Make Your Look Last Longer With These Essential Tips

The fresh-faced glow you leave your house with in the morning rarely lasts all day. Lashes lose their curl, lips fail to hold their shiny, and skin refuses to maintain its radiance. Fortunately, there are tips for keeping a flawless, finished appearance throughout the day and into the evening. Ahead, how to get through the day with your makeup intact and only requiring a few small touch-ups here and there.

Choose Matte Finishes Set yourself up for success by starting your day with a layer of matte foundation. Since your skin produces natural oils throughout the day, you will get a natural, dewy look as the hours go by.

Products with a shimmery finish give skin an illuminating radiance but tend to fade fast, while matte formulas give your complexion a finish that truly lasts. Matte formulations are especially good for oilier skin types because they may help combat grease. Whether or not you have oily skin, your makeup base will often start to crease and smear as the day wears on. Thus, choosing foundation, eyeshadow, and lipstick that have matte rather than satin or shimmer finishes is essential to maintaining that clean, polished look.

Choose Products That Have "Long-Lasting" In The Name Although they may seem gimmicky, most products that claim to be long-lasting have undergone rigorous testing and truly do stick around longer than products not making this promise.

I like the following: Bobbi Brown Long Wearing Cream Eyeshadow in Stone, Sephora Luster Matte Long Wear Lip Color in Magenta, and MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer.

Don’t Be Afraid Of The Five-Minute Touch-Up A beauty survival kit is a must-have for every woman. I tell all my clients to keep a small touch-up cosmetics bag in her purse. This should include powder, a tube of sample mascara, waterproof eyeliner, and hydrating lip gloss. Generally, once a pencil gets down to the nub or a powder has almost run out, I throw it in my touch-up bag. This way, if I accidentally leave my bag in a cab (as I admit I once did), I won't be devastated like I might have been if I had lost new, full-size products.

Prime & Set Yourself Up For Success Adding primers to your makeup routine is essential, especially if you know you have a long day ahead. Whether it’s lashes, skin, or eyelids, a perfect primer will enhance the longevity of your makeup. Makeup setting powders (such as the red-carpet-famous Make Up Forever Translucent Setting Powder) are your best friend. First, using a beautyblender, press the powder into the area you want to set. Then, using a large fluffy brush, buff away the excess powder to finish the look.

The key to mastering your long-lasting beauty look is to recognize what products are missing from your makeup case and then go from there to sharpen — and tidy up — your flawless look.