Amy Karlson: Hold Your Makeup Down for the Holidays

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Tis the season for holiday gatherings, get togethers and parties galore.

There’s nothing scarier than makeup that melts faster than a festive holiday candle. A makeup primer, setting powder and finishing spray are going to be MUSTS for the holiday season or any makeup look for that matter.

A makeup primer is going to get your face primed and canvas perfect for creating your look. Then, you are going to want to finish your look with the right finishing powder and seal it with a setting spray.

Here are my top suggestions for holding your makeup down for the holidays.

Makeup Primer

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water
This is my current favorite primer water; it literally feels like you are misting water onto your face! I spray four or five mists onto my face immediately following my skincare routine in preparation of makeup. This innovative spray instantly absorbs into skin and creates some type of barrier to help keep makeup on all throughout the day.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
You can’t forget your eyes, especially if you are one who runs into the problem of your eyeshadow creasing or fading throughout the day. This eye primer literally will keep your eyeshadow crease-free, color vibrant, and application smooth. It is made with a very specific polymer technology to become the perfect foundation for your shadow and eyeliner, prepping lids for all-day wear.

Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Foundation Primer
This gel formula is very lightweight and it's my pick out of the silicone gel primers from Smashbox. This one is quite mattifying; it instantly reduces the look of flaws, especially pores, and it controls oil and shine for up to eight hours. It leaves skin with a soft finish and smooths skin for makeup application.

Finishing Powder

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Not only is this my favorite loose finishing powder, this is an award winning powder for good reason. It blends effortlessly over the skin to give you a flawless finish that lasts — up to 12 hours. It seems to blur away my lines, pores and imperfections as I dust it on over my skin as it also lock in my makeup for long-lasting wear. It feels like nothing additional on the skin, which is a huge plus. This powder also absorbs oil and reduces shine. Plus it’s one of the few powder that won’t give skin that “flashback” often seen in photos.

IT Cosmetics CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder
This lightweight finishing powder gives skin a buildable, sheer-to-full coverage all while creating softer-looking, blurred skin. I love that this powder contains anti-aging peptides and collagen.

Urban Decay The Ultimate Brush Off Translucent Loose Setting Powder
This translucent, loose setting powder sets makeup in place with a soft-focus, demi-matte finish. It comes in four shades to blend in with a variety of skin tones or Universal, a transparent powder that works well for any skin tone. It’s very finely-milled and vegan that blends seamlessly to extend the wear of your foundation. It is virtually weightless on the skin as it sets makeup absorbs oil and diminishes shine for a blurred-out effect. This powder also won’t give skin a flashback so you can feel confident while using it for selfies and big events.

Makeup Setting Spray

MAC Prep + Prime Fix+
This setting spray is a favorite as it not only sets makeup for the day, but it refreshes skin during the day if you choose to mist it on. I love that this is offered in various scents and formulas, but the original is a definite fave. Made with minerals, skin is hydrated and soothed as it is refreshed.

Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
This makeup setting spray is the gold standard is long lasting, in my honest opinion. It is weightless and once you spray it on, it helps to keep makeup looking freshly applies for up to 16 hours. It works and works well. It is super easy to use, too. To use, simply shake the bottle, and hold the bottle directly in front of your face, about eight to ten inches away; mist your face four to five times in an X and T formation to ensure that you entire face is covered.

Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray
I am a big fan of all of the Urban Decay makeup setting sprays, but I like the Chill version in the summer. Chill not only mists on to keep makeup from smudging or settling into fine lines, it contains temperature Control Technology actually chills the surface of your makeup. What does that mean? It means that this setting spray actually keeps the skin cool with the time-released formula that works for up to 12 hours.