During the usual days, when I go to the office or just to have a cup of coffee with my best friend, I don’t mind if my lip gloss vanishes in just five minutes after I left the house. But – there’s always a but here – if I go to a party, nothing gets me down more than a ruined make-up. You know what I’m talking about: the lipstick (all of it!) splattered on the edge of the first glass of champagne, the eye shadow piled in the folds of the eyelids, the foundation which has magically disappeared (I can’t even imagine where).
Ah, not to mention the khol that spreads out allover or the mascara shaking off by itself under the eye, annulling any concealer effect whatsoever. Frankly, only the picture of this nightmare scenario makes me lose my fun, killing for good my party mood.
This is why, when I know I’m going to a party, I resort to what I call the heavy artillery. More specifically, to long lasting products that stay in place until I (me and only me, not chance!) decide to make them disappear using a cleanser.
So, I’ll start with the foundation. If during the day I’m looking for lighter formulas, for evening I wish for a natural, but lasting look. I have tried, over the years, two foundations that haven’t let me down, no matter the circumstances: Syncro Skin from Shiseido (it has a natural matte finish, and the formula is oil-free) and Double Wear from Estee Lauder (lasting up to 15 hours without any fading or being transferred on clothes).
For the eye-contour I choose a kohl from the same Estee Lauder’s Double Wear fabulous line, and if I use an eyeliner, my trustworthy ally is the Little Black Liner from the same brand. I like it a lot because it has two heads (a finer one for a discreet look, and thicker one, for an extravagant make-up) and a waterproof formula – more precisely, it stays where you put it. For the eyelashes, I go for mascara from Guerlain. You guessed it, again a waterproof formula.
OK, to the eye shadow now. Some time ago, it would have never crossed my mind to use a creamy eye shadow. I would have bet anyone it would tighten in the eyelid way before I’d leave the house. But the new formulas are simply amazing as they last even longer than the classic make-up powder. I have two favorite examples: Ombre Couture from Givenchy and Shimmering Eye Color from Shiseido. They both stay on the eyelids up to 16 hours. I mean it, tried them myself.
I have a precious secret for the lips also. As red lipstick is my favorite, I’ve thoroughly looked for one that doesn’t fade: Le Rouge from Givenchy. In addition, I use a waterproof lip liner, which fixes the lipstick and doesn’t allow it to migrate: Lancome Contour Pro.
I have one more favorite product, the one that I use after the party, when I get home. It’s a cleanser from Biotherm, especially created for waterproof products. It wipes away my make-up in an instant without having to insist. Well, after this last step, I’ll just put on some face cream and I’ll fall asleep. A dreamless, long-lasting sleep :).
