Beauty columnist Kerry Harvey shows us how to apply a flawless foundation base that stays put as we party into the night.

So we’ve talked about how to match your perfect foundation shade, but how can you now achieve a fabulous long-lasting foundation? Regardless of the foundation type you use, whether it be a compact, cream or liquid, in my experience as a bridal and editorial makeup artist, prep is key!

Spending as much time on the prep of your skin ensuring you’ve a good base to begin with, will help you easily create and maintain a beautiful makeup throughout the day which should last into the early hours of the morning for all your festive partiers!

Check out my top pro-artist tricks for a durable day to night foundation with some added maintenance tips.

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♥ Hydrate – start by double cleansing the skin, then tone if you’re of an oilier or shinier skin type and finally, apply your moisturiser.  Massage your moisturiser in but if you feel you need an extra hit of hydration, why not pop a drop of huile oil into the mix.  A well hydrated and maintained skin is the basis of a flawless foundation with no chance of crepeing or caking in dry patches.

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Good Morning Retexturizing Primer (€30.00)

♥ Prime – Using a primer will not only help your foundation stay put longer, but it also creates a barrier between your skin and makeup, blurs and diminishes fine lines and pores, plus it gives your foundation something to grab onto! I love the Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Good Morning Retexturizing Primer (€30.00) at the moment. It leaves a gorgeous velvety finish on your skin for your foundation to glide over. This is also great for any of those dry patches you just can’t seem to get rid of, as it covers those areas in a soft film diminishing cakiness.

 

♥ Apply your foundation in downward strokes, so as to avoid pulling up the villus or fine baby hair on your face which foundation can highlight when applied in an up and downward type motion. Pop your foundation on, focusing the product to the centre of the face (where we mostly need more coverage) and then blend outwards, towards the jawline to seamlessly integrate into your neck and ears. Top tip! Blend, blend, blend!

♥ Use a buffing brush for a flawless airbrushed finish – F20 Blank Canvas (€14.99) – you can apply your foundation directly using this brush or use after you’ve applied with a blender sponge or flat foundation brush. Particularly great for blending your foundation seamlessly with your contouring and blush also! A fantastic ‘must-have’ for any beauty lover!

 

♥ Maintenance Tips ♥

Spray with a setting spray to seal your makeup.  There are setting sprays for every skin type – At the moment, I love Urban Decays All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (€30.00) as it does what it says on the tin!

For shinier/oiler skin types, seal your foundation with a transparent setting powder in a bouncing motion – if you use a wiping up and downward motion, you’ll move your makeup around and you’ll get that ‘washed out’ look. You can this powder to also blot out any further shine that may appear later in your day or evening.  If you’re of a drier skin type, then skip this step (but still pop over eyes to seal and create a velvety base for blending your shadows) Catrice have a gorgeous transparent matifying powder which is also waterproof at a bargain price of €5.49

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Blotting papers are also a good purchase to remove shine. But a quick money saver, when you’re caught on the hop needing a fast fix is to take a sheet of loo roll, separate it and use that finer sheet to lightly blot off any shine. Voila – you’re picture perfect again!

For a more in-depth look at creating a fabulous skin base, the tools required to create a gorgeous foundation, products for all skin types and application, be sure to check out my 2 part vlog on ‘Fabulous Foundation’ linked below. For a daily dose of beauty be sure to check out my Snapchat – simply scan the code below! K x

Fabulous Foundation Pt 1 Tutorial -> Click here

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