How To Create Simple Long-Lasting Everyday Work Makeup

By Taylor Aldape

​Putting on makeup before heading to work can seem time consuming and unnecessary. But I am here to tell you that taking the time to get ready will be a complete mood changer. It’s no secret that makeup gives people a certain boldness; and when someone looks good, they feel good! This improved energy will exude from you the entire day. For a young public relations professional, improved confidence will allow you to attack your day, meet that deadline and ask your boss for that promotion you deserve. 
I know makeup can look overwhelming, but do not worry. I will show you how to do an easy and suitable everyday makeup look that is perfect for the office, as well as show you tricks to make it last the entire work day. 

 1. Prep your skin 
Before applying any makeup, it’s important to start with a clean and primed canvas. Washing your face removes any excess dirt and oil, while applying a primer creates a smooth surface for the product to cling onto. This step is completely necessary for your makeup to last throughout the day. 

2. Set your primer with powder 
I know this may seem out of the ordinary, but trust me when I say this works. Translucent powder is your best friend when creating a long-lasting base.  Applying translucent powder on top of your primer gives your complexion more coverage and creates a matte finish to any product applied on top. This key ingredient allows for you to use less product on your face and will limit the amount of oil that breaks through your skin throughout the day. Whether you have dry, oily or combination skin, translucent powder should be a staple in your makeup routine. 

3. Order is vital
After doing my makeup a countless number of times, I found that the order in which you apply products plays a huge factor in longevity. You want to start with eyebrows, then eyes and lastly face. The reasoning behind this is due to the fact face products are the first thing to break down since our face produces sweat and oil. In order to make sure your foundation and concealer make it through the entire day, you want to save it for last.

4. Eyebrows 
When doing your eyebrows, I recommend using a brown eyeshadow or an eyebrow powder. It is best to use powder for your eyebrows to stay in place all day. Apply most of the product to the tail ends of your eyebrows so that area is the darkest. Next you want to start filling in the front of your eyebrows in a gradient using less pressure. This will create a smooth transition from the front to the back of your eyebrows. Last, go over your eyebrows with a spooly to blend out any harsh lines.

 5. Eyes are simple and sweet 
If I had it my way, I would wear colorful Instagram makeup every day. But that is not ideal for every public relations job. A subtle way to accentuate your eyes is to apply brown eyeshadow to your crease and lower lash line, doing back and forth windshield like motions. This will add some color and dimension to your eyes.  Next you want to apply mascara to your top and bottom lashes to enhance your natural lashes. Now, to really make your eyes pop, apply a white eyeliner pencil to your lower water line. Applying white eyeliner instead of the commonly used black eyeliner will give the illusion of bigger and more awake eyes.
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6. It’s all about that base
Concealer and foundation are what makes or breaks how your makeup longevity appears. When using face products, you want to keep in mind that less is more. You do not want to use an excessive amount of face makeup because as your skin produces sweat your product will become cakey. To begin my face, I apply concealer under my eyes, forehead, nose, chin and any blemishes. This allows me to not overlap my products and use less foundation. Then I set my concealer with translucent powder.

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TIP: Use a small beauty sponge to blend and set your concealer. This will help the product absorb into the skin and prevent you from sheering out your coverage.
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7. Type of foundation
The best qualities to look for in a long-lasting foundation is consistency and coverage. From the many foundations I have tried, a stick foundation is what’s best for a long-lasting application. A stick foundation is typically medium to full coverage and due to its compressed consistency, the product will stay in place. Apply foundation in the remaining areas of the face, blend it in with a foundation brush and then go over the foundation with a regular sized beauty sponge. Using a brush will get you the fullest coverage out of your foundation. A beauty sponge will help blend and remove any excess product, making your foundation become skin like.

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​8. Bronzer, blush and highlight
To avoid looking one dimensional you want to use some additional products to your face. Use bronzer to carve out your cheekbones and to make your forehead and nose appear smaller. Apply blush to the top of your cheeks to add a flash of color. Last, apply highlighter! Because, who doesn't love a good highlight? Highlighter is a light-reflecting product that will give your skin a brighter glow and make your features more prominent. 

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​TIP: Add highlighter to the top of your cheeks, under your brow bone, inner corner of your eyes and the bridge of your nose. 
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9. If you’re extra, add false eyelashes​​​

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​If you are going for a more natural look you can completely skip this step; but if you are over the top like me put some falsies on. Fake eyelashes tie the look altogether and make it seem like you put on way more makeup than you actually did. Trust me they make a difference! If you do not know how to apply false eyelashes, follow this ‘how to make your lashes pop’ tutorial. 

10. Lips
After drinking my first cup of coffee in the morning, the last thing I want to see is a lipstick stain on my cup. In order to take measures to prevent my lipstick from fading, I first go in with lip liner to draw out and fill in my lips. This will help prevent my lip products from bleeding when drinking and eating. For lipstick, I use a soft matte or liquid matte lipstick. A matte lipstick is what’s going to last the longest. 
TIP: If you have dry lips, apply Chapstick either before your lip liner or on top of your lipstick. 
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11. Setting spray
Use a matte setting spray over your face and then you are done. Someone with dry or combination skin might be worried about using a matte spray, but it really does lock in your makeup. For someone who has dry skin, I was always hesitant to use a mattifying product, but this has drastically changed the longevity of my makeup. 

Now that you took the time to do your makeup, you are ready to attack your goals and have a successful day ahead of you. I know setting aside time in the morning for makeup may be the last thing on anyone’s mind, but it will really make a difference in how you go about your day. Doing your makeup is a form of self-care. It will boost your confidence levels, which will lead you to have a better mindset about yourself and the work you produce. ​

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