What is baking? The make-up secret to achieving Kim Kardashian's flawless face

If you thought popular beauty trends such as contouring and strobing were enough hard work, then baking may seem like trying to master the Rubix cube.

The technique, also known as cooking, is not exactly a new trend having been adopted by make-up artists (MUAs) for many years but beauty bloggers are now jumping on the bandwagon to achieve their flawless looks.

Although the name suggests putting your expensive make-up products into an oven – please, do not do this – it actually relies on the heat from your face to do the leg work.

Reality star Kim Kardashian may have popularised contouring to chisel her features but she also swears by cooking her face, which is how the fashionista creates that perfect finish.

Before you go plying obscene amounts of powder and concealer onto your skin, IBTimes UK outlines everything you need to know about baking from the experts...

Where did baking come from?

Baking, or cooking, is a trick that has been used by drag queens and celebrities for decades.

Those who use the technique regularly tend to be performers and models who need to prevent their make-up from melting while under bright lights for lengthy periods.

How does the technique work?

According to respected make-up experts and the thousands of tutorials on YouTube, baking consists of applying your base or foundation as normal and then coating a very heavy layer of concealer in somewhat of a triangle shape below your eyes.

Once the concealer is applied, gently smooth out the edges of the triangle to blend naturally with your foundation.

Next, layer the concealer with a dusting of loose translucent powder.

Here is where the baking comes in – leave the powder and concealer to set for approximately 10 minutes while continuing to apply the rest of your make-up. In extreme cases, some leave their face to bake for up to 30 minutes.

Once the cooking is done, lightly brush away the excess powder to reveal an even complexion.

Continue to contour or strobe as usual.

Ultimately, what is the point of baking?

While contouring chisels the structure of your face and strobing highlights, baking aims to diminish the fine lines resulting in a wrinkle-free finish.

Are there any downsides to baking?

Any MUA worth their salt should always advise their muse to take regular breaks from applying make-up to maintain healthy skin.

Baking requires using an intense amount of products which, if done frequently, can clog pores and potentially lead to damaged skin.

What does the finished result look like?

Here are some of the best examples of baked or cooked faces so far: