Trends on trial

Can a spatula give your foundation a flawless finish?

The hack

Using a beauty spatula to apply foundation to achieve a natural finish.

The test

Another day, another way to apply foundation to your face going viral on TikTok. This time it’s using a Picasso foundation spatula. It is very much not one used in painting though (or the kitchen). It’s small, with a rounded edge, so it’s easy to wield and you don’t cut your face. This is a Korean beauty trend, where having very natural-looking, glass-like skin reigns – and I’m all for that.

As for the method, you apply a pea-size blob of foundation to the back of your hand, place the edge of the spatula in the foundation, then swipe it over your face, as if you were buttering it with a knife.

I did one cheek with the spatula and the other with my fingers and, honestly, there is a surprisingly visible difference. The spatula’d cheek looked far more natural and less madeup than the other one, which I suspect is due to my having used less product. You will need a little sponge blending around the nose and areas that can’t be easily spatula’d (that word isn’t working, is it?) but either way,

I’m impressed.

The verdict

I am genuinely surprised that this made a difference. A little spatula actually might replace a brush or fingers for my foundation application from now on.