Why is my foundation pilling?

[theflake]

I use First Aid Beauty's Coconut Smoothie Primer, and the Fenty Matchstick as my stick foundation, but when I go to smooth it out, it will leave lines/streaks, as well as pill into balls that fall off my face. What am I doing wrong? Do I need to use a brush instead of fingers?

[LaRenarde]

hello! I think its probably a formula problem , you have to use product that have the same base or it can happen ,... silicone vs water , what is your hydrating cream that you put on first if it is very rich maybe your skin can't take the hydrating primer your putting on top is this something that happen a lot to you? i would try the foundation without the primer just to see how it goes xx

[1prettyscrapper]

Are you waiting until the primer is really absorbed? I love the Coconut Smoothie, but find that it takes at least 15 minutes to really soak in to my skin.

[OiiO]

In my experience, it might be a formula clash. Whenever I use water-based and silicone/ethylene products together, the top layer always seems to pill. It seems like the FAB primer is more natural and water-based, and Fenty  sticks have that slippery siliconey texture. Could it be a formula clash? Do you have a silicone-based primer to test with just to see if it makes a difference?

[theflake]

Yeah I have a sample of (Kiehl's, I think) 'concentrated wrinkle reducing' something or other... Ingredients make it seem to be essentially a silicone primer. (I'm becoming more and more of an ingredients list scientist). It's strangely mattifying. Another 'primer' I might test out is the Estée Edit Pore Stick. I assume it's either silicones or starch. I'll let you know how they interact. Thanks!

[hopkinss33]

Honestly, the Fenty Matchsticks aren’t necessarily the best formula to be using as an all-over foundation, so that may be contributing to the problem, but it is probably a combination of that, the specific formulas of your primer and foundation not being compatible, and just using too much primer when you apply it.

[theflake]

do you think an oil-based priner would work better? or does it need to be silicone with silicone, oil only with oil, and watery formulas with watery ones?

[theflake]

I know I'm guilty of trying to get away with using the stick as foundation... It's honestly so soft and skin-like, I can't help it. I will take your advice though and use less primer/let it dry first.