Reader Germaine asked a question in a comment that I thought was a very good one:-
I want to know when should I do touch up on my make up? When my face starts to get oily? And usually when ppl touch up what part do they concentrate on?
In my reply to her I gave a few pointers on when and how people do their touch up of their makeup during the day:-
- People usually touch up makeup when they find it fading as the day goes on. This is usually when skin gets oily (foundation, blush) or you find the colour not as bright or fresh as when you first put it on (lipstick, lipgloss).
- To touch up powder, first blot away the oil, then pat on a light layer of pressed powder or powder foundation, taking care to blend it properly or you might end up with a cakey look.
- To touch up lipstick or lipgloss, first remove all lipgloss and lipstick from your lips then reapply.
Personally, I do not touch up my makeup during the day except for my lipstick so maybe I’m not the best person to ask!
I may blot away shine if I experience any but if you take care not to rub at your skin but just pat a piece of blotter or tissue; or lay a piece of tissue or blotter on the skin and rub it gently to absorb the oil, you may not need to apply anymore powder.
Do you touch up your makeup other than lipstick? Perhaps you’d have some pointers that could help out Germaine or anyone else out there wondering what they should or should not do when touching up their makeup.
When and how do you touch up your makeup?
Stay beautiful,
Paris B
Alexis says
September 4, 2009 at 9:38 amI always carry my compact powder with me, and only touch up during the evening if i have date / event / dinner to attend. For me, hydration level of the skin decide how good the touch up effect can be, so i also use some facial mist, either from H2o+ or from Babor. I tired Avene and also other mineral water spray before, however result is not as good. Spray the mist over skin and leave it for 1 or 2mins before reapply powder by gentlly press , no rub. This work for me.
Jenn says
September 4, 2009 at 10:26 amI don’t really touch up my makeup during the day. Maybe just lipgloss after meals 🙂
Saintangelius says
September 4, 2009 at 10:38 amI touch up on makeup at around 6 in the evening if I’m going out right after work. This is also the time I take the opportunity to ‘glam up’ my makeup. More blush, some powder on the nose( i tend to rub off alot of my makeup) a flick at the end of my eyeliner, more lippie and a touch of glossier gloss. Maybe fix my eyebrows if I have somehow rubbed it off during the day.
Else if I’m going home I just let it all slide ^^;;
beetrice says
September 4, 2009 at 11:12 amI usually only freshen up my makeup after lunch if needed, particularly if I’ve gone out somewhere hot and greasy (dang underground foodcourts!)
I’ve found it’s better for me to use a tissue to pat off any oil (or the topmost layer of makeup) before reapplying compact powder over my T zone and a swipe of lippie/gloss. Otherwise the rest of my face stays intact – that’s what long-lasting eyeshadow and blush is for, right? 😀
PS: like Alexis, I also carry a water mister around…brilliant for the added boost (especially in our hot weather!)
Shanghainese Dumpling says
September 4, 2009 at 11:32 amHI Paris,
I don’t have the habit to touch up too, but when I do it usually be after lunch in the afternoon sometime, because we usually make a round to the loo after lunch.
In general our make up could stay up to 5 – 6 hrs, even the longest lasting foundation the maximum would probably be 8 hrs, but you don’t want to touch up when your make up is running wild already. So 5-6 hrs after you first put your foundation on is the best time for touch up.
Depending on skin type there’re few ways
1) Dry skin – Don’t make your skin drier
Bring a hydration mist or gel moisturiser, use liquid or gel foundation. If you don’t like the feeling of using your fingers a compact foundation can be used too but try to find those two way cakes, which you can wet your sponge and use a compact foundation as semi liquid.
2) Oily Skin – Don’t make your skin produce more oil
Usually when we think about oily skin touch up is to get rid of the oil first, that’s semi correct but what else you can do is to work with the natural oil you have produced on your face.
Use a clean sponge and gently wipe oily places or wipe over those place make up look a bit runny already. Then straight after pat on a compact powder using sponge. You can use a Hydration mist to set your make up as well.
The reason not to use oily blotting paper is because our skin is very smart on learning to adapt to it’s environment, if your skin was in an oily condition but all of the sudden goes dry it will cause your pores to produce more sebum to protect it, so eventually we’ll end up with more and more oily skin and our make up goes runny faster and faster. So when you use a clean sponge wipe off or spread out your natural oil a little bit you’re not stripping the first protective layer your natural oil has created, so we can trick our pores into thinking there is enough oil don’t need to produce more. Which eventually our make up would last longer.
Sorry about the long answer, hope that helps 🙂
Monstro says
September 4, 2009 at 11:33 amTouch up? Ever so lazy to do it, but I guess if I have to make an effort it would be lippie/gloss and a bit of powder on nose. hehe!
Jessica says
September 4, 2009 at 1:19 pmHow I wish I don’t have to touch up much but I am working in a fairly humid environment and with me running about, touch ups are important! I usually touch up when my face is oily, I could feel the heaviness on my face and i’ll blot those oilies away. I’d advice to purchase the palladio blotting paper which has blotting and powdering halves. Supercool for a fuss free touch ups!
If you’re wondering where to get these babies, I’d normally order from lowyat.net (look for Gonzalesgirl of M’sian Beauty Store) in her ongoing sprees. There’s a link for fellow readers!
http://www.sallybeauty.com/Rice-Paper-Tissues/PLADIO5,default,pd.html
And there is also a how-to here
http://www.sallybeauty.com/makeup-touchups/Makeup-Touchups,default,pg.html
Nikki says
September 4, 2009 at 2:05 pmI usually touch up after eating! I don’t have oily skin so I just gently brush my t-zone area with a blot powder or setting powder again to create the “glow”. I remove my lipstick after eating, reapply lip balm, lipstick and gloss (if you use one) 🙂
gio says
September 4, 2009 at 6:02 pmI only touch up lipstick/lipgloss during the day. And sometimes I use oil blotters if I need to remove shine and excess oil.
makeup artist says
September 4, 2009 at 6:27 pm1) removed excess oil by just tapping the oily zone with a tissue, bear in mind you are not trying to remove everything, just the excess oil!. Never use the blotting paper.
2) Rehydrate the skin by merely spraying mist of water and let it be absorbed.
3) Use light formulated powders, the really micronized ones and powder your face for a freshen look. Never go for a thick powdered foundation formula.
4) After the above is done, spray another round of water mist on your face for that endless beauty look. Whoalla!
LyNn says
September 5, 2009 at 1:30 amI hate putting on make up outside of my room!
Therefore, I never touch up.
The main reason is the mirrors available are either too small (i.e. those that come with the make up) or too far (i.e. the washroom’s mirror which is far away due to the sinks) or too many people wants to use the mirror and you are hogging it!
So, I will at most only blot my face.
If it is too oily, I would first pat with tissue then pat with a blotting paper. 🙂