Wish your makeup would stay put? Feel like your foundation shifts over the day? Hate those panda eyes from smudged eyeliner? All these problems can be solved simply, by applying your makeup in layers.
Face
Before applying your foundation, apply a primer over your face.
This will help your foundation adhere to your skin, it will make your skin look silky smooth and will also help your foundation to last all day. I like
Barbara Daly's 'Face Lift', which gives a lovely glow and plumps up the skin. (Yes, that's the Barbara Daly stuff you get from Tescos!) Follow up with your foundation, whether it be liquid or cream, preferably applied with a brush so as to use less product.
Liquids and creme makeups, once applied to the face, still retain these qualities, so if you want them to stay put for longer you need to 'set' them. This can be done using loose or pressed powder, applied with a brush or puff, all over the face. Whether you use a puff or a powder brush depends on your desired result - use a brush with light sweeping strokes for a more natural look, or press on with a puff for a more vintage, powdered look. If you're after that dewy, glowing look use only a very small amount of powder over the forehead and nose, leaving the cheeks and temples, although remember that this makeup may not last as long.
Eyes
Believe it or not your eyelids are the greasiest parts of your face! In order to keep your eye makeup looking fresh all day you have to prep the skin underneath it first, or your lovingly applied eye makeup may have a tendency to shift and crease.
Before applying eyeshadow, put down a base of foundation or concealer on your eyelid, followed by a loose powder or natural shadow to set it. Even better, use an actual eye lid primer. I like
MAC's Paint Pot in 'Painterly' This base will act as a primer for your eyeshadow and prevent it from shifting and creasing throughout the day. It will also act as a great base over which to blend your shadows and finally, using a primer will let the colours of your shadows come through truer as they have a good opaque base underneath.
For eyeliner, simply press a little powder over the top using a small powder or angled brush. Remember that eyeliner is another cream makeup, it's just in stick form, so still needs to be powdered. You can use translucent powder, or a matching colour eyeshadow for greater intensity. This has the added bonus of helping fill in any gaps in between your lashes and make them look thicker and fuller. Finish with a good coat of mascara.
