This is exactly how long to wait between applying skincare and makeup, if you want your foundation to last

Have you ever looked in the mirror at 3pm and noticed your make-up has totally vanished?

You can do everything right. You start off with your best foundation, painted on carefully with the best foundation brush in your kit, and your base still slips away. There are a few foundation mistakes that could be the culprit, but one of the most common ones is not waiting long enough after your skincare routine to start applying it.

I wanted to get to the bottom of this annoying phenomenon, so I spoke to skincare and makeup experts who told me definitively how long to wait. The answer may surprise you - it’s certainly impacted my routine.

How long should you let skincare sink in before applying makeup?

First, I spoke to Dermatologist Dr Derrick Philips, who had a very clear answer. “Before applying makeup, I would ideally allow around five minutes after your final skincare step, particularly if this is sunscreen,” he said.

“This gives the products time to settle and helps reduce the likelihood of pilling or separating. If you have a little longer in the morning, leaving 10 minutes can be helpful, particularly if you use a richer moisturiser or sunscreen.”

Makeup artist Cassie Lomas agreed that you only need to wait a few minutes. “I'd always give it a couple of minutes, or longer if you've used something richer,” she said. It's important to wait, according to Cassie, because "skin texture changes slightly from when you first apply your skincare to once it's soaked in, so foundation and concealer may move more if applied directly onto your skincare."

How can you tell if it's safe to move on to make-up? "Once the skin no longer feels noticeably wet or excessively slippery, you can move on to the next product," according to Dr Derrick.

Prepping your skin with the best primer will also help bridge the gap from skincare to makeup.

Is your makeup still sliding? According to Cassie, some products might require a bit more time. “Anything oil-based or very rich needs longer to sink in; otherwise makeup will just sit on top rather than blending in,” she explains. “I'd also be careful with heavy, occlusive balms right before makeup, as they can create a barrier that stops everything from gripping properly. SPF can sometimes need an extra minute too, depending on the formula, as some can leave a slight film if you go in too quickly.”

The other annoying foundation phenomenon is makeup pilling, which can happen if you don’t wait long enough between skincare and makeup.

“If products are still moving around on the skin or begin to roll into small flakes when you apply the next layer, this can be a sign that you have used too much product, layered too many formulations together, or haven’t given the previous layer enough time to settle,” explains Dr Derrick.

So, according to the pros, it's better to wait five to ten minutes after your last skincare step (likely a layer of your best facial sunscreen). This will stop your foundation from sliding around, fading, and pilling.

I've historically left a bigger gap. I generally wait 15-20 minutes before applying my base, but it’s nice to know that I don’t have to wait as long - it’ll help claw some back from my morning routine. That's one more hit of the snooze button in the bank for me.