It has taken me years of smudged eyeliner, smeared lipstick, and cakey foundation to do something about makeup that just does not want to last. Below, here are the steps I took to achieve a makeup look that lasted me through one of the sweatiest and makeup-unfriendly nights of the year: a rave.
1. THE BASE
Products Used:
- Smashbox Iconic Photo Finish Foundation Primer
- Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Mattifying Foundation in No. 25 and No. 40
- NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard
- Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat - Radiant Touch (luminizing pen) in 2 Luminous Ivory
- Urban Decay Naked Flushed (bronzer, highlighter, and blush) in Native
Steps Taken:
- PRIME: Apply primer all over clean and moisturized face.
- FOUNDATION: I use two different shades of foundation, one lighter and one darker than my skin so I am always able to mix and adjust the shade that fits my skin tone during any seasons. Using a brush to mix the two shades together to form the perfect color for my current skin tone, I brush generously over face and then blend with a damp beauty blender.
- CONCEALER: Apply NARS Creamy Concealer over blemishes, and any areas of redness. Use the luminizing pen under eyes and down the nose bridge.
- (OPTIONAL CONTOUR): I like to give my nose bridge a little definition and depth, so I used an angled brush dipped in any light brown/taupe eye shadow, and brushed two thin lines along the left and right of my nose, and then blended it in with my beauty blender.
- BLUSH AND BRONZE: Using just the bronzer, brush along temples, down the jawline and chin line, and down the neck to give a very subtle contour and a smidge of color. Then, dippng the brush in all three colors (bronzer, blush, and highlighter), brush along apples of cheeks very lightly to give just a bit of a more natural glow. I use minimum blush because I have a tendency to get very red in the face when it's hot or when doing anything physical. And since I'll be dancing all night, less blush is fine.
2. BROWS
Products Used:
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Chocolate
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel in Brunette
Steps Taken:
- Gently outline brow shape with Brow Wiz pencil, and then fill in completely. Then, using the spoolie on the other end, brush on the color for a more even and natural finish.
- I use a Brow Gel not only to give my brows a more resilient finish, but also because to lighten my brows since my hair is also lightened. Lightly brush on the product, and continue brushing until all the hairs are in place.
3. EYES
Products Used:
- NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
- Urban Decay Naked2 Eyeshadow Palette
- Make Up For Ever Artist Eyeshadow and Powder Blush in D410 Gold Nugget (Diamond)
- Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Black
- Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy
- Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara
- Dior Diorshow Blackout Waterproof Mascara in Black
- Demi Wispies Fake Eyelashes
Steps Taken:
- PRIME: Apply NARS Eyeshadow primer all over lids. Super important so your shadow doesn't disappear throughout the night!
- SHADOW: Using the Naked2 palette, apply shade Foxy all over lids for a matte finish. Then, apply shade Half-Baked over lids and creases for a gold shimmery base. Apply shade YDK on the lids, but under the crease. Apply shade Snakebite to outer half of the lids, going just slightly over the crease. Finally, use the shade Chopper on the crease to blend the colors together.
- SHADOW II: Using the Gold Nugget glitter shadow, dab all over lids to give a golden, glittery finish.
- LINE: Using an angled brush and the shade Blackout in the Naked2 palette, line the lower lash line. Then, using the Stila Liquid Liner, line the entire eye, winging it out at the end for a dramatic winged effect.
- LASHES: Curl your natural lashes, then apply Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara as a "primer." This mascara is great for my tiny, sparse, Asian lashes as it catches the tiny pieces and gives length and definition. Use on top and bottom. Then, using the Dior Blackout mascara, apply second layer mascara on bottom lashes to give volume and more length to the bottom lashes. Finally, apply Demi Wispies to the top lashes using adhesive.
4. LIPS
Products Used:
Steps Taken:
- Using the edge of the wand, line lips with Colour Pop's London Fog. Once lined, fill in lips generously and let dry.
- Because we used a more matte lipstick, I applied a layer of lip gloss in a light shade of pink to start the night off with a more dramatic lip look. As the night went on, the gloss dried, and I was left wth the original matte color.
5. FINAL TOUCHES
Products Used:
- Glitter Gel for Face and Body in Gold Dust
- Bumble and bumble Thickening Hairspray
- Pink Sugar Hair Perfume
- Givenchy Prism Libre (mattifying powder) in 1 Mousseline Pastel
- Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
Steps Taken:
- It's a rave, which means glitter time! Apply glitter gel over the eyelids, along the temples and on the cheekbones.
- I put my hair in these nice space buns so I wouldn't have to worry about my hair turning into a giant rat's nest from all the dancing and jumping. I have a lot of baby hairs, so I secured the hair style with some hairspray. As another glitter touch, I added the glitter gel down the center of my part as well.
- Then, I sprayed my hair with some hair perfume. While I do not smoke, a lot of my friends and other go-ers do, so preemptively spraying my hair with some hair perfume is meant to combat the immediate absorption of the smell of tobacco on my hair :(
- I always save mattifying powder for the end, because who knows what smudges or random product patches might appear during this whole process. Pat the color correcting Mousseline Pastel powder all over face, especially focusing on the nose and T-zone area.
- FINALLY, now that we are all done, set everything with the All Nighter Setting Spray!
What I'm Wearing: Dinosaur Onesie