Baked Goods: Makeup Straight from the Oven

After a few years on the market, baked makeup is finally, well, hot. Like it sounds, baked makeup is literally baked in an oven, which is meant to result in a smoother product with better pigmentation, blending ability, and extra-long wear. But before you get out your Easy Bake Oven and try to DIY, you should know there’s a fine art to the makeup baking process.

As opposed to traditional pressed powders, which are milled, baked makeup formulators actually take liquids and literally bake them into solid form. The result? A product with less talc-y consistency and a rich, marbleized color. Many baked products look shimmery in appearance and glide on to your skin like velvet. And baking isn’t just for eye shadows—Laura Geller, MAC, Stila, and Bobbi Brown have baked foundations, powders, and bronzers, too.

Another benefit: You can wear baked products wet for more dramatic results. Spritz on a bit of water, and the consistency becomes creamy, allowing you to build more color and coverage without damaging the product—it will dry back to its normal form. And because you can build color when it’s wet and more pliable, the key benefit of all these products just may be the universality for all skin tones. Here are some of our favorite items to consider buying at the next bake sale.

Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush | $29

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A trio of cheek colors can be used separately or blended together for different looks. Depending on how much you build up the color, you can achieve everything from a light flush to a full highlight.

Stila Set & Illuminate Baked Powder Trio | $34

Try this 3-in-one sheer, lightweight setting powder alone or over foundation. In the twist-compact, you get three distinct shades that work to add warmth or highlight and illuminate skin for a glowing finish.

MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo | $21

Two coordinating shades baked into one striking-looking compact. If you want versatile eye colors that really pop, try these wet or dry. The pigment payoff is huge!