How to Get Makeup to Last All Day and Night Long
Making your makeup last all night requires a combination of good skincare, proper application techniques, and the use of long-lasting products. Follow the 5 steps below to get flawless makeup for 12+ hours!
1 - Make sure your skin is freshly washed and prepped.
If it’s been a few hours since you washed your face and you can already feel oils built up, wash those away! You might want to skip this if your skin is on the drier side. (note - I have dry skin and only splash my face with water in the mornings, so I’m not stripping my skin too often).
I’d also recommend exfoliating your face the night before or morning of a big event. This will get rid of any dry flakes and make your makeup to go on super smooth. I use the Acure Brightening Facial Scrub 2-3 times a week.
When it comes to skincare, I would avoid Vitamin C Serums and Hyaluronic Acids. These products tend to pill under a lot of makeup. I recommend keeping it simple with a light moisturizer and heavier cream/oil in dry areas! In my professional makeup artist kit, I always use Weleda’s Skin Food Light all over the face and Weleda’s Skin Food Original in areas that need a little more hydration (undereyes, nose, around the mouth, etc.).
2 - Prime your face.
Face primer is a little controversial in the makeup world - does it actually do anything or is it an unnecessary extra step? In my opinion a lot of face primers are unnecessary and don’t do a ton to make your makeup last. HOWEVER, the one primer I use in my kit allllllll the time and especially when I want the makeup to last 12+ hours is the Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Balm.
This innovative product has a unique ingredient in it called Upsalite which helps to absorb oils as you produce them, so you makeup actually looks better the more you wear it. I use the Universal shade and place it in the T-zone underneath makeup, but you can get it in your skin tone as well and use it underneath or on top of makeup. You can also get a darker shade and use it as bronzer. Such an amazing product for anyone who struggles with oils or texture!
Before and After Using Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Balm
3 - Choose the Right Foundation for Your Skin Type
Choosing the right foundation for your skin type and preferences is the most important factor in getting your makeup to last all night long. If you know you are oily and try going for a radiant or dewy finish foundation, the chances are your face will be shiny in an hour or two. As a general rule of thumb, foundations with a matte or semi-matte finish will be longer lasting than dewy finish foundations. Foundations like the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Matte Foundation or Estee Lauder’s Double Wear for full coverage are great options for oily skin that will last all night long.
The only caveat is if you have super dry skin, a matte finish foundation could be too much for you and could accentuate any dry spots or fine lines. I find the Armani Luminous Silk foundation has a natural finish that is extremely long lasting and works great for dry to normal skin. Also the Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation is a great option as well!
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in Shade 5.2
4 - Don’t Skip Out on Powder
If foundation is the most important factor, powder is a very close second. I like to use a combination of loose powders and powder compacts to get my makeup staying fresh. Loose powders are great for “baking” - applying a large amount of powder to an area that gets oily, likely the t-zone, and allowing the skin to warm up and absorb the powder then swiping away what has not absorbed. I will usually apply loose powders with a powder puff along the sides of my nose, on my chin, and center of my forehead. My favorite products for this are the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder and the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Setting and Finishing Powder. The Givenchy powder has a softer satin finish, so is better for those with dry skin.
For powder compacts, I love the Fenty Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder. I will use these to set under my eyes and the rest of my face. Also, these are so easy to through in my purse for touchups throughout the day!
Before After Using Huda Beauty Easy Bake Powder
5 - Invest in Setting Spray
I don’t typically use setting spray everyday, but I do think it is necessary for makeup lasting all night long. Not only will setting sprays help to bring back a skin-like finish to makeup after powder, but it will help mesh all the makeup products together once it dries down. A few setting sprays I love - the Urban Decay All Nighter (an OG), Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, and One Size On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray (a holy grail for oily skin).
Getting long lasting makeup shouldn’t be difficult. It’s all about finding the right products for your skin type and using the correct techniques. Comment below if you try out any of the products mentioned in this article!
