Ever wondered how A-listers achieve a lightweight-looking base that still boasts beautiful coverage? No, it's not magic; in fact, we've discovered a top industry tip to help you unlock that exact finish.
Whether you find even the best lightweight foundations look too heavy, or perhaps one of the best bronzers isn't delivering you with a natural faux glow but harsh lines instead, sometimes your makeup just doesn't go how you're expecting it to.
Fortunately, we've discovered a quick and easy makeup artist tip that ensures a seamless, crease-free finish upon every application. So, if you want to elevate your makeup, here's everything you need to know about the one-second trick.
The one-second makeup trick for a lightweight, crease-free finish
Makeup artist and founder of KJH Brand, Katie Jane Hughes, took to TikTok to share the easy industry trick in question. Beginning the video, she says: "I'm 40 years old, and concealer never, ever sinks into my fine lines, and this is why. Priming the brush and the placement of where you first place the product are the two most important things.”
After demonstrating what not to do in terms of application, which caused her fine lines to be enhanced and creasing to occur, Hughes shows her preferred application method, a technique which she dubs ‘priming the brush’, she says: "Moral of the story is, prime the product with a brush, use less, and you can always add more if you feel like you need it.”
Essentially, the trick involves distributing the product onto the palm of your hand before thoroughly buffing your brush into it, until the bristles are evenly coated. Hughes then uses the brush to apply the product to certain areas of her face for a brightened, lifted, and light coverage finish – that also withstands creasing. This versatile tip can also be used with your other cream and liquid products, whether that be your foundation, concealer, bronzer, or blush.
The makeup artist advises that it’s also worth considering the skincare you use and the climate that you live in: "The reason why you have to consider skincare is that if your skincare is on thick, rich, and creamy, which you might need, it's gonna make areas where you would crease, crease easier. And, if the climate is hot, it's gonna make the makeup products that you put in those areas crease easier.”
Putting the trick to the test, our Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett describes how it has elevated her makeup routine: "Since first trying this clever trick, it has completely changed the way I do my makeup."
As for how she incorporates it into her regime, she says: "Essentially, I use the palm of my hand as a mixing palette for all my cream and liquid products, but I must admit the results are well worth the messy hands afterwards. My base appears lighter, softer, and the products are more delicately blended for a seamless finish."
Our team's favourite complexion buys
As the trick is centred around cream and liquid products, it's only natural that we share some of the woman&home team's favourite complexion buys that would work a treat with this technique. Our hitlist includes a creamy, dewy finish concealer and a multidimensional blush that delivers a natural flush of colour to your cheeks.
RRP: £22
There's a reason that this concealer is a fan-favourite amongst Glossier's product lineup. Boasting a long-wearing nature that is resistant to sweat and transferring, this ultra-creamy formula works to effortlessly camouflage common skin concerns, such as dark circles, blemishes, and redness, while imparting a fresh-faced, radiant finish.
RRP: £33
Arriving in the form of a multi-purpose gel cream formula, this hydrating skin tint is equipped with hyaluronic acid and SPF30 to minimise dryness and defend the skin against harmful UV rays. Not to mention, it also provides the complexion with radiant coverage for a fresh and dewy glow. If you needed any proof of how much Fiona loves this formula, it even made her list of beauty product empties in January 2026.
RRP: £37
For a naturally flushed complexion, Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson, opts for Violette_FR's Bisou Blush in shade 'Maryam'. This marbled cream blush stick offers a multi-dimensional flush of colour that melts into the skin for a natural-looking finish.
