You don't have to be a makeup artist to use Dermacia - and thousands of women who love and use Dermacia every day will agree! But sometimes you might need a bit of help - which is why we've put together some questions that women have asked with answers by some top makeup artists who use Dermacia. We've also included some of their top tips to keep you looking flawless and fabulous all day long!
Can I achieve different results by applying Dermacia with different instruments--for instance, with a sponge, my fingers or a brush?
Dermacia is so versatile--it’s a miracle makeup.
For full or maximum coverage, use your fingertips, and Dermacia will cover any problem areas beautifully. Many of my clients have had recent plastic surgery or various injectables, and the immediate effect Dermacia offers is amazing. No one but their plastic surgeon or dermatologist will know. It blends so perfectly because it just kind of melds with your own skin tone.
Sponges, of course, are great—and disposable. For the lightest coverage, use a damp sponge. This will give a soft matte finish and is a popular application for oily or acne-prone skin.
Foundation brushes offer medium to light coverage and are my favorite all-purpose application tools. Your skin is very malleable--it moves up and down and it’s not perfectly smooth. Brushes are also malleable and give you extra control so when you use them you get that perfect finish, just like an artist’s brush.
Use a brush dry, because you’ll get streaks if you use it wet.
How do you blend the two colors in the Dermacia kit to find your perfect match?
When my clients are mixing Dermacia to find their perfect shade, I have them put one pump of their main color (the one that most closely matches their neck and chest) in the palm of their hand, and then add one-half pump of the other color.
The palm or back of your hand works as a fabulous palette. You can mix it right there, apply it, then wash your hand with the Dermacia cleanser.
It’s terrific that Dermacia kits come with two different colors because that way you can adjust as your skin graduates in color from season to season. Sometimes women feel washed out and want to look just a little warmer or tanner, so they can use a higher proportion of the darker shade.
Right now the look is super-glamour--red and berry lipstick is really the rage, so people are going about a half a shade lighter, just to get that va-va-voom look. Today’s hot look is not about the eyes; it’s more focused on the look of skin and how beautiful it is. Dermacia will provide a soft, natural, velvety finish that almost looks airbrushed--it is just fantastic.
Is there a way in which I can apply the foundation to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles?
Dermacia is actually ideal for women with these initial signs of aging. The breathable foundation is lightweight and 
adheres to the skin. It dries down matte and blends into the skin versus sitting in the cracks or the fine lines like typical foundation does. It’s almost as though it becomes one with your skin.
That’s how I describe Dermacia when I tell people why I love it so much—it’s because it becomes one with the face versus sitting on top of what we’re trying to cover. It’s as though it’s almost not there. But it does what it’s supposed to do: Hide freckles, lines, dark circles and imperfections and just gives a very natural, even look.
To get perfect coverage for fine lines and wrinkles, apply Dermacia with your sponge and don’t go too heavy into the lines.
Always make sure that you’re beginning on the inside of your face and blending the foundation outward, toward the outer part of your face.
When you’re blending on your foundation you can put a little bit onto the top of your hand and work off your hand rather than applying it directly to your face. That gives you more control, so you can use it sparingly on the places that need it and not as heavy in areas that may have more lines. Just go lightly over those areas with your sponge and blend it all together.
I have combination skin. What’s the best beauty regimen for me to use before and after I apply Dermacia?
Whether you have combination, normal, young or old skin, skin care is your most important step for achieving longevity for beautiful skin. So, always cleanse, tone and moisturize.
If you have combination skin that is slightly oily in some places, you can still moisturize. But don’t moisturize heavily in the oily areas, just on the drier parts of your skin. If you have drier skin, moisturize all over. Then, apply your breathable foundation. Dermacia breathable cleanser and toner are terrific and complement the breathable foundation.
Then of course, when you take your makeup off, it is just as important to cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin—it’s the canvas you’ll be working on the next time you apply your makeup.
How do I minimize undereye, frown and smile wrinkles? Does an upward or downward stroke when applying Dermacia make a difference?
This is a very common concern with many of my clients. The best thing to do is to start with a clean and well-toned face. Massage the Dermacia cleanser into your skin gently with your fingertips, rinse with lukewarm water and then apply toner.
What I love for aging skin—or any skin—is the moisture lotion. It’s gentle enough to use around the eye area. Not only does it contain the Lycogel that’s in the other products, it also hydrates and plumps the skin because of an ingredient called hyaluronic acid. This is one of your skin’s natural moisturizers.
Remember, a little Dermacia breathable foundation goes a very long way. Use downward strokes—downward strokes allow the skin to relax more than upward strokes. When one goes upward, one tends to pull the skin. If the skin is already somewhat dry and crepe-like, pulling upwards can worsen existing wrinkles. Remember to do under the lash line—that’s very important.
When you’re done applying, it’s best to relax your face for five to 10 minutes before doing any kind of activity. This helps the makeup set. I would not put any powder around the eyes. Of course, with Dermacia, most people find they don’t need powder afterwards at all.
