Powder Room
An MUA's step-by-step guide to a monsoon-proof base
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Skin-forward makeup is having more than just a moment. As skincare and makeup continue to overlap, beauty routines are becoming lighter, smarter and more intentional. Instead of reaching for products that completely transform the complexion, more people are choosing formulas that even out skin tone, add a healthy-looking glow and let natural skin shine through.
That shift comes as consumers become more informed about skincare than ever before. With active ingredients, treatments and consistent routines taking centre stage, there's less desire to cover the skin and more interest in enhancing it. "They no longer want to hide their skin under heavy layers of makeup," says Marianna Mukuchyan, international celebrity hair and makeup artist. "They want products that work with the skin, feel comfortable and create a believable 'your skin, but better' effect." It's also why skincare-makeup hybrids have become such an important part of modern beauty routines.
“This is one of those products that does more than it lets on. It feels like a moisturiser, works like a primer and gives my skin this soft pillowy texture that makes makeup glide on effortlessly. I use it whether I’m doing a full face or just need something to help me look more awake on camera. It’s packed with shea butter and vitamins B, C and E so I know my skin’s being taken care of underneath. It never feels greasy or too rich—just perfectly balanced and comforting.” — Heer Patel, Marketing
This one has been a makeup artist staple for long enough that it barely needs an introduction. Fix+ extends the wear of your makeup, gets rid of any powdery finish and adds just enough dewiness to make everything look more like skin. The best part? It works at every stage—spritz it before foundation to prep, mid-routine to melt products together or at the end to lock everything in place. M.A.C is up to 25% off right now and orders above ₹2000 come with a complimentary sachet. A good excuse to grab a backup while you're at it.
Backstage, on set and in professional makeup kits around the world, M.A.C Fix+ has earned its reputation as a beauty staple. More than just a setting spray, it's often used to bring the entire makeup look together. A few spritzes help soften the appearance of powders, melt different layers of makeup into the skin and create a more natural finish overall. It's equally useful before makeup, during application and throughout the day when the complexion needs a quick refresh. The result is makeup that looks less constructed and more effortlessly lived in.
Few beauty products have achieved cult status quite like Fix+. While it's often praised for refreshing makeup and adding a healthy-looking glow, it also works remarkably well as a setting spray. The lightweight formula helps soften powdery textures and brings different layers of makeup together, creating a more seamless finish that continues to look fresh long after application.
For Mukuchyan, this evolution has been a welcome one. "I'm quite happy about the fact that skin-forward makeup is the new trend now," she says. "It's not about covering everything under thick layers anymore. It's about treating and protecting while enhancing, using makeup strategically to even out tone and create a healthy, polished appearance."
The products you choose play a big role in creating that effect. "The best skin-forward formulas disappear into the skin and never sit on top of it," says Mukuchyan. She looks for lightweight, breathable textures, buildable coverage, hydrating ingredients, blurring properties that don't look powdery and finishes that mimic healthy skin. They should also work seamlessly with your skincare routine, making makeup feel like an extension of good skin rather than a separate layer.
"The secret is not using less makeup—it's using makeup more intentionally," says Mukuchyan. Ahead, she shares the skin-forward makeup products she reaches for time and again to create fresh, natural-looking makeup.
"For me, skin-forward beauty starts before foundation, and this is one of the best examples of that philosophy," Mukuchyan says. The Vitamin Enriched Face Base delivers a boost of hydration while creating a smooth canvas for makeup, helping everything that follows apply more seamlessly. Paired with the Vitamin Enriched Skin Tint Foundation SPF 15, which offers lightweight coverage and daily sun protection, the duo creates an even-looking complexion without taking away your skin's natural character.
A skin-forward base doesn't require full coverage everywhere. Instead, Mukuchyan prefers refining only the areas that need it. "I prefer strategic spot-concealing with this product instead of applying full foundation everywhere," she says. The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer blends easily into the skin, brightening and evening out targeted areas while maintaining a fresh, hydrated-looking finish. It's proof that thoughtful placement can often do more than another layer of foundation.
