Nothing is worse than spending your whole morning perfecting your look just to have it completely melt off of your face by noon. It’s frustrating when makeup won’t last, and even more frustrating when you don’t know the reason why.
To put an end to the inconvenience that is ruined makeup, we’ve created a guide for you. In it, you can read why your makeup isn’t staying put and learn how to better seal in your look so it can last you all day and all night.
Top Reasons Your Makeup Won’t Stay Put
You may not know it, but seemingly harmless things you do throughout the day can lead to your makeup fading prematurely. Understanding what these things are will help you avoid them in the future, benefiting the longevity of your makeup.
Oily Skin
Excess oil on your skin stops your makeup from taking a tight hold, causing it to slide off of your face or gradually rub off during the day. If your skin type is oily or you are prone to blemishes, you may want to consider investing in a mattifying product before applying foundation to your skin.
Too Much Touching
Touching your face is one of the most common – and most difficult to change – behaviors that stops your makeup from being long-lasting. You may not even know that you are repeatedly touching your face because it is often a subconscious action. However, too much contact with your makeup will rub it off and cause areas of smudging or fading.
To remedy this problem, be more mindful about where you are placing your hands and try to avoid resting your face in your hands at any point, as this causes the most damage to your makeup.
Using the Wrong Type of Makeup
Sometimes, it’s not your skin that’s the problem – it’s your makeup. If your foundation or other makeup products are not suited to your skin type, you can end up with patchy coverage or cakey-looking makeup by the end of the day.
This problem is especially common when you have drier skin; dry skin will attempt to absorb hydration out of anything you put on your face. A more moisturizing foundation may be able to improve the permanence of your makeup.
Your Makeup Is Old
Old makeup just isn’t the same. It works less efficiently and can even potentially damage your skin, depending on how old it is. If you notice your makeup is fading quickly, check your makeup for signs of expiration to see if they need to be replaced.
The Best Ways to Make Your Makeup Last
For makeup that can stand the test of time and your busy daily routine, try out these tips. You can use each tip by itself or combine some of them to find the best way to make your makeup last.
Care for Your Skin
Good skin care can benefit you in more ways than one. In addition to improving your overall natural skin appearance and keeping acne at bay, properly cared for skin can help your makeup last longer.
Make it a regular part of your skin care routine to thoroughly cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize your skin. You may also want to add a toner to help balance your skin and make it smoother, leading to an easier makeup application process.
Take Your Time Applying Your Makeup
We get it, sometimes you have to no choice but to rush through your morning makeup application. However, regularly speeding through this process can lead to your makeup disappearing faster throughout the day.
During your makeup application, you should make an effort to move slowly and allow products to be absorbed and fully dry into your skin before adding more. Not only can this stop you from applying too much makeup, but it also prevents your makeup from fading during the day because it has a better hold on your skin.
Even if you don’t have time to wait during the actual makeup application process, you should at least try to leave 5 to 10 minutes between using moisturizer and putting any complexion products on your skin. Moisturizer that isn’t fully absorbed will cause these products to fade away quickly.
Don’t Forget the Primer
Priming both your face and your eyes will allow your skin to grip the makeup more tightly, leading to an all-day look. Primer will both seal in the benefits of your skincare routine and create a smooth surface for your makeup to cling to.
Invest in Quality Tools
Quality brushes and sponges can make all the difference when it comes to how long your makeup stays in place. Switching out your old or lower quality brushes for something with better build quality will allow you to apply your makeup smoother and blend it faster – remember, the less time you spend touch your makeup, the longer it will last.
Try Waterproof Makeup
Known for being long-lasting, waterproof makeup can be just the thing that gets your makeup to stay in place. Waterproof makeup is typically hardier and more impervious to things such as humidity, sweat, and excessive touching.
Also, using a waterproof mascara and/or eyeliner can protect you against developing “raccoon eyes” after only a few hours of wearing makeup.
Consider Oil-Free Foundations
As we discussed above, oil on the skin contributes to your makeup sliding off of your face at the most inconvenient of times. Consider switching to an oil free foundation, like this one, to prevent any fading or melting.
If you have a drier skin type, keep in mind that you should be regularly moisturizing your skin in order to prevent any oil-free foundation from dehydrating it over time.
Use Light Layers
Layering is essential to ensuring your makeup is long-lasting. Apply your foundation and other complexion products using light layers, allowing each to dry slightly before adding more to build up coverage.
These layers will stay put on the face more effortlessly and will not come sliding off all at once, like they would if you put on a large amount of makeup at one time.
Apply Concealer Last
You may be tempted to try and cover up those under eye circles or blemishes right away, but applying concealer underneath your foundation can create a slick area that causes your foundation to disappear or rub off easily. Apply your concealer as one of your last steps to guarantee all your makeup stays in place.
Blot Away Oil
During the day, you may notice oily patches starting to show up on your skin. This is more of a problem if you have an oily skin type, but anyone can experience these shiny patches of annoyance throughout their life. These oily areas can cause your makeup to start to disappear or slide off of your skin.
In order to protect your makeup, you can invest in a blotting product, like a sponge or wipes, to soak up oily areas and protect your look.
Seal and Set Your Look
A setting powder or spray is a fantastic tool to make sure your makeup stays in its place. You can apply a translucent setting powder between layers of makeup or after everything is applied to seal in the product and set everything in place. Alternatively, a setting spray can be lightly spritzed over your finished look to protect it against any fading.
Carry the Essentials
When in doubt, carry your makeup essentials with you. A small compact of powder, blush, and some lipstick can go a long way in refreshing your look and giving the appearance that your makeup is lasting all day and then some.
The Key to All-Day Makeup
Trying to ensure your makeup stays in place all day can be a challenging task, but it can be done. If you are struggling to keep your look intact for the long run, consider changing up your skincare routine or trying out one of our tips for lasting makeup.
It may take some trial and error, but by the end of it, you and your makeup will definitely be looking great for as long as possible.