I don’t actually tend to wear a lot of makeup.
My skin ritual is pretty intense, especially with the blood of virgins being so hard to come by these days, but as far as daily cosmetic application goes, it pretty much begins and ends with me slapping on some lipgloss-type thing on my way to work.
Of course sometimes I get inspired by something on the catwalks or a new campaign and I adapt it for day, but for the most part any serious makeup application I do is for evening and generally doesn’t have to last more than four hours, which is why it doesn’t often occur to me to buy waterproof or “long-lasting” makeup.
Plus, and I don’t feel like I’m revealing the Ark of the Covenant here, but a lot of that 12 hour or supposedly waterproof stuff? Sucks.
The lip color is dry and flaky or it peels and is gross, the mascara is clumpy and impossible to remove without a wrecking permit and a half tub of Vaseline plus you blob it on your cheek anyway, and the eyeliner either peels or just doesn’t stay put.
BUT, what with the All Suffering All The Time theme we seem to have going at stately Chateau Gateau, it became clear that I needed at least a few products I could slap on my face and not think about for the rest of the day, even through massive crying jags. Thankfully I’ve found a handful of great products that not only can stand up to a tsunami of tears and ladylike dabbing of eyes, but also feel good on.
Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
There are a lot of great gel eyeliners out there but generally Clinique’s Brush-On liner or MAC’s Fluidline are considered the gold standard by makeup artists. This is as good, if not better, than Clinique’s and on par with MAC, with the bonus of being longer lasting and more smudgeproof.
The application of this is a dream, creamy and featherlight with absolutely no drag so it’s perfect for beginners or folks whose hands aren’t steady enough to draw a classic line with a more traditional liquid liner. It comes with a surprisingly decent brush and I got a perfectly respectable line out of it, but obviously use a professional brush for even better results.
I did a thick 60’s winged line to get that classic cat-eyed look and it stayed on flawlessly and with minimal transfer (transfer is when your eyeliner leaves a half-moon on your upper lid from when you blink) through gales of tears, and when I woke up the next morning, having forgotten to wash my face, it would’ve needed only a slight touch up to be presentation ready. It also stays in place on the waterline and leaves a dark, intense line. 10/10
Maybelline The Falsies Waterproof Mascara
Having given myself a few months off of lash extensions to let my natural lashes grow (and I was getting slightly bored of the look and the way it limited my makeup choices) I’d relied on some freebie Sephora mascara. It’s nice enough but runs if you look at it funny.
Since Maybelline’s brand was launched when a young man saw his sister mixing Vaseline and coal dust to enhance her lashes it’s really not a surprise they’d have such a good collection of mascaras. It’s a wetter formula than I’m used to, and unlike most of the waterproof mascaras I’ve known, you don’t wait until the first coat is dry to build up product. I didn’t have any clumps and the payoff was satisfyingly intense, not so intense as they’d actually be confused with false lashes, but still pretty darn good.
It would definitely benefit from a lash curler beforehand and a good eyelash comb after –then it might look like a false lash treatment– but even just a regular application looked pretty great. It did take more than a few seconds to dry so it’s not one I’d put on in the car –not that you’d be doing that anyway– but the spoon-shaped brush worked like gangbusters on the lower lashes, where it built up product but didn’t create spikes or clumps. It smudged a little after about 8 hours of considerable tears and tissues, and in the morning they were a bit clumpy, but an eyelash comb and a little clean up under the eye would’ve made it as good as new. 8/10
Sally Hansen Prep & Perfect Lipcare
I don’t think it’ll surprise anyone when I say I’ve got a lot of mouth. I’ve got big lips with a dramatic cupid bow shape, so I have to be careful when it comes to what I put on my lips because when it goes wrong –peeling or balling or chewed off– it goes wrong in a big way. Also I’m a big baby and I hate hate hate the way most long-lasting lip products feel.
I picked this up a few days ago because it was 75% off (I hope this doesn’t mean they’re discontinuing it!) and I thought it couldn’t hurt to try. Basically it’s a sort of cream base your put on your lips before applying color. It’s supposed to even out the texture of your skin and lock in color, effectively making all lip color long-lasting. I didn’t really have high hopes.
