Invincible Makeup!

So there's nothing better than getting all dolled up (sexy outfit, fancy makeup) and going out for a fun night... Or heck, even just staying in and feeling pretty. But what's the fun in it if the second you start sweating on the dance floor or getting teary eyed (sappy movie, marriage proposal, allergies, who knows what the day holds in store), it all ends up melting off your face? And let's face it, no one likes spider eyes (I always think of the Mirrors music video where the chick's mascara is all over her cheeks... Yick!). So as much fun as it is to put makeup on, the other half of the battle is making it stay put! And there are ways, my friends, there are always ways.

Way #1: Prime It Up!!

My little primer family :-)

Primers are your best friends. Seriously. As there are primers for wall paint, so there are primers for face paint. Haha ok maybe that was a bad analogy, but it's the same concept. Primers prep your face for makeup and give it something to adhere to. The staying power of whatever makeup you're using probably increases by like 200% with primer. No joke. You can make drugstore brand makeup go the extra mile this way.

Lip Primer

Too Faced Lip Insurance

To be honest, this is the only lip primer I've tried, haha! Lip primers aren't usually the easiest things to come by. I was getting desperate though, there's not much worse than buying all these beautiful lipsticks and wearing them only for them to transfer completely off your lips on to the first glass you drink out of. Gah! So I got desperate and ordered this -- I got a sample size tube that came with a couple of other primer samples as well.

How to use: I usually apply a thin coat on my lips and let it dry, then apply lipstick over it. It does dry out your lips a little bit so you might want to moisturize first.

On its own, it has decent results, definitely allows at least a decent looking stain to stay behind, so better than nothing at all. The combination, though, of lip primer and a couple of other little tricks I'll describe below can lead to truly invincible, kiss-proof, drink-proof lips all day long.

Face Primer

Too Faced Primed and Poreless

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Primer and Highlighter

It's kind of a toss-up between these. The Too Faced primer is a little drying, which for my skin is not so bueno, but it blends really well and acts as a good base for foundation or BB cream or whatever.

The L'Oreal primer is more moisturizing and super easy to blend too, but it's also a highlighter and has a good bit of shimmer in it. It feels a little weird wearing it all over my face for just a normal day. I've blended it with my BB cream before applying it before, and that method allows for a little more subtle-but-still-glowy application. This one works really well as a primer too.

How to apply: Apply all over face after cleansing and moisturizing, then apply foundation or whatever base you're using. If you're not big on using base, you can just apply your regular makeup directly over it, just make sure you use a matte primer with no or minimal shimmer.

And now on to the most important one of all -- Eyeshadow Primer!!!

Eyeshadow primer, my friends, is an absolute must. I swear it changed my life. You all know how obsessed I am with eyeshadow, and I didn't become that way until I learned that eyeshadow primer was magic. Not only does it make your eyeshadow last fo-eva-eva (even if it's a discount brand!), it also makes it easier to blend, keeps it crease-free, and makes it GLOW. Seriously I feel like using a good primer makes your eyeshadow look even more stunning and makes your eyes pop that much more. Thanks to Lotus for bringing eyeshadow primer into my world!!!

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Again, kind of a toss-up between these two. They both seem to work equally well. I have sample tubes of both, and I'm still working on them. You don't need to use a lot, so one tube can last for a long time.

How to apply: Dab a couple of small dots of primer over your eyelids and blend from the lash line all the way up to the brow bone, and from inner corner to outer corner. Let it dry for about half a minute before applying eyeshadow.

Way #2 - Set It and Forget It!

Setting is a great way to finish off your look and keep it from sliding right off, usually by applying some kind of powder to absorb the extra moisture, dry it out a little, and so keep it on your face. A light dusting of powder all over your face will usually do the trick. I like The Body Shop Loose Powder, but you can use your favorite pressed powder too.

Setting is also a great way to keep your eyeliner in place, but with eyeshadow instead of loose powder. I always used to have issues keeping my eyeliner where it belongs, since my eyes have a tendency to tear up and itch a lot from allergies, so I inevitably end up rubbing them, and therefore inevitably end up looking like a raccoon by the end of the day. Until I found this trick from one of my favorite blogs. It's super easy, and it works! Once you're done applying your pencil eyeliner, dip a thin eyeliner brush into matching eyeshadow and go over the eyeliner again.

You can do this for the lower waterline too, just be careful not to get any eyeshadow in your eye. And if you really want it to stay on forever, instead of using eyeshadow, go over it with matching gel liner. You'll seriously still be wearing it the next morning.

Other Little Tips...

Lipstick - Using lip liner makes a big difference. Line and fill in your lips with a matching lip liner (I like MAC Creamstick Lip Pencil) before going over it with your lipstick.

If you really want fo-eva-eva lipstick, do the following:
 - Apply lip primer as stated above
-  After that dries, line and fill in your lips with lip pencil
-  Put on your lipstick
-  Blot once
-  Apply another light coat of lipstick
-  Hold a thin piece of Kleenex or tissue paper over your lips (don't press it to your lips unless you need to blot again), and lightly dust your loose powder over the tissue.

Boom. Done. It won't go anywhere, trust me.

To Keep Kajal from Smudging - before putting on your kajal or whatever eyeliner you use on your waterline, dust loose powder under your eyes.

There you go! None of these tricks require too much extra time, and they'll make sure you look as stunning at the end of the day as you did in the beginning!