Is there anything more annoying than spending ages perfecting your makeup before you leave the house, only for it to look like you've gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson by the end of the night? I don't know about you but as a result I spend my night avoiding the club photographer so such evidence is never captured. Eek! But there is a way to keep your face on fleek the whole night through, and it's all in the prep.
Follow these simple steps and your makeup will last as long as you do - that is, before your heels start burning and you need to grab some cheesy chips and call it a night.
Step 1: Cleansing
Even if your skin has been throughly cleansed the night before, when it comes to applying your makeup in the morning, it's essential to eliminate any traces of sebum and other impurities that may have built up while you caught your beauty sleep. Go for a mild, non-greasy cleanser which will be gentle on the skin. We like a foaming variety or even better, a micellar water like Embryolisse Micellar Lotion to provide the perfect smooth base for your slap.
Step 2: Toning
*Now please note that this step isn't essential for everyone, particularly if the texture of your skin is normaI* but it's a highly recommended step for oily skin types or acne prone skin, as it provides that extra bit of cleansing to get rid of makeup or any dirt missed by your cleanser.
Step 3: Hydration
Nothing gets your glow on better than well moisturised skin, but you don't wanna end up looking like you've just slathered butter on your face either. Using a moisturiser that's not right for your skin type, or layering it on too thick can result in excess sebum and enlarged pores, and we all know that ain't a good look, so go for a light textured do-it-all serum instead, like Manuka Doctor ApiRefine Gold Dust Firming Serum which helps lock in moisture and keep skin firm by maintaining collagen in the skin. Slather over the face and neck until completely absorbed.
Step 4: The base
Meghan Trainor knows the deal, it really is all about that base. Your moisturiser could serve as a base on its own, but in order to optimise the look of your makeup, it's a good idea to apply a primer on top to help smooth and mattify the base, while eradicating the look of any fine lines, imperfections and large pores. Apply by lightly tapping with the fingertips, to avoid moving any moisturiser, particularly if you choose a tinted one.
Step 5: The Complexion
When it comes to choosing makeup to highlight the complexion, you could try a tinted BB cream, like Maybelline Dream BB Fresh as this can work well to correct any marks or blemishes on the skin, particularly in summer. But if you feel it's necessary, a concealer and a light foundation, (water based or powder) can also be worn. If for you warm weather goes hand in hand with redness, then put a brake on the blusher ladies.
Step 6: The Eyes
For those of you who feel naked without a smoky or lined eye, begin as you would with the complexion, by creating a base for the eyeshadow first. This is an important step for making colour stick the whole day without creasing, or worse, disappearing completely. Try an eyeshadow primer like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion before applying your colour.
For a night out it's a great idea to finish with a waterproof mascara. If you've braved it with a new brand, try a bathroom crash test before the big night: wear your mascara in the shower to test its reaction to crisis situations. If there is little to no smudge, then it is armed enough to fight the heat of the club. If you come out looking like a panda, then maybe just keep that one for non-sweaty situations instead.
Step 7: The Lips
As lips have never been a bigger trend than now (literally), there's even more of an excuse to get your pout on point! It's vital to begin with soft lips (a little scrub with sugar and a toothbrush works wonders to exfoliate,) before starting with a base, then opting for a lip colour with a long wearing formula. But before perfecting that pout with colour, apply a lip liner carefully around the lip line first to help seal in lip product and also give your lips a boost. We love No Bleeding Lips, an invisible liner that stops lipstick from smudging and feathering.
Before applying the colour you could also put a bit of compact or loose powder on the lips in order to remove any excess moisture. Next, kiss a handkerchief or tissue or the back of your hand to blot before applying a second layer. The aforementioned shower test can also be applied here to give you total kiss-proof confidence.
Step 8: Fixing
We now come to the key phase of operation makeup-last-all-night: fixing. Begin by applying a veil of translucent powder, which is much lighter and more discreet than a compact powder. Then, spray a makeup fixer all over the face, like Barry M Mist & Fix Setting Spray. If you have no such product to hand, you could try the old fashioned hack of a spritz of hairspray (keeping eyes firmly closed!) or thermal water can also do the trick.
Step 9: Touch Ups
Even if you've followed all of our infallible tricks, after a lot of sweaty dancing or simply getting caught in the elements en route to the venue, the face may still require some small touch ups. There's no need to bring the whole of your makeup kit out with you, a sheet of mattifying paper and/or a mattifying gel to pat on the face, or even a little spritz of thermal water is all you need to refresh your look, and you're done.
How do you make your make up last all night? Let us know @SoFeminineUK!
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