What is baked makeup, and how do you apply it?

If you’ve ever come across baked makeup products, you’ll know they’re powders — but they’re made in a super unique way. They start as creams, which are slowly poured onto terracotta tiles in Tuscany and baked until they’re dry. Yes, really!

The result? A velvety-smooth powder that’s packed with minerals and other natural ingredients. Thanks to the baking process, baked makeup is lightweight and glides onto the skin like a dream.

Our experts explain how baked products help to create natural glowy makeup, and why they’re the next best thing to a trip to Tuscany...

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6 benefits of baked makeup products

Move over, regular makeup! These are just some of the reasons to add INIKA’s baked makeup to your kit:

#1: They’re free from chemicals

Most commercial makeup is usually made by pressing pigments together with fillers and binders, such as bismuth and talc. These chemicals can irritate and dry out your skin, especially if it’s sensitive. That’s the key difference between baked vs pressed makeup.

On the other hand, baked makeup without talc starts life as a cream before being baked into a powder, so it doesn’t need those chemicals to stay solid. That’s also why baked makeup is silky-soft and lightweight: it’s free from bulking agents that give makeup a chalky finish and make it hard for the skin to "breathe".

#2: They have a higher colour payoff

Since baked powders don’t contain those fillers and binders we mentioned above, they’re incredibly concentrated. This means they look more pigmented and vibrant when you apply them to the skin.

Thanks to the high colour payoff, a little goes a long way, so you can expect your baked makeup products to last longer!

#3: They have the same benefits of mineral makeup

Makeup should look like your skin, only better. Just like mineral makeup, baked makeup is a favourite among clean beauty enthusiasts for its gentle ingredients and weightless feel on the skin.

At INIKA, our baked mineral makeup contains a blend of pure, natural ingredients to balance out the skin. These include magnolia bark extract to hydrate the skin and reduce redness, hectorite to minimise the appearance of pores, and natural glycol for its antimicrobial properties.

Our baked makeup is also non-comedogenic, making it ideal for oily, congested and acne-prone skin types.

#4: They leave your skin looking luminous

As a cream, baked makeup is made up of swirls of multi-coloured pigments — so it has a marbled finish when it’s done baking. Because of that, baked powders reflect light and flatter all skin tones, giving your skin a gorgeous, natural glowy makeup sheen.

But unlike other powders, these products don’t have large or visible glitter particles, so you don’t have to worry about looking too shiny in the sun!

#5: They can be applied wet or dry

You can apply baked powders as they are, or spritz them with water for a more intense finish. They’re perfect for playing around with both everyday and dramatic looks, which is why baked bronzers, blushes, highlighters and eyeshadows are the most popular products.

#6: They’re a sustainable option

Like the rest of our natural makeup range, our baked products are hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. They also come in biodegradable, recyclable packaging so you can feel good about your purchase from beginning to end.

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How to achieve a Tuscan-inspired glowy makeup look

You may not be able to jet off to the rolling hills of Tuscany right now, but you can still pretend!

Our 10-minute baked makeup routine will help you with bronze glowy makeup:

1. Using the Vegan Kabuki Brush, apply our Baked Mineral Foundation to clean, moisturised skin. This mineral powder foundation offers sheer, veil-like coverage that covers up redness and blemishes while letting your skin shine through. It’s buildable, so buff it in using firm, circular motions until you have the level of coverage you want.
2. Fill in your brows with the Certified Organic Brow Pencil and coat your lashes in the Long Lash Vegan Mascara. It’s a good idea to do your eye makeup right after foundation — it helps to frame your face and prevents you from over applying “warming” products like bronzer and blush.
3. Apply the Baked Mineral Bronzer in Sunbeam to the areas where the sun naturally hits your face, like your cheekbones, nose and forehead. Use the Powder Brush to distribute and blend the powder evenly.
4. Add a healthy flush to your cheeks with the Baked Mineral Blush Duo in Burnt Peach or Pink Tickle, depending on your skin tone. As for how to apply baked blush, focus on the apples of the cheeks and wet your brush for a more intense “pop” of colour.
5. Dab the Baked Mineral Illuminisor on your upper cheekbones, under the brow bone and to the inner corners of the eyes.

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Want to try your hand at contour makeup?

The Contour Duo and the Sculptor Brush are the perfect pair.

1. To create a chiseled look, dust the darker contour powder along the hollows of your cheeks, the sides of the nose and under the chin and neck.
2. Glide the brush along those areas until the product is blended into the skin.
3. Then, finish by applying a little highlighter to your nose, brow bones, cheek bones and cupid’s bow. Voilà!

Now it’s your turn to experiment

Some mineral makeup brands use specialist ovens to bake their products, but at INIKA, we stick to tradition by baking our makeup on terracotta tiles in Tuscany. If you’re ready to see the results for yourself, shop our range of natural makeup online, including the bestselling INIKA Organic Baked Mineral Foundation.

While you’re waiting for your order to arrive, check out our blog for more clean beauty tips.