When Baking first started trending, it seemed too much for contouring. It seems it only benefits those who are a bit more oily. I occur to be on the drier side, and have found that despite my reservations, this summer baking has become my face’s best friend. What is baked you may ask? This is an additional step when contouring which involves letting the concealer sit on your face for 10-20 minutes with loose powder on top. The reason for this is that the heat from your face will melt the concealer into your skin, setting it with powder as well.
This is not only a must with concealer, you can even use the cream contour tool for “highlight” color when baking. Everyone bakes a little differently, because everybody has a different skin. You will use products that complement your skin type. For example because I’m dry I use Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer as it provides lots of moisture, and then a lighter powder (Sephora Banana powder is my favourite) over top which isn’t so matte. If you are an oily person, use more powder and a more matte finish over your concealer and or highlight shade.
I normally use this technique under my eyes in the “light triangle”, on my chin, and also under where I plan to put my chiseled cheek contour shadows. In another spot I highlighted, I did not bake, because my forehead and nose got really dry. If you are wondering how some women (or men) get such perfect-looking selfies on Instagram, most of their skin’s perfection is partly as a result of baking. It shoots very good, and has saved me during these 90 degree days in LA. I recently took a trip to Florida (the city of humidity), and I do not even want to consider how my face would melt if I did not bake every day.
Some tips and tricks in terms of baking is to be sure you use a concealer that will not gather in the fine lines under the eyes. Use a contour brush to brush and blend any excess powder on top before going in with your beauty blender, to actually squeeze out the product. Do something else while baking, so you are not concentrating on how long it has been on your face. Experiment with different products on your skin to come up with your own ideal cake “recipe”. Roast!
