8 Steps on how to make sure you're foundation lasts all day!

If you're like me and don't have much time during the day for touch ups to your make-up, then you want to trust that once you apply your foundation in the morning it will last all day with the smallest amount of interference.  So here are my quick tips to help your foundation last longer!


1. -  Start with a clean face, this will ensure your products glide on smoothly and your skin is clear of dirt and excess oils.

2. - Apply your moisturiser and leave it for 5 minutes to fully soak into your skin.  If after 5 minutes, you can still feel the moisturiser on your skin, then you are using the wrong formula and should opt for a lighter product.

If you have oily skin, choose a light-weight formula that will add hydration but reduce the appearance of oil and shine. For dry skin, use a rich, concentrated moisturiser that will add moisture back into your skin and help prevent flaking.

3. - Next step is to apply primer.  This product is made to help smoothen the surface of your skin to help any further products you use to glide on and stay on for long periods of time. A primer will act like a 'magnet' between your moisturiser and your foundation.

At the moment, I am loving Mary Kay Cosmetic's Foundation Primer (£14/29ml) but I also really like Benefit's Porefessional (£23.50/22ml) and Maybelline The Smoother Skin Retexturising Primer (£9.99/7ml).

4. - Once your primer has settled into the skin, apply your concealer and highlighter in the normal way. If you have heavy blemishes, you may need to apply additional layers of concealer on top of your foundation for a full coverage.

5. - Next step is to apply your foundation.  Do this in the way that is most comfortable for you, whether this is using your fingers, a sponge or brush.  Personally, I prefer to use a buffing brush as I feel this gives you a lovely airbrushed finish.

6. - Once you have applied your foundation, leave it to settle for 5 minutes.  Now I appreciate that not many people have loads of time in the morning, but if you want to help your make-up to last then it is important to allow your make-up to settle before applying the next layer. Perhaps you can use this time to do something else, like start getting dressed or have breakfast?  Personally I like to apply my foundation and then have my morning cup of tea.

7. - Once you have allowed your foundation to settle onto your skin, powder!! This is a very essential step if you have oily skin like I do.  Apply a layer of translucent powder onto your skin using a large powder brush, or try using a mineral powder foundation and buff into your skin using a buffing brush. This will set your foundation and help it to last.

8. - This step is optional, but beneficial if you have oily skin.  Keep a pack of oil blotters in your bag for touch ups throughout the day.  I say touch ups, but the blotting papers will gently remove the excess oil that sits on your skin and will leave a slight powder behind to help keep you looking matt throughout the day.

Now you should be set to stay looking pretty all day long!!

Enjoy my lovelies!!

Make Up Tip No.2 - How to choose the perfect foundation

Choosing the right shade of foundation is a very crucial part of your make up routine and it’s one that you can easily get very wrong - Which is why there are so many Oompa Loompa’s walking around nowadays (you all know exactly who I mean!)

Foundation should never be used to add a tan to your skin, but should be used to create a flawless base for the rest of your make up. Think of yourself as an artist and where you have to prepare your canvas before applying the paints.

The shade of foundation you choose should perfectly match your skin tone (not darker or lighter) an the tip to find this is to lightly apply the foundation along your jawline and see if it disappears when you blend it. You use the jawline because it is an area on your face that is least touched by blemishes. Now I know this may make you look a tad silly when you’re standing in the aisle of Boots but trust me it’s worth it when you can walk around with perfect looking skin.

It is also important to check the colour in natural light rather than artificial to make sure the colour is right for you!

Make Up Tip No.1 - For Longer Lasting foundation

A tip for longer lasting foundation:

We all want our foundation to last for the whole day, but it seems to slide off throughout the day.  It’s always good to moisturise before applying your foundation, but make sure you don’t apply too much.  In addition to this, try and leave your moisturiser for approximately half an hour before applying your foundation so that it has been absorbed into your skin and this will help your foundation to glide on smoother and last for longer.

Product Review: Revlon Colourstay Foundation

Hi all you lovely people, I recently found this old post I was writing and thought it would be good to publish it!

