Makeup Staying Power
This photo was taken five hours after applying my makeup with no reapplication, the only area that faded was my nose where I did not follow these tips (I had a cold and assumed my nose was going to get messed up regardless!). Here are the tricks that I used to keep my Halloween dark eye/lip makeup from smearing and lasting all day long.
Long Lasting Eye Makeup:
- Smooth on an eye primer to your eyelids and under eye area.
- Apply a gel liner to create the desired line around your eye and then trace over the liner with an eye shadow of the same color. If you are really wanting that extra staying power for an even more dramatic look, go over just the rim of your eyes in a liquid liner (I did this for my Halloween cat makeup). Yes, three layers: gel, eye shadow and then liquid liner.
- After you have applied your eye makeup, use a bit of concealer with a small brush to clean up any stray liner.
- Now, the final trick is to add powder directly underneath where you have lined your eyes, this will help the makeup from melting down giving you that smudged area you are constantly wiping away with your fingers! You can use a small flat laydown brush to sweep the powder for an easier application.
Long Lasting Eye Makeup:
- Apply a little bit of lip balm to moisturize your lips 5 to 10 minutes prior to applying any color. This is usually the first step during my whole makeup routine. Blot with a tissue to remove any excess balm.
- Then smooth on a bit of concealer (I use the above Bobbi Brown cream concealer) on the edges of your lips all the way around even to the corners. This will help smooth and define your lips.
- Line your lips with your favorite lip liner then fill it in with the same liner. I prefer to use two different shade liners and add a darker lip liner around the edges and blend it down with a brush. At this point, I blot with a tissue, reapply the first liner and add a layer of lipstick* in a similar shade.
- Use concealer with a small brush to clean up any stray lip color.
I know it sounds like a lot of steps, but it will pay off when you don’t have to reapply continuously throughout the night! Even with drinking and eating, a whole night of dancing, this makeup will stay put!
*You can skip this step and add a bit of gloss instead or just finish off with liner. I used the Rouge Dior Haute Colour lipstick in Red Muse but, Dior reinvented their Rouge Dior lipstick line this year and this color is no longer available.
Let me know if you try out these tips and if you have any tips of your own!