Radiance starts beneath your makeup, not on top of it. That's why MAC Strobe Cream has remained a constant in Mukuchyan's kit. "It creates luminosity from underneath the makeup rather than sitting on top as shimmer," she says. Infused with skincare ingredients that help hydrate and revitalise the complexion, it leaves skin looking healthier before foundation even goes on. Wear it alone, under makeup or mixed into your base for an effortless glow.
Healthy skin naturally has colour, and Mukuchyan sees blush as an extension of that rather than a finishing touch. She says the Huda Beauty Blush Filter Liquid Blush "blends effortlessly and doesn't set too quickly", making it easy to diffuse into the skin for a soft, believable flush. "It gives a beautiful skin-like flush rather than an intense pigment hit," she adds. The buildable formula melts in seamlessly, adding freshness without overpowering the rest of your complexion.
Even when setting makeup, preserving the look of healthy skin remains the priority. "The key is using it sparingly," says Mukuchyan. Instead of mattifying the entire face, she recommends using the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder only where excess shine tends to appear. "It controls shine without flattening the complexion and allows skin to still look like skin," she explains, helping lock everything in while keeping the finish fresh and balanced.
The final step is all about bringing makeup and skincare together. "MAC Fix+ helps melt makeup into the skin, removing any powdery appearance and creating a seamless, natural finish," says Mukuchyan. The lightweight mist instantly refreshes the complexion while helping every layer look more cohesive, leaving skin with the kind of healthy, lived-in finish that's at the heart of a skin-forward routine.
For Mukuchyan, this evolution has been a welcome one. "I'm quite happy about the fact that skin-forward makeup is the new trend now," she says. "It's not about covering everything under thick layers anymore. It's about treating and protecting while enhancing, using makeup strategically to even out tone and create a healthy, polished appearance."
The products you choose play a big role in creating that effect. "The best skin-forward formulas disappear into the skin and never sit on top of it," says Mukuchyan. She looks for lightweight, breathable textures, buildable coverage, hydrating ingredients, blurring properties that don't look powdery and finishes that mimic healthy skin. They should also work seamlessly with your skincare routine, making makeup feel like an extension of good skin rather than a separate layer.
"The secret is not using less makeup—it's using makeup more intentionally," says Mukuchyan. Ahead, she shares the skin-forward makeup products she reaches for time and again to create fresh, natural-looking makeup.
"For me, skin-forward beauty starts before foundation, and this is one of the best examples of that philosophy," Mukuchyan says. The Vitamin Enriched Face Base delivers a boost of hydration while creating a smooth canvas for makeup, helping everything that follows apply more seamlessly. Paired with the Vitamin Enriched Skin Tint Foundation SPF 15, which offers lightweight coverage and daily sun protection, the duo creates an even-looking complexion without taking away your skin's natural character.
A skin-forward base doesn't require full coverage everywhere. Instead, Mukuchyan prefers refining only the areas that need it. "I prefer strategic spot-concealing with this product instead of applying full foundation everywhere," she says. The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer blends easily into the skin, brightening and evening out targeted areas while maintaining a fresh, hydrated-looking finish. It's proof that thoughtful placement can often do more than another layer of foundation.
Radiance starts beneath your makeup, not on top of it. That's why MAC Strobe Cream has remained a constant in Mukuchyan's kit. "It creates luminosity from underneath the makeup rather than sitting on top as shimmer," she says. Infused with skincare ingredients that help hydrate and revitalise the complexion, it leaves skin looking healthier before foundation even goes on. Wear it alone, under makeup or mixed into your base for an effortless glow.
Healthy skin naturally has colour, and Mukuchyan sees blush as an extension of that rather than a finishing touch. She says the Huda Beauty Blush Filter Liquid Blush "blends effortlessly and doesn't set too quickly", making it easy to diffuse into the skin for a soft, believable flush. "It gives a beautiful skin-like flush rather than an intense pigment hit," she adds. The buildable formula melts in seamlessly, adding freshness without overpowering the rest of your complexion.