Dermacia not only covers fine lines and wrinkles, it actually improves your skin over time. Because Dermacia is a breathable foundation, it doesn’t smother the skin. It creates an oxygenated environment, which has been shown to produce more collagen in the skin. Collagen is what gives skin the plumper, youthful look of people in their 20s.
What’s the difference between the spray moisturizer and the moisturizing lotion? Do I apply it just prior to putting on the makeup?
The Dermacia face moisturizer provides a more intense hydration process than the moisture mist. But, like the moisture mist, you don’t feel it on: You just feel your face firming after you apply it.
My trick is this: I use the moisturizer first. It hydrates intensely and has SPF 15, but is also breathable and has the Lycogel complex. Then I apply Dermacia foundation and an appropriate blush color accordingly. After all is said and done, I use a light spritz of the moisture mist for additional moisture and a dewy finish.
Because Dermacia is water-resistant, you can spritz on the moisture mist over your makeup at any time during the day. Hold the spray moisture far enough away from your face—at least four to five inches away. You need an all-over misting. Right after putting on your makeup, one spray will do for your whole face. But if you’re on the airplane, the moisture mist is a gem—spritz as much as you want.
I have a scar on my face from a fall I took a few years back. How can I use Dermacia to cover the scar?
Scars can be traumatic for some people, especially children and younger women. Pump a light shade of Dermacia 
onto a sponge and apply a heavy layer right over the top of the scar. Wait for it to dry a little bit, and then add even more on top of that if needed—Dermacia is designed to be layered.
After covering the scar, make sure you apply a similar amount of Dermacia to the surrounding facial area and then blend down through the neck and chest. If you don’t do that, you will see a major coverage spot. It’s like when I hide tattoos: I have to cover the entire area and not just the tattoo, because otherwise your eye will zone right in on it.
If the scar is raised, you should use powder, because if your face is shiny the shadows and raised portions will be more visible. Makeup is about illusion—you trick the eye into seeing something else. Powdering deflects attention to other areas.
A friend of mine says she uses her foundation to help bring out her cheekbones and make her nose look smaller. How would someone go about doing that?
This technique is called contouring. The basic principle is to use darker shades to hide certain facial features, and a lighter shade to highlight or bring out others.
When it comes to the cheekbones, start with a darker shade right by the ear and temple, and use a sponge or your fingers to draw a nice, bold slash from the temple to below the cheek. The slash should be curved along with the angle of the face—not straight across. Then take your light shade, put it on the top of the cheek, and blend.
Many people use contouring techniques to thin a wide nose. To do this, take a light shade and go down the actual bridge of the nose. Alongside of that, just off the bridge, apply a medium or tan shade and create darkness. Then when you blend all that together, you have a slimmed-down nose.
Blending is the key to contouring; you shouldn’t be able to see the contrast, just a shading or grading. Use a medium shade that is one shade darker for everyday wear, two shades darker for a severe dramatic contour, like you’d use for a photo shoot with an avant-garde look.
I have oily skin. Should I vary any part of the recommended Dermacia skin care regimen to get it under control? I’d rather stop the problem at its source instead of just using tons of powder.
Oily skin is caused by certain glands that produce more oil than your skin needs to stay moisturized. It can be tough to deal with—not only does it appear shiny, it also can cause difficulty when it comes to getting your makeup to set. In addition, it can attract additional dirt and dust and be more prone to acne.
The best way to care for oily skin is really the most simple: Keep it clean. Cleansing is a must both morning and evening. Dermacia’s breathable cleanser is perfect, because it breaks down oil and dirt without stripping your skin of essential moisture. Although it sounds counterintuitive, you don’t want to remove all the oil from your skin—that will just stimulate the glands to produce more.
Make sure you use your Dermacia toner after cleansing and before applying foundation. This will help remove impurities and even out the oily and dry parts of your face. Then, use your Dermacia breathable foundation; you may not even need a moisturizer, or you may find that Dermacia breathable moisture mist is enough. Since all of Dermacia’s products contain the Lycogel complex, allowing your skin increased oxygen intake, your pores will stay clear and any acne flare-ups will be minimized.
Although oily skin can be a pain, the benefit is that it is often slower to show wrinkles or fine lines as you age.
Some of our favourite Dermacia tips:
Use a thin layer. Because Dermacia’s sunblock ingredient is in nanoparticles, too small to be seen with the naked eye, even the lightest coating ensures you’re protected.
Mix and match. Blend foundation with equal parts breathable moisturizer on the back of your hand. Presto—you’ve got your own personal tinted moisturizer, which can even out skin tone without suffocating you.
Stay sheer. For transparent coverage, apply Dermacia breathable foundation and moisturizer with a damp sponge.
Spray and go. Spritz on Dermacia breathable moisture spray after you apply your foundation for that perfect summer glow. Carry it in your purse to freshen skin as the hot day goes by. You can also use the spray to hydrate tired skin if you have been in a harsh, air-conditioned environment all day.
(Makeup Artists answers by Michael David Gallego, Cynthia Roman, Lisa Mirante and Cindy Kuzma)