Going Out-Out? This Makeup Will Last Every Drink and Dance Floor
October 2 | 3 minute read
Words by Izzy Wight
Party makeup can be a difficult art to master. If you’ve ever been frightened by your own reflection in a club bathroom mirror, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Skip the skin prep or use the wrong products and you’ll end up with a frypan-oily forehead and migrated mascara, sitting in smudges around your orbital bones (take it from me).
Luckily, there are beauty products designed specifically to prevent the ‘melted pop star’ look. Ahead of party season, we asked the experts to share their tips for all-night makeup.
Subtle skin prep
When it comes to pre-party skincare, less is more. “You’ll want to start with clean skin and a light moisturiser… Beginning with overly dewy skin will make your makeup fade more quickly,” explains Donni Davy, Euphoria’s Head Makeup Artist and founder of Half Magic.
“In terms of longevity, the key for me is building in light layers,” adds Hannah, MECCAversity’s Makeup Education Manager. “Use an essence or a thin serum in a couple of layers to ensure the hydration has time to really sink in.”
To create the best canvas for makeup, try using a lightweight moisturiser or serum (even both, depending on your skin type) to target your specific skin concerns. Sunday Riley's C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Cream is the easiest way to reinvigorate dull skin, while their Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment gently buffs away uneven texture. And if you also struggle with perma-tired eyes, Auto Correct Brightening and De-Puffing Eye Contour Cream is a game-changer for dark circles.
Hannah agrees, also suggesting to start with a radiance-boosting serum or moisturiser – like the Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Cream – followed by a primer: “My current fave primer is the NARS Light Reflecting™ Hydrating Primer which creates a gorgeous glow while also gripping onto my base products.”
Her other top picks include the Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer and the Smashbox Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer.
High-performance makeup
When it comes to makeup, the same rules apply: look for products with staying power and apply everything in thin layers. “A tip I love is mixing a pump of the Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer with my foundation,” explains Steve Kassajikian, Urban Decay’s Global Makeup Artist.
Steve recommends the Urban Decay Face Bond Foundation for optimum results: “It’s self-setting with a built-in powder to absorb sweat and oil. The foundation is also waterproof, sweat-proof, humidity-proof, transfer-resistant and gives you a natural matte finish.”
Dubbed ‘the original matte’, M·A·C Cosmetics’ Studio Fix Fluid Foundation is another option: oil-free, blendable and built for 24-hour wear. Instead of diffusing it out with your fingers, try pressing the foundation into the skin with a sponge or dense brush.
Finally, you can add dimension back into that mattified base with RMS Beauty's Magic Luminizer. It's a purse-sized product that packs a dewy punch – just dab sparingly onto the high points of the face with a brush or fingers for a subtle, radiant glow.
Lock it in
No night-out makeup is complete without setting spray – just ask Donni! “My favourite way to ensure makeup lasts all night is to set my look with… the Half Magic Dew Lock Hydrating Set + Refresh Mist. It locks makeup in for 12 hours straight, while delivering a serious dose of non-comedogenic hydration.” (That means it won’t clog pores!)
When Hannah really needs makeup to stay in place, she uses the NARS Light Reflecting™ Makeup Setting Mist: “I also like to use it at different points in the makeup rather than just at the end,” she reveals. “Adding a light layer of powder can really help too.”
