Say cheese! These long-lasting makeup products will have you photo-ready for graduation day
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'Tis the season for graduation—you did it! Now, it's time for that big ceremony and endless parties and photo ops. You'll want your graduation makeup to photograph well but also look natural in real life (read: not powdery or patchy). While coming up with makeup ideas for the big day, we recommend choosing products that claim to be long-lasting and hydrating, as they'll give you a natural-looking finish for hours.
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Look for buildable and creamy complexion products, as they'll give a smooth finish and subtle glow to your complexion. For eye makeup, stick to timeless, neutral hues that'll work with your outfit and any cap and gown color. Ahead, we provide a list of top-rated products to take the guesswork out of choosing makeup that'll look tip-top all day long.
1. This hydrating primer from Milk Makeup
Long-wearing makeup starts with a great base. The Milk Makeup Hydro Grip has a gel formula that makes skin look smoother and grips makeup so it looks flawless all day long. This fan-favorite product contains glycerin, which helps to hydrate the skin so your makeup doesn’t appear flakey or powdery throughout the day. Apply this to your face after you’ve finished your skincare to prep for the rest of your makeup.
2. This illuminating complexion booster from E.L.F. Cosmetics
As discussed, you want your makeup to look great in pictures and in person. The E.L.F. Halo Glow Liquid Filter is a glow booster that'll give a soft-focus effect (think: a social media filter I.R.L.). It contains skincare ingredients like squalane and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and smooth the skin. Apply your chosen shade—there are eight sheer options—all over your face or on the high points of your face before foundation to add a soft gleam to your skin.
3. This versatile foundation from Pat McGrath
There’s a reason the Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation is all over TikTok. First, its formula provides medium-coverage, meaning you can build it from sheer to full-coverage. It's also hydrating with a natural finish (read: not too matte or dewy), which means it can work for every skin type. It's available in 36 shades and claims to be long-wearing, so your skin will look amazing from the first picture to the last.
4. This lightweight contour wand from Charlotte Tilbury
Contouring your face adds definition and a lifted look, but the key is to use a color and formula that'll look natural on your skin. The Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand has a lightweight liquid formula blends out seamlessly, so you can build up the color's intensity and maintain a natural finish.
Using a brush or sponge, apply it to your cheek hollows, nose, temples and jawline for subtly sculpted cheekbones that will look amazing in pictures and in front of your classmates. It's available in the shades "Fair/Medium" and "Medium/Deep."
5. This ultra-pigmented liquid blush from Rare Beauty
To know the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is to love it. It’s a super-pigmented liquid formula that diffuses across your cheeks for a pretty pop of color. The blush is available in 13 shades, as well as dewy and matte finishes, so you can find a hue to complement your graduation makeup and outfit. We recommend the soft neutral pink shade called "Encourage," which will add just the right amount of flush for the camera without looking overpowering in-person. Apply it to the apples of your cheeks and blend upward and outward toward your temples using a makeup brush.
6. This creamy, buildable bronzer from Makeup By Mario
Camera flash can sometimes make the photo subject appear washed out. To ensure that doesn’t happen in your graduation pictures, apply a bronzer to the spots on your face that the sun would naturally touch, like the temples, cheekbones, nose and chin. It’ll add warmth and dimension to your complexion instantly.
The Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer has a creamy, buildable formula that will give a subtle, skin-like finish. It's available in six warm-toned shades, and you can layer it to make the bronzed effect more noticeable.
7. This super-fine loose powder from Hourglass Cosmetics
Setting powder is an absolute must for graduation day, as it will lock everything into place and blur your pores for a flawless, photo-ready finish. The Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder is finely milled, so it gives skin a smooth appearance and natural-looking finish. Apply it under the eyes to prevent your concealer from creasing and anywhere you want to minimize sweat or oil, such as the T-zone.
8. This neutral eyeshadow palette from Patrick Ta
When it comes to picture day, you can’t go wrong with a neutral eye look: It’ll enhance your gorgeous eyes by adding dimension and light. The Patrick Ta Major Dimension Eyeshadow Palette includes a variety of warm tones to create a pretty, neutral look. You'll find eyeshadows in cream, matte and shimmer finishes as well as pearl toppers for extra sparkle. Blend a deeper hue into your crease to define your eye shape and use a shimmery shadow all over the lid to add a gleam.
9. This flexible-hold brow wax from Glossier
Your eyebrows frame your face, so making sure they’re on point is key for graduation day. Enter this one-and-done product: Glossier Boy Brow. The pomade-like formula has a strong hold without stiffening the brows, and it's available in several tinted formulas to add color to your brows.
10. This lash-lengthening, water-resistant mascara from Thrive Causemetics
If you want your eyes to pop in pictures, mascara is a must, as it'll lengthen your lashes, making them look bigger and brighter. The Reviewed-approved Thrive Causmetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara uses a tubing formula to wrap around each individual lash for length that'll rival falsies.
The formula claims to be water-resistant and smudge-proof, so you can go about your graduation day without worry. It comes in three shades—black, brown and blue—and can be layered for a dramatic, fluttery effect.
11. This long-lasting, waterproof liquid eyeliner pen from Stila
Even if a cat eye isn't part of your typical makeup routine, a small wing at the corner of your eye will define and open up your eyes in pictures. The Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner has ink-like pigmentation and gives a clean, crisp line. Plus, its formula is waterproof, which means it will last through the entire ceremony, teary-eyed hugs and all the pictures.
Starting at the outer corner of your eye, draw a short line pointing in the direction of the tip of your eyebrow. From there, draw along your lash line and connect that ink to the top of the first line you made to create a small wing.
12. This multi-tasking, non-drying lip liner from Tower 28
The key to long-wearing lip color? Lip liner. Think of it like a primer for your lipstick. Hailey Bieber swears by the Tower 28 OneLiner Lip Liner + Eyeliner + Cheek Pencil—and with good reason. This versatile pencil has a creamy, matte formula that's non-drying and delivers an impressive amount of pigment (read: no annoying touch-ups required).
It's available in three neutral shades that can be worn alone, with lip gloss or with lipstick. Trace the perimeter of your lips with the pencil and fill in your lips for extra staying power throughout the long day.
13. This sheer lipstick from Merit
You don’t want to be bothered with a drying, matte lipstick all day long, which is why this lightweight lip color is perfect for grad day. The Merit Signature Lipstick is a sheer formula that will boost your natural lip color for a photo-ready finish that will look amazing in person, too. Apply it over your lip liner for a subtle sweep of pigment. You have your choice of eight different shades, so you can decide if you want a neutral pink or soft red lip color.
14. This crease-reducing setting spray from Benefit
Once you’ve created the perfect graduation makeup look, you’ll need to lock it into place. A makeup setting spray will ensure everything stays put—from your first pictures to the last teary-eyed hug. Reviewed's favorite is Benefit Cosmetics' The Porefessional Super Setter Pore-Minimizing Setting Spray, as it reduces creasing and fading, and it has an ultra-fine mist that coats the skin evenly without disturbing makeup upon application. Spray it on your finished look for longer-lasting makeup.
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