Yes, you can just use foundation if you have smooth skin with light skin imperfections that you can cover with your foundation. If you choose to use only foundation, select a full-coverage foundation and opt for a good skincare routine.

Things You Should Consider if You Want to Just Use Foundation

1) Your Makeup Won’t Last Long – Without a primer, your foundation won’t last long on your face. The natural oils from your skin break down your foundation which may leave you with a melted look. Consider using a full coverage oil-free foundation on its own if you are planning to just use foundation.

Most oil-free foundations are great for oil control and many come with added skincare benefits to keep your skin moisturized. However, keep in mind that aside from making your makeup last longer, a primer helps to smooth out the rough surface of your skin, which helps to make your makeup application look flawless.

By skipping the primer, you are also missing out on the skin-smoothing benefits of a primer. Any bumps or pockmarks will still become visible after your foundation application.

2) Your Makeup May Feel Cakey – By skipping the concealer, your foundation will need to do the heavy lifting of covering off any skin imperfections on your face. A concealer is usually used to provide heavy spot coverage on skin imperfections that are hard to cover. These are usually dark pigmented skin, like birthmarks, beauty spots, and acne marks.

Since you will be applying foundation all over your face, you may need to apply additional layers to cover off hard-to-hide areas. This may leave you with thick makeup on your face and a cakey feeling.

Keep in mind that even a full coverage foundation will not work as well as a concealer for hard-to-hide areas like birthmarks and beauty spots.

Another option is to use BB creams. These are tinted moisturizers that are designed to give your skin light coverage while providing your skin with great skincare benefits. It’s a great option if you’re going for a natural look or simply want to just use foundation. I recommend using Korean BB creams as they provide the best balance between coverage and skincare.

3) Your Makeup May Look Flat – The job of a foundation is to give your face an even tone. However, by just using foundation, you cancel out all the natural colors on your face which will make your skin look flat. This is why it’s important to bring your natural colors back with blush or bronzer. Try cream blushes if you are opting for a natural look.

Although you can just use foundation, there are some drawbacks of using it alone. It’s a good idea to incorporate primers concealers, bronzers, and other makeup into your daily routine. These products have a specific purpose and work great together if used properly.

If you want to learn the proper way to apply these products, check out my complete guide to foundation, concealer, and primer application!