Wedding Season: How to Make Your Makeup LAST!

Wedding season is upon us! I absolutely love weddings as it's an excuse to dress up and look your best, and since my wedding (almost 2 years ago now!) I just love seeing all the beautiful details that go into different weddings, and obviously everyone's outfits, makeup and hair! 

I've collaborated with the Beauty Recommended channel this week to show you three of my favourite up-do's for wedding season. They are all totally fool proof, so perfect if you aren't the best with hair styling but want to change up your look for a special occasion AND what's more... they all take about 5 minutes to do, so are perfect if you want to look polished without spending hours in front of the mirror!

Weddings can be long affairs, so I also thought it would be nice to share some of my tips for making your makeup last all day, as the last thing you want to worry about is constantly having to touch up your face when you could be enjoying the day.

Prep

Prepping your skin before you apply makeup makes all the different when it comes to longevity and how your makeup sits on your face in the first place. Prep your skin for a special event by using your usual exfoliator the night before (my favourite is the Olive Scrub from Apivita) to remove any dry, dead skin. If you're planning on wearing a bright lip colour, I would also recommend prepping your lips by using a scrub (Lush Lip Scrubs are my favourite) then apply a balm immediately afterwards to leave them as smooth and soft as possible.

You also want to use a good moisturiser to ensure your skin is hydrated, as makeup never sits well on dry skin. It's a good idea to wait 10-15 minutes after you apply your moisturiser before applying your makeup to give it time to fully absorb into the skin. I really like Olay's Total Effects Pore Perfector Day Moisturiser for this as it isn't too greasy to use under a full face of makeup and it's also helps to diminish the appearance of larger or open pores too.

 

Prime

Face primers have become very popular in the make-up world over the past few years, so many of you may already have one of these in your makeup bag. But be warned… there are good and bad primers! If you want one that will keep your foundation looking fresh for as long as possible, it’s worth doing some research to find the right one! If you're looking for a more affordable option, I really like the Max Factor Facefinity All Day Primer. It's smoothing, but light at the same time and makes a great base for your makeup.

Eyeshadow primers are also well worth investing in, both for special events or everyday wear, as they not only make your eyeshadow last longer but also make the colours appear more vibrant and make application and blending easier. Whether you’re going for a full-on smokey eye, or just a touch of natural shadow, Urban Decay's Primer Potion is my all time favourite and will keep your eye make-up firmly in place until you’re ready to take it off.

 

Layer

Another trick to make your makeup last as long as possible is to build it up in this layers, rather than apply it in one, thicker application. This works really well for foundation and concealer especially, but it also works for colour too. You can also try layering up powder products on top of liquids or creams. For example, layering a powder blush on over the top of a creme blush will set the colour in place and make it last longer. The same principle works for all makeup, just be careful not to apply too much, remember the thinner the layers, the longer it will last!

 

It's also a great idea to look for waterproof products for weddings (especially if you're prone to shedding a few tears!) Max Factor's Clump Defy Waterproof Mascara is one of my favourite waterproof formulas, and Make Up For Ever's Full Cover concealer is also a great option as it give you great coverage and is also waterproof. 

 

Set

Make-up setting sprays are the new powders. Not only do they keep your makeup on for longer, they don’t build up and make your skin look cake-y. If you have oily skin and the idea of not using powder scares you, Urban Decay sell one called De-Slick, which is designed to control oil, and you can use this on top of your regular powder if you want to. I personally have quite dry skin, and setting spray is my make-up saviour. It leaves your skin looking fresh and naturally glowing and you can re-apply it as many times as you want throughout the day without getting that cake-y build up that face powder can give you.

* This blog post is sponsored by P&G as part of my work 

with the Beauty Recommended YouTube channel.