I figured it was either going to be gross or ineffective or both. Surprisingly, it’s tremendous.
You apply a thin layer with a little doe foot wand and let it set for about 30 seconds. It doesn’t feel like you’ve put anything on, or maybe a very light coating of creme lipstick. Then just apply your normal lip color or gloss. That’s it. I’ve used it under a lipstain, a creme lipstick, a traditional light gloss and an intensely pigmented gloss and it’s worked brilliantly under all of them.
I wouldn’t go so far to say that it makes a gloss last twelve hours, but it significantly lengthened the lives of all the products, and when I ate and drank it faded more evenly instead of looking splotchy or chewed-off and leaving that horrible ring. I used it under a creme lipstick and topped it with a highly pigmented gloss and the look stayed put with zero feathering for well over 12 hours. 9/10
Makeup Forever Mist and Fix Spray
Not waterproof or long-lasting per se, but rather a fixative that lengthens the life of your makeup application. I think I’ve recommended this before and it does work wonderfully.
Just spritz it over your finished makeup, or once you’ve done your foundation and again after you’re finished. However, a while ago I started experimenting with using it as a solution, mixing it with powder shadows or pure pigment for a sort of wash of color either on its own or as a base for a deeper color application.
It’s pretty spendy and I’m not sure I’ll get through the entire big bottle any time soon, but there’s a small travel-size bottle available that would be worth every penny.
Makeup Forever Aqua Cream Eyeshadow
Oh this is great stuff. I’ve only used the eye products, but this stuff feels like nothing, doesn’t crease and doesn’t budge.
Plus you can layer it so if you just want a light wash of some neutral just to look polished but not painted, you can do that. But if you want to build up to an intense color, either using another layer of the product or a powder on top that’s easy too.
I really like the #12 soft copper when I’m either doing a statement lip and need something to balance my face without going full-on show girl or when I want to focus on a defined liner look as opposed to an all-over smokey eye.
It sets in about a minute so if you’re doing fancy blending, be quickish about it. I used this when I did my heavy black liner the other night and it stayed put all day. 10/10
LOVE the Maybelline gel liner. I need liquid (or liquid-looking) eyeliner for dance performances, but got frustrated with them inevitably losing it if my eyes start watering, or if I just sweat too much. I tried this one, and it is now my go-to. It stays PUT. Although I have to say, I absolutely hate the brush it comes with, so I sprung for the nice MAC eyeliner brush.
Comment by SarahDances — December 28, 2010 @ 10:27 am
Great list, Plummy! I cry at the drop of a hat (not sure if it’s my theatre training or just over active tear ducts) so I’ve always used waterproof mascara. Been using a Maybelline product that I like fine enough, but I’ll definitely give the Falsies a try.
Comment by Leah — December 28, 2010 @ 11:10 am
I want to give a shout out to MakeUp For Ever; I use their gel eye liner pencils and I love them. They go on really smooth and easy, and then I use an angle brush to shape the line I want. Really stays put; not waterproof per se, but I always have to wash it off at the end of the day.
And their concealer is pretty good, too. I was using YSL Touche Eclat and it’s a pretty good substitute, especially considering it’s about half the cost.
Comment by Denise — December 28, 2010 @ 11:55 am
I don’t think I’ve ever met a Maybelline mascara that I don’t like. I used to swear by the Full & Soft but I also love the good ol’ Great Lash for my emergency mascara. There’s always one in my travel bag, just in case.
Comment by Sarah — December 28, 2010 @ 12:04 pm
I live in the rain soaked pacific northwest, where makeup is either waterproof or nonexistent. Ergo, I wear maybe four actual color products on my face on a daily basis, and they’re all pretty impenetrable. A fixative spray like the Makeup Forever one you have above is worth its weight in gold.
For washing off all this stuff, the $4 green bottle of L’Oreal waterproof makeup remover has never failed me.
Comment by Emily — December 28, 2010 @ 12:33 pm
@SarahDances: You’re right, the brush isn’t great for eyeliner but it’s actually a really good if you use it as a lip brush!
