how to make your makeup last all day

How to help your makeup stay on all day in three easy steps

never go to bed with makeup on

If you’re anything like me you’ll agree there’s nothing more frustrating then spending the morning perfecting your makeup only to find by the evening you look like you didn’t put any on. Your foundation has faded or dried out, you’ve got mascara spots under your eyes and your eyeshadow has creased or disappeared. It’s a nightmare, but there are three methods you can follow that will show you how to get makeup to stay on all day.


Wash your face properly

Whilst it may seem obvious, washing your face in the morning can actually help your makeup to stay on all day. Applying makeup on a dirty face increases your chances of it slipping or flaking away. Cleansing in the morning washes away dirt, sebum and old makeup leaving a blank canvas for you to start from scratch.

Prepping your face will help your makeup stay on

Don’t forget to exfoliate!

Whilst you may not be able to see it, dead skin tends to accumulate on your face, and it’s important to exfoliate a few times a week to remove that unwanted skin. Putting makeup on over untreated skin means the surface is not as smooth and the makeup is more likely to flake off.

Why is moisturising important?

Using a good moisturiser helps keep your skin nourished and fresh. Moisturising also helps to prevent any dry patches which may result in your makeup looking cakey or plastered on. If you have oily skin, use a oil free or gel moisturiser and use something more nourishing if your skin is drier. It’s important to use a moisturiser with SPF in as UVA rays are harmful even during winter.

  • Don’t Forget! Whilst moisturisers are vital try not to go for a formula that is too greasy or your makeup will just slide off.

Using a great primer will help your makeup stay on

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last 5 years you’re probably aware of how important primers can be in your makeup routine. Using a good primer, whether it’s eye primer or face primer has a lot of influence on how long your makeup lasts. Primers give your skin a gorgeous silky base so that your foundation simply glides on top.

Choose the right makeup

Go for the invisible makeup look

It’s important to remember when buying foundation, it should look like you’re not wearing any makeup. Foundation is used by millions to hide the imperfections we don’t want to show the world so the last thing you want is a foundation that illuminates those. If you remember anything, remember that your foundation should blend easily into your skin.

Try makeup before you buy

Whilst we don’t have the liberty of trying everything before we buy it, we do have the option to try out makeup. It’s vital to make sure you get colour matched or else you could buy a shade that’s not suitable and you’ve just wasted £20 on something you can’t use. Many department stores like House of Fraser and John Lewis are more then happy to assist you with a free makeover.

How to choose the right foundation formula

Everyone’s different so not everyone is going to be wearing the same type of foundation. When choosing a product you should buy something that relates to your skin type, whether it’s oily, dry, mature, normal or sensitive. Bear in mind that your skin may change from one season to the next, for example in Winter your skin may be dry but in Summer it’s more oily. Head over now to find out more about how to find the right foundation for your skin type.

The difference in foundation coverage

Depending on how much coverage you want you can opt for a light, medium or heavy foundation. Whilst you may want to conceal more in the winter and use a heavier foundation, the warm weather and brightening effect of the sun in summer may result in you using a lighter foundation. Generally if your skins good you will only need a light coverage to even out any minor blemishes, if you are more worried about your skin you can use a medium or heavy coverage. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

How to maintain lip colour

We’ve all been that girl who applied her gorgeous new lipstick in the morning only to find it had disappeared after half a hour, unable to resist the clutches of the morning cup of tea. By choosing a lip colour that is water/food resistant you’ll ensure you’ll still be seeing it later that day no matter what you eat or drink.

Don’t forget! You can use a lip liner around your lip colour to keep it looking great all day long.

Use powder eyeshadow

Cream eye shadows have the unique ability to crease in a short space of time, leaving a horrible cakey effect. Whilst the formulas have certainly improved over the years, it’s best to resist temptation and use a powder eyeshadow over a eye primer so your eyeshadow will last longer.

Top tips on how to get makeup to stay on

Take your time

You may think you don’t have any time in the morning and you’re stressing about running out the door, but it’s important to give your makeup time to set. Slapping your makeup on in five minutes won’t give your makeup time to set and will result in it sliding off. After each layer try to wait a few minutes before applying the next. Once you’ve applied your foundation you’ll want to keep it in place. The best way to do that is to use a translucent setting powder that can set your foundation. By using a translucent powder you’re not adding any extra colour to your face.

Avoid touching your face

If you’ve ever phoned someone just after applying your makeup you couldn’t have failed to miss the runny foundation marks on your phone. By touching your face you’re effectively doing the same thing as you’re removing a little bit of makeup each time thus increasing the chances of your foundation rubbing off.

Wearing your hair up will help your makeup stay on

It may sound strange but wearing your hair up can actually help reserve your makeup a little longer. By having your hair away from your face it won’t be able to rub on it and accidentally remove any makeup.

If you think these tips will help your friends and family makeup to last all day, please share the post on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.

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