How To: Make Your Makeup Last All Day

Okay ladies, do you ever wish your makeup lasted all day? Especially when your days are long and your commute feels even longer? Over the last year, I have watched a million YouTube videos and have read a thousand blog entries (a slight exaggeration, but I think my boyfriend will say I'm pretty close :p). From all the research, I have tried a few things that have really helped my makeup last longer. 

As always, I want to set expectations. By no means will your makeup look like it did when you first applied it 8 hours later, however, it will look better and you should notice that you still look polished, even after a long day at work. Here are the top 5 things that have worked for me. . You'll notice that it all begins with your foundation... literally.

1. Use and prep with minimal products

I used to do it all... toner, moisturizer, sun screen, and primer before putting on any type of foundation. The more layers you put on, the harder it is for the foundation to adhere to your skin.

Look for products that are multipurpose, e.g. primers that are extra moisturizing for dry skin, foundations with sunscreen, moisturizers that help tone and brighten skin, etc. The bonus? Not only will you save time in the morning, you'll save money too!

2. Use a primer

Primers really do work - not only to provide you a smooth surface for your foundation to go on, but it helps to prolong the wear of your make up. Because my skin is dry, one of my all time favourites is Laura Mercier's Hydrating Foundation Primer.

Primers can get expensive, so I use mine sparingly. I've found that a lot of my foundations hold up pretty good for the most part, and so on work days, I generally skip this step. When I do use it on weekends or on a night out, I focus the primer on areas that get oily. For me, I dot it along my t-zone and work my way out - spreading the excess to the rest of my face. A pea size dot is more than enough, a little goes a very long way!


3. Blot off the excess foundation

I got this tip from watching YouTube (gossmakeup). Take Kleenex or toilet paper, whatever you have lying around and separate the sheets so that you're working with a thinner layer of tissue. Use this and gently press it against your face. Key word is press. The goal isn't to rub off your make up, but to remove all the excess moisture and oil from your foundation, leaving behind just the pigment on your face. It's really such a simple step that makes a big difference. 

4. If you're wearing liquid foundation, set it with powder

I didn't always do this step until after a makeup workshop that I went to this summer. The instructor told me to always set something wet with something dry. This will help absorb any oil or moisture from the skin throughout the day. I like the way that it really finishes the look, making your face look more flawless. I was initially worried that my skin would look cakey, since I have normal to dry skin, but she (my instructor) told me that if you've moisturized enough (or her tip, mix your favourite foundation with your moisturizer), the chances of that happening are slim. If you're still concerned, then try to only focus on the areas that you get oily. I always make the effort to powder my t-zone and the areas where I've used a concealer. My favourite one right now is MAC's Mineralize Finish Powder. 

5. Use a setting spray

Last but not least, use a setting spray to help make your makeup last all day. I actually never leave home without it. The one that I've been using is Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray. For a full review, click here. This is not a miracle spray, your makeup is not going to look flawless like how it did when you first applied, but it sure is going to look a heck of a lot better at the end of the day then if you didn't use it at all.

That's it! 5 very simple tricks that should help your foundation last all day. If you have any tips that really work well for you, please share :)

Thanks for reading!