So I went to a wedding yesterday (I've never been to one before so it was a slightly traumatic experience, but I can assure I am slowly recovering - from both my crying fit over the bride's dress & beauty and the mix of Pimm's, champagne & lager). And apart from it being all lovely & romantic (with a lake full of swans, a 17th century pagoda and a cake bigger than my life), it was also tropically hot. And by tropically I mean I got home, took my dress off & it still looked like it was on because of the ridiculous tan lines. What surprised me though was that even after some 18 hours, my make-up still looked pretty darn good (no word of lie here), even other people complimented me on the personal achievement of keeping my make-up on for so long! Do you want to know how I did it?
Use the right products
This seems pretty obvious but you'd be surprised how many times your vanity wins over your brains. It makes sense that your make-up should go nicely with what you're wearing - either in the terms of style or colour scheme, however you should also keep in mind that sometimes it's worth adjusting your make-up plan to the weather conditions rather than to spend the second half of the day in at the toilets trying to re-apply the foundation that slipped all the day down to your bra. No no. One of the areas where this strategy works the best are the eyes. My key picks are:
Eye shadow base: I use Maybelline Color Tattoos for this as I find them more reliable (and cheaper) than other eye shadow bases. Lately I've been using On & On Bronze together with Makeup Revolution eye shadows & they work absolutely amazing together - solid eye shadow colour without the risk of it becoming smudged all over your face.
Eyeliner: I absolutely adore Eyeko eyeliners - super easy application, even over a few layers of eye shadows and they don't fade or smudge no matter how much your eye lids sweat.
Mascara: Lately I've been using the Code Beautiful mascara from Harvey Nichols (link here) - it adds some serious volume yet it doesn't flake or smudge under your eyes how most mascaras do in higher temperatures.
Base & fixing spray
I don't always use a base under my foundation, but when I really need my make-up to last, I make sure I do. To be honest, I'm not too fussy with primers - my only requirement is that it doesn't contain heavy silicons as they tend to break me out. Currently I've been using the Happy Light Illuminating primer from Bourjois and there's not a bad word I've got to say about it - it's light, keeps my foundation/BB cream in place and doesn't irritate my skin.
In terms of fixing spray - I either use a facial spritz or an actual fixing spray, both alternatives have got their pros and cons and if I had to pick one for more formal occasions then it'd be a fixing spray. My favourite at the moment is a recent Makeup Revolution launch - Pro Fix Make-up fixing spray (link here). I'm not gonna lie - it doesn't have a very pleasant scent (it's a bit nail-polish-y to my nose), but it does the job better than anything I've tried so far. Brownie points for you, Makeup Revolution!
Setting powder
I'm not usually a powder girl because I like my skin looking dewy rather than matte. The thing is - with a setting powder, your make-up is set (doh!). I've been using the Bourjois Rice powder together with a dense kabuki brush - sounds a bit strange, but buffing the powder into your skin (especially in areas like under your eyes where you use concealer, around your nose, the T zone) really helps to keep everything in place. It also makes your skin feel super soft to touch!
Keep your mitts off your face!
Touch your face as little as possible. There's nothing worse than rubbing your lovely face with your disgusting bacteria-infested sweaty hands. Not only that your make-up won't last but you're also most likely gonna get spots everywhere. Yuck!
Essential touch ups
Touch ups happen. They just do, so don't pretend that they you don't do them. Bring a few key make-up bits with you - an eyeliner (just in case), a blusher (there's no way it'll last 18+ hours), a setting powder (if you struggle with too much shine) & a fixing spray (for a quick refresh).
I really hope you've found this helpful!
What's your secret recipe to long-lasting make-up?
Disclaimer: Some of the products mentioned above I received for review purposes. Thank you!