I like to look good, but I don’t like being a high maintenance broad who runs to the bathroom every hour to touch up her makeup. So I’m on a quest to find make up products that work well all day.
My first suggestion is Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lip Color. Since I discovered it, I’ve refused to buy any other brand of lip color. I can apply it in the morning, then spend all day eating, drinking, showering, making out with my boyfriend, hell I can even sleep in it and it’ll still be clinging to my lips the next morning!
I also like NARS blush. It’s $30, so definitely not the cheapest you can find. But I’ve experimented with a lot of cheap blushes, and either they don’t show up at all (making a $10 compact into a $0 value), or I have to cake it on to make it show up (which looks even worse than not wearing blush). So I’d say if you’re going to wear blush, it’s thoroughly worth it.
Urban Decay primer before any eyeshadow. I use a mix of expensive and cheap eyeshadows and I have to say, UD wins over any other eye primer I’ve tried.
I haven’t tried face primer because I don’t wear foundation.
Also - don’t wear cheap eyeliner. Actually, if you want a soft eyeliner, you can use primer and an eyeliner brush like this one to use your eyeshadow as liner. Doesn’t smudge.
Estee lauder’s double wear foundation gets a lot of love, particularly in relation to wedding makeup, which of course needs to last all day if possible. There is a ‘light’ version too for those who find the original too heavy.
I like MAC’s pro longwear lipcremes, not too drying, which can be an issue with some long wear lip products.
I also like Benefit’s tints. My favourite is Cha Cha tint, not nearly as scary a colour on as it is in the container. A very flattering colour on me, even though I’m very pale. All the tints are stains, so they cling well to skin for as long as needed.
The best way I’ve found to make makeup last all day is to be careful with application. Putting on a primer before foundation is fantastic for ensuring it lasts all day. I also use a complimentary lip pencil all over my lips under lipstick which really helps the colour last.
Seconding silica powder (I get mine from Coastal Scents), and I like Urban Decay’s Deslick In A Tube mattifying gel for cutting any oil production and thus letting makeup applied over that last longer.
L’Oreal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes mascara stays put all day – no smudging, no sweating or crying off. It coats your lashes with fibers to darken and extend them. They look like little plastic strings when you remove your makeup.
I fucking love this stuff and will wear widow’s weeds if it’s ever discontinued.
NYX’s Slide On Pencil has become my favorite eyeliner. Not only does it not budge all day and night, but it’s incredibly smooth and quick to apply. You need the barest pressure and it glides right on. It also comes in a good array of colors. I get mine at Ulta, and they often have buy-1-get-one-50%-off sales.