If you’ve ever watched or read a tutorial on how to perfect the no-makeup makeup look, you’ll know that it takes more than just a dollop of BB cream to look like you #wokeuplikethis. A subtle pearlescent highlighter, blusher and possibly a few colour correctors are needed, too. Throw in the festive red lipstick this holiday season and you’ll already be looking at two extra steps to your usual routine.
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Even with all the effort that it takes to look put together, our makeup – as we’ve so often experienced before – doesn’t always last as long as we’d like it to. Eye makeup is prone to smudging, matte lip colours start drying out the lips and foundation can easily collect in the laugh lines if you’re making conversation through the night.
But don’t fret just yet. Pop these three makeup staples into your party clutch and you can easily fix those common makeup “emergencies”.
#1 CONCEALER
This nifty beauty staple will fix all base makeup issues, even your eye makeup too. If your foundation starts to fade, just apply a little concealer on the area and blend it out. You can also dab this on the inner and outer corners of your eyes if you need quick under-eye brightening. But don’t get too carried away by applying it in a half-moon shape under your eyes or that patch of skin can look chalky in photos.
Cle de Peau concealer, $116, available at all Cle de Peau counters; Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer, $40, available at all Sephora stores; Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, $43, available at Sephora Ion and all Nars counters
#2 COTTON BUDS
Here’s where the smudgy eye makeup mishap comes in. Use a cotton bud to clean up the smudge, then apply a bit of concealer over the area. If a sudden zit or bump pops up from a reaction to a new product you’re using, the cotton bud will help with precise application of concealer on spots. Furthermore, you can use it to tidy up the lip line if you’re going for a bold lip.
#3 TINTED LIP BALM
Constant eating, drinking and talking can cause lip colours to fade and can sometimes bring about a dry, “wrinkled” lip appearance. Take a tinted lip balm with you to help moisturise your lips. It may not be in the exact same shade and texture, but the extra boost of hydration will help to prolong the colour when your lips can no longer hold a matte lipstick without some flakiness showing up.
Rouge Dior Baume, $47, available at all Dior Beauty stores and counters; Benefit Benebalm, $30, available at all Sephora stores and on luxola.com; Fresh Sugar Ruby Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15, $33, available at all Fresh and Sephora stores