Ever wondered how celebrities walk around looking like they're airbrushed? It all comes down to underpainting – applying your concealer, contour and blush before your foundation. The technique has been doing the rounds on social media, and if there is one model who has nailed the look it is Elsa Hosk. Below, we discover her four step routine for a flawless base:
Concealer placement is key for that lifted look
Photo: Elsa Hosk (@hoskelsa)
Elsa Hosk has the kind of ephemeral beauty that comes with great bone structure. Still, the Swedish supermodel relies on well-placed concealer to "lift" her face, making her already angular features even sharper.
Opting for a light-reflecting concealer in a shade one tone lighter than your complexion, take note of Hosk's precise placement. Beyond the usual swipe below the eyes, the model adds a bit of concealer below the outside corners of her eyes in an upwards motion. It is a simple trick that is sure to make all the difference in your own routine.
Similarly, placing some concealer along the outside of your bottom lip and along the top of your jawbone will help plump your features and carve out your cheekbones.
Opt for a warm contour to skip bronzer
Photo: Elsa Hosk (@hoskelsa)
Hosk makes a case for skipping bronzer in lieu of a warm-toned cream contour. Creating shadows and a sun-kissed flush at the same time, the model swipes her one-stop stick just below her cheek bone and along her jaw. Here, the trick is to blend, blend, blend. Really work the cream product into the skin.
As a final touch, Hosk dabs the darker pigment below the very tip of her nose finish the look off.
Use your lipstick as blush
Photo: Elsa Hosk (@hoskelsa)
When it comes to red lipstick, Hosk has the look nailed. Not only does she know to apply her scarlet pout before blush – as a red lip can wash you out and amplify the redness of your skin, demanding more or less blush as a result. She also knows that the easiest way to make your look coherent is to double up the use of your lipstick, applying it as blush.
Dabbing the red bullet straight onto the skin, keeping the majority of the pigment to the apples of her cheeks and her nose bridge, the Swedish model keeps most of the pigment softly blurred and away from the sides of her nose.
Finish your routine with a light layer of tinted sunscreen
Photo: Elsa Hosk (@hoskelsa)
Hosk took a page out of TikTok's book to finish her flawless face. Having applied concealer, contour, and her multi-tasking lipstick as blush, Hosk finished her face with a light layer of lightweight foundation patted on with a damp beauty blender.
The reason? Rounding off your routine with a foundation or a tinted sunscreen – having already carved out your face with cream products – helps you maintain control over the finish. This simple hack minimises the amount of foundation used, striking the perfect balance between skin that looks like skin and a flawlessly filtered face.
Below, discover the products you need to replicate Hosk's four-step routine:
