“No sleep, bus, club, another club, nother club, plane, next place, no sleep.” This digitally revered Lady Gaga quote is essentially the proverbial itinerary for most HBCU homecomings. You have the yard, the tailgates, the pregame, and the pregame for the pregame. Not to mention the dimly lit dinners and alumni association brunches to make it through. And in all of this wistful celebration, you’re expected to maintain a full face of makeup. A 12-hour beat? That takes time, dedication, and a super-solid base routine.
Now this may seem like a daunting task akin to trying to meet up with your friends under a tailgate tint with 10% battery and a spotty cell service. But it’s not impossible, especially when you have an immaculate line-up of long-wearing products built to last through the sweatiest of sections and most crowded of clubs.
Thankfully, makeup has evolved considerably since our days on the yard, meaning there is virtually no reason that your makeup can’t last.
From lip combos that just won’t quit, to Beyoncé-approved setting sprays. Here are 10 beauty bestie products you need to make sure your Homecoming makeup lasts through step shows, brunches, and everything in between.
Anything with Beyoncé’s seal of approval is a must-have for homecoming and beyond. But this setting spray from One Size carries its own weight thanks to its weightless formula that keeps makeup waterproof, transferproof, smudgeproof, and sweatproof for 16 hours straight. It’s like spray-on insurance for your makeup. No deductible required!
When it comes to makeup, lip combos are typically the first to go. There are drinks to be sipped, and bites to be nibbled. Lip gloss and liner are collateral damage of our tasty indulgences. The solution? A lip stain. This Huda Beauty lip contour makes the perfect long-lasting lip liner and can also be used as a base layer built to stay put from bottomless brunch to alumni happy hour.
Price: $49
Lady Gaga did her biggest one with the Haus Labs foundation and that shade range? Immaculate. Formulated with fermented arnica, hyaluronic acid, and squalane, this foundation provides full coverage with skin-happy ingredients that boost hydration. A beat face and healthy skin? Yes please.
Price: $20
Primer is the first step to making sure your makeup has a fighting chance during the long days and even longer nights of homecoming. Equipped with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, this primer acts as a hydrating super glue, bonding your makeup to your face for hours.
Think of setting powder as parsley — the finishing touch you sprinkle on as the capstone to your look. This setting powder not only lightly blurs your under-eye area for a filter-like finish, but also sets your makeup so it lasts without creasing.
Lip stains are the bedrock of any long-lasting lip combos, and this hydrating Poutsicle has the staying power of a classic lip stain with a hydrating boost, so you don’t have to worry about dry, cracked lips.
While we don’t anticipate any crying during hoco season, happy tears are always welcome. But running makeup? Not so much. Thankfully, this 24-hour gel eyeliner resists smudges and unsightly smearing.
Too Faced’s Better Than Sex Mascara has been the lash GOAT for a reason. It has an hourglass-shaped brush that separates and coats each lash, giving you volume and lift without the hassle of falsies. The waterproof formulation offers a smudge-free formulation that is perfect for long days filled with lengthy Uber rides and cozy reunions.
Duality is the name of the game when it comes to homecoming makeup. That’s a given. This matte blush not only gives you a pop of vibrant color, it also mattifies and locks your makeup in place, making it the perfect touch-up product to throw in your clutch before hopping in your 50th Uber of the weekend.
We don’t gatekeep here, but if we did, this would be the product to keep close to the chest. Luckily for everyone involved, we are in a giving mood. This Make Up Forever Aqua Seal might as well be a magic potion, the way it makes any product waterproof. That’s right, dab a little onto your liners, blushes and brushes and watch your favorite products instantly transform into smudge-proof marvels. Alakazam? More like alakaGLAM!
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