Even when setting makeup, preserving the look of healthy skin remains the priority. "The key is using it sparingly," says Mukuchyan. Instead of mattifying the entire face, she recommends using the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder only where excess shine tends to appear. "It controls shine without flattening the complexion and allows skin to still look like skin," she explains, helping lock everything in while keeping the finish fresh and balanced.
The final step is all about bringing makeup and skincare together. "MAC Fix+ helps melt makeup into the skin, removing any powdery appearance and creating a seamless, natural finish," says Mukuchyan. The lightweight mist instantly refreshes the complexion while helping every layer look more cohesive, leaving skin with the kind of healthy, lived-in finish that's at the heart of a skin-forward routine.
For Mukuchyan, this evolution has been a welcome one. "I'm quite happy about the fact that skin-forward makeup is the new trend now," she says. "It's not about covering everything under thick layers anymore. It's about treating and protecting while enhancing, using makeup strategically to even out tone and create a healthy, polished appearance."
The products you choose play a big role in creating that effect. "The best skin-forward formulas disappear into the skin and never sit on top of it," says Mukuchyan. She looks for lightweight, breathable textures, buildable coverage, hydrating ingredients, blurring properties that don't look powdery and finishes that mimic healthy skin. They should also work seamlessly with your skincare routine, making makeup feel like an extension of good skin rather than a separate layer.
"The secret is not using less makeup—it's using makeup more intentionally," says Mukuchyan. Ahead, she shares the skin-forward makeup products she reaches for time and again to create fresh, natural-looking makeup.
"For me, skin-forward beauty starts before foundation, and this is one of the best examples of that philosophy," Mukuchyan says. The Vitamin Enriched Face Base delivers a boost of hydration while creating a smooth canvas for makeup, helping everything that follows apply more seamlessly. Paired with the Vitamin Enriched Skin Tint Foundation SPF 15, which offers lightweight coverage and daily sun protection, the duo creates an even-looking complexion without taking away your skin's natural character.
A skin-forward base doesn't require full coverage everywhere. Instead, Mukuchyan prefers refining only the areas that need it. "I prefer strategic spot-concealing with this product instead of applying full foundation everywhere," she says. The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer blends easily into the skin, brightening and evening out targeted areas while maintaining a fresh, hydrated-looking finish. It's proof that thoughtful placement can often do more than another layer of foundation.
Radiance starts beneath your makeup, not on top of it. That's why MAC Strobe Cream has remained a constant in Mukuchyan's kit. "It creates luminosity from underneath the makeup rather than sitting on top as shimmer," she says. Infused with skincare ingredients that help hydrate and revitalise the complexion, it leaves skin looking healthier before foundation even goes on. Wear it alone, under makeup or mixed into your base for an effortless glow.
Healthy skin naturally has colour, and Mukuchyan sees blush as an extension of that rather than a finishing touch. She says the Huda Beauty Blush Filter Liquid Blush "blends effortlessly and doesn't set too quickly", making it easy to diffuse into the skin for a soft, believable flush. "It gives a beautiful skin-like flush rather than an intense pigment hit," she adds. The buildable formula melts in seamlessly, adding freshness without overpowering the rest of your complexion.
Even when setting makeup, preserving the look of healthy skin remains the priority. "The key is using it sparingly," says Mukuchyan. Instead of mattifying the entire face, she recommends using the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder only where excess shine tends to appear. "It controls shine without flattening the complexion and allows skin to still look like skin," she explains, helping lock everything in while keeping the finish fresh and balanced.
The final step is all about bringing makeup and skincare together. "MAC Fix+ helps melt makeup into the skin, removing any powdery appearance and creating a seamless, natural finish," says Mukuchyan. The lightweight mist instantly refreshes the complexion while helping every layer look more cohesive, leaving skin with the kind of healthy, lived-in finish that's at the heart of a skin-forward routine.