@Leah: I haven’t worn mascara in ages because I’ve always done lash extensions, but now that I’m giving those a rest, I’ve noticed the outside of my left eye waters. I’ve never used any of the other Maybelline waterproof mascaras, but Falsies is gangbusters.
@Denise: Absolutely, MUFE is aces in my book. I don’t think I have a single product of theirs I don’t like. I haven’t gone for the AquaEyes yet but their lasting power is amazing.
@Sarah: You’re right, I remember liking Full & Soft a lot when I used it and the brown Great Lash for a brow fixer if I’m in the mood.
Comment by Miss Plumcake — December 28, 2010 @ 1:25 pm
Ooooh, have to say I love love love-ty love L’Oreal Lipfinity for a longlasting lip color. Pros: goes on nicely (both formulas, lipstick and lip paint), stays on ALL DAY through eating, drinking, and in my experience, a sweaty child-birthing experience without feathering, pilling or flaking. I put in on in the am and it stays put until I remove it about 16 hours later with waterproof eye makeup remover. I usually have to touch up the lip-balm topcoat-if I remember-after lunch. Cons: the color range kinda sucks…I’m limited to ‘Lily’ (a pale beigey-nude); ‘Walnut’ ( a more brown-toned nude); ‘Tearose'( a rose/neutral) and ‘Crimson’ (a perfect-for-me red that can be semi-sheer a la Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy(sp?) or layered a little thicker for a full-on diva lip). I love it, rarely wear anything else, but if I do, I use Lipcote as a sealant…a little drying but what the hell, one is happy to suffer a little for the look, no?
Comment by Madame Suggia — December 28, 2010 @ 4:32 pm
…sorry, forgot to add…I have a whole lotta lip going on so if I don’t wear some kind of lip color, I look like a dumbstruck albino frog. Can’t risk being bare-lipped ever!
Comment by Madame Suggia — December 28, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
oh for goodness sake..I meant L’Oreal INFALLIBLE…Lipfinity is the disgusting gunk from Max Factor that flakes horribly, though not as horribly as MAC Prowear longlasting lipcolor which stinks.
Comment by Madame Suggia — December 28, 2010 @ 4:43 pm
CoverGirl Outlast is also a good inexpensive long-wearing lip (I think they were the second Lipfinity-like product out) although the balm part is unfortunately slightly flavored with some mild sweetness. I just use my own balm over the base part. The problem with drugstore lip color is always going to be picking a color that suits you, because what it looks like through the box in drugstore light has nothing at all to do with what happens on your lips. I got lucky with #538, a nice, neutral-but-not-wimpy pink that works in every situation but won’t set the Thames on fire, but I haven’t explored the line much since I got it because it drives me crazy the guessing.
I am going to buy that MUFE fixative ASAP.
Comment by Violet — December 28, 2010 @ 9:54 pm
I’m with Sarah regarding the Maybelline mascaras: I’ve usually had good luck with them, and Full ‘n’ Soft is my go-to for waterproof — it’s one of the few mascaras that doesn’t take the curl out of my lashes after I curl them. I may give the Falsies a try, though, just for kicks ‘n’ giggles.
Revlon mascaras on the other hand? Blech. They’ve never worked well for me.
And I am really intrigued by that eyeliner…
Comment by La Petite Acadienne — December 29, 2010 @ 10:38 am
I have to disagree on the Maybelline gel liner. Maybe it’s a matter of skin type or chemistry, but the stuff is terrible on me. It transfers badly and smudges all over the place, and it’s too sheer to get a good black line without several coats.
Comment by Margo A — December 30, 2010 @ 3:10 pm
@Margo, hmm, maybe you got a bad batch, or one that had been exposed to heat. Geeze!
Comment by Miss Plumcake — December 30, 2010 @ 4:43 pm
I am now obsessed with MUFE aqua cream shadows. I may have to go into some kind of makeup rehab before I buy them all.
P.s. Miss you, Plum!
Comment by Klee — January 6, 2011 @ 10:48 am