UAE artists' top tips to get long-lasting make-up

Jessica Inzitari, make-up artist

Top tips and techniques

— Prep: Cleanse, tone and moisturise for an even hydrated canvas.

— Prime: Not to prime is a crime for long-lasting make-up.

— Foundation: Select your suitable long-lasting foundation. Gradually apply in thin layers using a light dabbing motion until you reach your desired coverage. This results in the foundation ‘melting’ into your skin for a more natural look. The dabbing technique will ensure you have an even finish that won’t budge all day.

— Set: Always set your cream products with a matching powder.

— Spray: Don’t underestimate the power of setting spray. Lock in that look!

Favourite long-wear foundations

— Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup: Matte finish (great for normal to oily skin)

— Too Faced Born This Way Foundation: Satin finish (great for normal to dry skin)

Favourite long-wear lipstick

Huda Beauty Liquid Lipsticks and Sephora Lip Stains are beautiful formulas. However, not all women like the feeling of a heavy product like lip stains on their lips. A great solution to this is staining your lips with a lip liner. Line the border of your lips like normal with your pencil but then fill in the rest of your lips with the same pencil for a natural stain, and blend with your finger. Finish with a small amount of lip balm if you want a healthy, hydrated look.

Other favourite long-wear make-up

Two products I cannot live without for long-lasting make-up has to be the Charlotte Tilbury Genius Magic Powder and Kat Von D Lock-It Makeup Setting Mist.

Biggest make-up mistakes to avoid

My biggest tip to avoid make-up mistakes is to apply your make-up in natural light. Nothing is more unflattering than wearing the incorrect shades, and unfortunately it is easy to get wrong. Applying your make-up in natural lighting minimises the chances of any make-up disasters.

Ria Tapodoc, beauty influencer

Top tips and techniques

— First and foremost, make sure to prime your skin before putting any foundation or concealers. Leave the primer for two to three minutes to let it work on your skin and then you can move on to the next step.

— Second, use a good foundation and concealer, and set this with a loose setting powder. If you want to go light, you can skip the foundation but please don’t forget to set your concealer with loose setting powder.

— If you have oily skin I would bring blotting paper or good ol’ facial tissue for whenever you go to the ladies’ room. Dab gently on the area where you have oily skin.

— Don’t forget to use setting spray to make sure your make-up stays on for the whole of day.

Favourite long-wear foundations

— Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Foundation

— Christian Dior Forever Foundation

— Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

Favourite long-wear lipstick

— Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick: It doesn’t dry your lips or bleed. It stays on for however long you wear it.

— Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick: My favourite colour is Lolita, Bow and Arrow and Lolita 2.

— Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick: Although this is transferable, the lipstick does not bleed or feather on the side and the colour pay off is intense.

Other favourite long-wear make-up

Eyeliner: Nars and Bobbi Brown have some of the best eyeliners that will stay in your waterline and do not smudge.

Highlighters: Ofra Cosmetics — it’s creamy and easy to apply. Fenty Beauty Killawatt in Mean Money and Hustla Baby because It. Just. Sparkles.

Biggest make-up mistakes to avoid

— Clean and wet your Beauty Blender before using it. It will only deliver what it promises when the sponge is soft and fluffy and most importantly, clean.

— The biggest mortal sin in skincare beauty is going to bed with make-up on. When I am tired and very exhausted, I still make it a point to always take off my make-up with water and facial wash.

Vilina Ahuja, bridal and creative make-up artist

Top tips and techniques

— If you have dry skin, in the winter especially, a moisturiser ensures that your make-up isn’t cracking in dry patches and collecting in fine lines. I actually recommend using a moisturiser before make-up even if you don’t have dry skin.

— If you have oily skin, using a long-wear mattifying primer like the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer can work wonders. I personally skip primer sometimes but use it if I need more than 10 hours of wear and especially on my brides.

— High-end foundation over drugstore foundation for long wear.

— Cream products last longer than powder products. It can be skipped, but cream contour and cream blush (under bronzer and powder blush) can go a long, long way.

— I never skip loose powder if I need my make-up to last; pressed powder just does not have the same power. Especially in areas of the face that crease: this would be the under-eyes and for me around my mouth, nose and smile lines.

— I find that using lip liners and bullet lipsticks (never liquid lipsticks!) and layering makes my lipstick last through anything. I line my lips and fill almost all of my lips with the liner, go over that with bullet lipstick, blot it with tissue, go over with the same lipstick and optionally, use gloss. Unless I have a lot of Indian food, my lipstick manages to last more than four hours without touch-ups.

— I think this one doesn’t need to be said, but setting spray is key — not just to seal your make-up, but also de-powder your face and make everything look even.

Favourite long-wear foundations

— Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation

— MAC Pro LongWear Foundation

— MakeUp Forever HD Stick Foundation

Favourite long-wear lipstick

— Sephora Cream Lip Stains

— MAC Bullet Lipsticks

— NYX Matte Bullet Lipsticks

— Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paints

Other favourite long-wear make-up

— Fenty Beauty MatchStix for contour

— Ben Nye Banana Powder (if you’re a brown girl like myself)

— Too-Faced Multi Sculpt Concealer

Biggest make-up mistakes to avoid

— Touching up liquid lipstick too many times. Adding liquid lipstick over already dried up, cracking liquid lipstick just makes it look worse.

— Using loose powder that may be too light for you, or has flashback (caused by Silica, generally found in HD powders).

— Not prepping your skin properly. Make-up only applies well if your skin is well cared for.

— Using too much product, especially foundation and concealer. A caked on face is not only unattractive but also falls apart and melts off your face quickly.