It's A Lock! How To Make Makeup Stick!

by BR Tabatha

Does your face eat your makeup? One minute it's on, looking fresh as a daisy on a spring day... the next it's magically disappeared, like the Mallowpuffs in my biscuit tin. Or maybe your makeup slips off at the hint of humidity? Perhaps it can handle holding on for an average day, but needs more help if you're heading out for the night? What's a beauty lover to do? Learn how to lock it in, of course! Here are three steps to help you do exactly that...

Prep It

Before you even get to the setting part of your makeup process, you need to prep. This means creating a good base for your cosmetics - and it starts with clean, moisturised skin. Once your moisturiser is soaked in, you'll want to apply a primer designed for your skin type; think a mattifying primer for oily skin or a hydrating primer for dry skin.

It's not just your face that you'll want to prime, a little eyeshadow primer will go a long way when it comes to getting your eyeshadow to hang around, as BR Kellie found out in this article.

Primed up? It's time to talk cosmetics. If you've looking for longevity, you're going to need foundation, concealer, mascara and lipstick that sports the terms "long wear" and/or "waterproof". They're made to resist fading and smudging, while giving your look the stickability you're after. It's also a good idea to build up your face base in light layers, rather than apply a whole lot all at once, as layers are likely to stick on rather than slide off. This goes for foundation, concealer, contour, blusher, bronzer, and lipstick.

Set It

Setting your makeup is super simple. After applying your foundation and concealer, set them with a setting powder that is either translucent or the same or super-similar shade as your foundation, as this will help keep the products in place. If you're using a translucent powder, you can also apply it to your lips in order to make your lipstick stick.

Is your cream blush and bronzer prone to vanishing? You can go over those products with their powder counterparts that are in a similar shade... but do so gently as you don't want a case of clown face.

Once your face is at full beat, take a setting spray that is formulated to keep your makeup in place rather than one that is made to meld the makeup together, and spritz it over your face. My favourite for this is Urban Decay's All Nighter - once that's sprayed on your skin, your makeup isn't going anywhere.

Don't Forget It

At this point it's easy to go about your day and hope for the best. However, if you're going from day to night, or if your skin in on the oily side and prone to becoming shiny, it's a good idea to keep some touch-up products on hand, like blotting papers to absorb oil, pressed powder, as well as the lipstick you're wearing that day/night. Check in on yourself every few hours, and touch up as, and if, necessary.

Honestly, sometimes makeup application feels like a mystery, or like a massive process that only the professionals can get right, but when you break it down, getting your makeup to stick really is as simple as having the right products for the job and applying them in a thoughtful manner - something I think even the most beginner of beauties can get to grips with.

And there you have it! Five tips to lock in your makeup! Are these tricks you already use to keep your makeup from melting? Are there others we need to know about? Chat below!