Beauty
5 reasons your make-up isn’t staying on and how to fix it
By Amy Davidson
Updated 6 years ago
In partnership with Bobbi Brown
Ensuring your make-up lasts needn’t be complicated. We’ve rounded up a handful of tips to help make sure it goes the distance…
Few things are more insulting than your painstakingly applied make-up melting off midday.
When you’ve dutifully dragged yourself out of bed 20 minutes early to apply a truly flawless face, watching it all slide off before you can say ‘setting spray’ is a unique, keenly felt pain.
However, it’s not necessarily a case of throwing setting powders and ‘long-wear’ products at the problem.
In fact, the key to truly long-lasting make-up is all in the prep – skincare and make-up are actually more intertwined than you think.
Prepping and priming your skin will create a smooth, even canvas that make-up can properly grip onto all day.
Here are five ways you might be missing the make-up mark and how to fix it…
1. You're slouching on skincare
If you have a limited amount of time to do your make-up, the appeal of just going straight in to foundation or BB cream is obvious.
But actually, immediately heading to the end result is asking for a make-up melt-down.
Any make-up artist worth their salt will tell you to spend about half of your make-up application time on skincare, but that’s probably a bit steep for a weekday.
Instead, carve out a couple of minutes to massage in Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base.
Lightweight in texture but packing mega moisture, it’ll help hydrate the skin which in turn helps your make-up adhere.
It also acts as a primer for your products, with shea butter and vitamins C and E to moisturise and brighten.
2. You're not scrubbing up
If your gripe is patchiness with your make-up, or areas where foundation won’t ‘stick’, this could be a case of poor exfoliation.
Not sufficiently sloughing off dead skin will make it tricky for your make-up to stay in place, so add in twice-weekly exfoliation with something like Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peel Pads.
They’ll melt away dead skin and leave your complexion fresh, radiant and ready for make-up.
3. You're overly oily
If your skin is naturally oily, you can’t help that – but it can make your make-up a bit problematic.
The excess sebum your skin produces will make it harder for products to grip, so keep on top of the situation with precision powder.
Using a small brush (try one designed for eyeshadow), lightly buff setting powder around your nose, between your eyebrows, over eyelids and anywhere you feel you’re especially oily.
By doing it this way, and not by dusting all over, you’ll keep a lovely healthy glow on your cheeks, and lock in foundation where you want it.
4. You're blurring, not buffing
Another thing many of us are guilty of when applying make-up?
Furiously swishing away with our brush or fingers, without really working the product in.
Follow the make-up artist maxim: slide for sheer, press for coverage.
Essentially, you need to buff back and forth like a windscreen wiper on areas you want a light layer, but take the time to really press product into your skin on those areas where you want a fuller finish.
This helps lock it in, and also gives you a more even, natural-looking finish.
5. Your commute is counterintuitive
A standard commute can feel like transitioning through several different climate zones: icy wind when you step out of the house, sticky on the platform and sweltering in the carriage.
Insure your base against the elements by moisturising properly before foundation, and go for light layers.
That means buffing a small amount of base or concealer in, then waiting a moment before layering up another.
A dusting of sheer powder around any sweatier areas such as your T-zone can also add another layer of protection.
Lock in your make-up and nourish your skin with Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base available at John Lewis. Visit your local Bobbi Brown counter to receive a seven day sample of the Vitamin Enriched Face Base and a foundation match of your choice.
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