I've been asked by a lot of people recently to do a blog post about how to get makeup to last longer, especially for nights out on the town or during the work day or long haul flights, any situation where you don't necessarily have the opportunity to touch up your makeup too often, so here are my top tips for getting your makeup to stay absolutely flawless for longer!
*Setting your foundation with a finishing powder*
- The best way to get your foundation to last longer is to set it with a finishing powder straight after applying your foundation.
- Obviously the more powder you apply, the more matte your skin is going to look, and too much powder will make your skin look cake-y. So if you prefer a dewy, more natural finish then just use a little bit of powder, mainly on your forehead, down your nose and across your chin.
- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Light/Medium (great colour if you use MAC NW20 foundation) is my favourite setting powder, because it adds a bit of coverage at the same time as setting your foundation.
- However if you want a cheaper option, Revlon has a great finishing powder in their Photoready range, and they have coloured ones or a translucent option, which will mattify and set your foundation without giving the extra coverage that the coloured powders will.
- NOTE: apply powder after concealer, not before!
*Using a foundation primer*
- Not only does using a primer before applying your foundation provide a smooth even base and help hide lines/pores, it also helps foundation last longer!
- My favourite foundation primer is the Elizabeth Arden Good Morning Skin Serum, however I have heard from some clients that they find this primer too hydrating if they have dry skin, and Laura Mercier does a great primer in an oil-free formula, so if you have dry skin then that might be a better option for you.
*Eyeliner on your waterline*
- This trick I only discovered just last year, but it works wonders. I hear so many people complain about how their eyeliner runs and wonder if using a more expensive product will help, however my favourite eyeliner is just a cheap black one from Australis, because it is very well pigmented which you don't get with a lot of drugstore brands, and even with some more expensive brands as well.
- The trick to getting your eyeliner to not run is similar to what we do with foundation - set it with a powder. Obviously in this case we want to use a black eyeshadow, so MAC Carbon is a good one to use, or just any matte black eyeshadow.
- If you use a soft, natural angled brush it is easy to do, however you have to be careful not to get the powder in your eye, because it can be annoying. Pulling down your waterline (just like you might when applying eyeliner) should help with this.
*Stopping eyeshadow from wearing off or creasing*
- The best way to stop your eyeshadow from wearing off or creasing is to use a good primer. I love Urban Decay Primer Potion and Elizabeth Arden Eye Fix, they both have a bit of tint to them so give a bit of coverage at the same time (great if you have veins on your eyelids). You can use MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study as a primer, and its great to make your eye colour pop, because it has a little bit of sparkle in it, and I think it's a gorgeous colour even just on its own.
- Using a primer before applying your eyeshadow will make it much easier to blend colours on your lid, and will make your eyeshadow last so much longer.
*Stop lipstick from feathering/bleeding*
- Using a primer under your lipstick is a great way to get it to last longer, Elizabeth Arden Lip-Fix is great for this, just give it time to set after applying, or else your lipstick won't be able to stick.
- Using a lip pencil that is the same colour as the lipstick you are applying, line your lips and also fill them in completely, then just apply your lipstick lightly over top. This way when your lipstick comes off if you are eating/drinking, you will have the colour underneath so you are saved if there is a surprise photo taken!
- Using a lip stain instead of a lip stick is a great way to get long lasting colour, however stains can tend to bleed more than lipsticks/glosses so if you have dry or mature skin I would stay away from this option.
Hope these tips help :)
Elle xx