I feel like I have been stuck in a bit of a rut recently when it came to my own foundation. I usually stick to the same foundation all through the winter and then find a lighter (in terms of texture of course) product for the summer months.  So when it came time to throw caution to the wind and explore the cosmetic aisles for a new foundation, I honestly didn’t know where to start.  Although I love make-up in its entirety and I love trying out lots of new products, when it comes to my daily skincare and make-up routine, I am always far too cautious and run away from change!  (As I am typing this, I realise just how ridiculous that sounds.)

I was a tad cautious to begin with, as my combination skin type is prone to breakouts and always feels like I need a heavy foundation to try and mask them.  So, to start my life revolution off with a bang, I popped to the nearest Boots and purchased Revlon’s Colourstay and Photoready foundation.

Revlon’s Colourstay foundation is a deceptive little bottle of magic.  The glass bottle has no pump dispenser which is disappointing, and means that it is not in ‘handy’ packaging that you could keep in your bag for touch ups throughout the day.  But then you wont need to!  I was completely astounded by how long this make up lasts for! 

On one particular day, I was heading out straight from work and so would have no time to re-do my make-up, so I applied my morning routine in the normal way before going to work; moisturiser, primer, concealer, foundation and then powder to set. I was amazed that come 5pm, all I needed was a slight dusting of powder across my T-Zone and a touch more blusher and I was made up just as well as I was that morning!

I have heard of many products that claim to be long lasting but this one really does live up to the name.  Now, I do believe some of the ‘long-lasting’ magic was because I had primed and set my foundation, but even on the days when I do not feel like using a primer, this product still lasts all day.

The foundation is a liquid texture and glides on smoothly to provide a medium to full coverage, which is buildable depending on how clear your complexion is.  It is lightweight and feels natural on my skin even when I add powder and have a face full of spots.

I love this foundation, and recommend it to all!  It is available in 12 shades and contains SPF15 which is crucial to keep your skin protected against the sun all year round.  I also love that it comes in a Normal/Dry skin formula or Combination/Oily skin formula which shows me that this company really puts logical thinking into its ranges, helping its consumers make sure that they are getting the right product for their skin type.

At £12.49 a bottle, this isn’t ‘cheap’ but in comparison to more premium brands like MAC or NARS this is a bargain.  Plus, as I have said before, this product is deceptive!  You may not think there is much left in the bottle after a month or so of use, but it just keeps going, providing a great flawless finish!

Why Don't YOU Wear foundation?

I found this great article from Kay Montano about why people don't wear foundation.

It is so true that most women will go into a department store or shop looking for the right shade of foundation, pick one they like and then come home to find it looks a completely different shade to what it was in the shop and then it get demoted to the bottom drawer never to be worn again.  I don't think I have ever met a woman that hasnt been through this.

When trying out a new foundation before purchasing it, you should test it along your jaw line, this will allow you to see the base colour of your skin as you will have less sunlight affecting the colour of your skin at the jaw line.  The perfect shade will disappear along the jaw line, if you want to make doubly sure you have the right shade, try applying a lighter and darker one either side to see which one disappears best.  Then walk outside and see if has still disappeared into your skin.  Please remember the lights are bright in department stores and will show differently to natural light.

Also, whatever you do do NOT let anyone in the shops pressure you into buying a foundation colour or product you are not completely happy with.  Remember, it is your hard earned money you are spending and the last thing you want to do is to spend it on something that will sit in your dressing room table for the upcoming months.

To read Kay's article, click here

If you do find it hard to select the right shade, and do feel intimidated when you enter a department store to buy make-up, why not try a complimentary facial from your local Mary Kay Independant Beauty Consultant.  The Mary Kay range of foundations is very large and has shades coveing the palest snow white, to the darkest bronze skin under the sun.  All of the products are backed with a 100% Satisfaction guarantee, so if you decide you do not like the shade selected for you, you can swap it for a better match.  Now you dont get that at Boots!  For more information take a peek here