transfers is because you’re not setting your face properly,” he explains.
“Setting your makeup with the right powders and sprays is the only way you can get your makeup to last without transferring.”
If you’re tired of your concealer creasing and your bronzer disappearing, it’s time to rethink your routine.
From choosing the right base to the “triple-threat” spray method, here is Kevi Kodra’s professional guide to achieving a bone-dry, bulletproof finish that still looks like skin.
Step 1: Start With a Long-Wear Foundation
The foundation of a transfer-proof look is, quite literally, your foundation.
While dewy finishes and skin tints are trending, they often lack the structural integrity needed for all-day wear. Kevikodra warns that glowing bases often break up within a couple of hours, leading to separation.
“A glowy foundation or a skin tint is not gonna have the same lasting power as a matte foundation will,” he says.
For a base that truly stays put, he points to a long-time industry favorite: Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation .
“It really is that girl,” he notes, although he cautions that even a high-performance formula like this can feel “wet and sticky” if the following steps are skipped.
Step 2: Swap the Brush for a Powder Puff
If you are still using a fluffy brush to dust on your translucent powder, you might be sabotaging your smooth finish.
Brushes can move the wet product underneath, creating “little holes” in your foundation that eventually look cakey.
The pro secret? The velour powder puff .
- Prep the Puff: Dunk your puff into the translucent powder.
- The Hand Press: “Press the powder into your hand to make sure there’s no clumps,” Kevi Kodra advises. “These clumps are what make your under eye look dry.”
- The Set: Once the puff is prepped, blend out your concealer one last time and immediately press the powder in. This locks the concealer in place before it has a chance to settle into fine lines.
Step 3: Don’t Fear the Matte Finish
A common mistake is leaving the cheeks unpowdered to preserve a natural glow.
However, any “wet” spot on your face is a magnet for transfer. To solve this, take whatever powder is left on your puff and lightly press it over the rest of your face.
“That way you’re not applying a thick layer of powder everywhere, but you’re still mattifying all the shine,” Kevikodra explains.
Don’t worry about looking too flat; the next steps are designed to bring the “glow” back from the inside out.
Step 4: The Triple-Spray Melting Method
This is where the magic happens.
To transition from a dry, matte look to a “dewy and airbrushed” finish, Kevi Kodra uses three specific sprays in a strategic order:
- MAC Fix+: This isn’t for longevity, but for texture. It “melts all those powders down,” making the skin look less like makeup and more like skin. Kevi’s Pro Tip: Focus this on the edges of the face and avoid the center.
- Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray: This spray forms a film over the makeup. “Once that film actually dries down, it literally makes your skin look like plastic,” he says.
- One/Size Until Dawn Setting Spray: The final seal. This is the heavy hitter that makes the entire look “completely bulletproof“.
Even with an expert guide, everyone’s skin reacts differently. Here is what Kevi Kodra’s community is saying about making this routine work for different budgets and skin types:
On preventing dryness:
EllaRae asked, “Why does the tilbury spray make my face so dry 😩“
Kevikodra replied, “It’s probably the film former. That’s why I used fix + first, the hydration kinda loosens it up making it feel less dry.”
For the drugstore shoppers:
Chey-HTX Stylist & Salon Owner says, “For the drugstore girlies, use the Milani Make It Last setting spray and then top with L’Oréal infallible setting spray.”
For the oily skin girls:
mirr.iam said, “For the oily skin girlies – I swear by the Urban Decay De-Slick!“
On the “layering” technique:
Diana Gheorghe says, “Guys just buy 1 fixing spray and spray it in between the layers so before applying foundation spray a layer then apply foundation + all cream products then spray another layer apply all powder products and one last spray. I promise you it will never move ☺️. I do this for years now.”
Shop Kevi Kodra’s Transfer-Proof Makeup Routine
- Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
- Sephora’s Velour Powder Puff
- MAC Cosmetics Fix+ Hydrating & Multitasking Setting Spray
- Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Hydrating & Waterproof Setting Spray
- ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray
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