How to Touch Up Your Makeup Midday

At the start of a workday, your makeup is always on point. Your eyeliner isn’t smudged, your concealer is concealing, and your lipstick doesn’t look cakey. It’s what happens after a few hours of meetings and presentations when things really start to get a little bit dicey. So, how exactly does one get through a long day with their makeup looking its best? Touch ups, of course! With a couple of tweaks here and there, you can help ensure that your makeup looks as amazing as it did when you applied it in the morning all day long. Follow our guide on how to touch up your makeup—and get over that midday makeup slump.

HOW TO TOUCH UP YOUR LIPSTICK

Lipstick is one makeup product that can really tie an outfit together. But everything from a nude lip to a dark purple lip may require a touch-up or two throughout the span of a day. The best time to reapply your lipstick is after eating lunch since at that point your color probably isn’t as bright and bold as it was in the A.M. If your go-to hue is a deep red lip (or something similarly bold), it might make sense for you to check the color beforehand as well. And this may sound silly, but when drinking water or any other beverage, try to use a straw to help prevent any color from rubbing off.

Need a lipstick recommendation? Try theL’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature, Lasting Matte Liquid Lipstick to make a serious statement. The lasting formula means you also won’t be touching up around the clock!

HOW TO TOUCH UP YOUR FOUNDATION

Notice your foundation getting a little shiny by midday? Pop in the bathroom and use a face powder, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Powder, to absorb excess oil and reduce shine on the skin’s surface. This lightweight, matte pressed powder is perfect to use throughout the day for quick touch-ups.

HOW TO TOUCH UP YOUR CONCEALER

Reapplying concealer all over your face can get a little time consuming, especially when you’re busy at work. Instead of applying it all over, focus on just your eyes. Apply a touch of peach-colored concealer, like the L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Color Correcting Crayon in Peach, under your eyes to help conceal dark circles. Follow up the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer Waterproof, Full Coverage in a shade that matches your skin tone and your poor sleep the night before will remain your little secret!

HOW TO TOUCH UP YOUR MASCARA

Let’s back up first: In the morning, use a lash primer before applying mascara. The L'Oréal Paris Lash Paradise™ Mascara Primer/Base is a pink-tinted primer that can help to thicken your lashes and enhance mascara wear. Apply the primer, then reach for your mascara, like the L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise™ Washable Mascara. In the afternoon, swipe on another coat of mascara and you’ll be good to go. If you’re meeting your friends or significant other for drinks or dinner, wait until the end of the day to apply your extra coat—that way your lashes will be at their most dramatic just in time for happy hour.

HOW TO TOUCH UP YOUR EYELINER

Eyeliner starting to smudge? No one wants to look in the mirror and see raccoon eyes come noon! To touch up your eyeliner, apply a full coverage concealer under your eyes. Opt for a hue that’s one to two shades lighter than your skin tone to instantly brighten your eye area! Then, feel free to go back in with a fresh coat of liner. To prevent more smudging, we recommend setting it with an eye shadow in the same shade. Seriously, try it!

HOW TO TOUCH UP YOUR BLUSH

Notice your faux flush starting to fade throughout the day? No problem! Keep a stick blush in your purse for a quick and easy touch-up. Simply swipe on one of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Longwear Blush Shaping Sticks, then blend the color out using a makeup blender or your fingers.

HOW TO TOUCH UP YOUR EYEBROWS

Brows looking out of sorts? Maintain perfectly shaped brows by keeping a brow mascara, like the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Boost & Set Brow Mascara, in your bag. This eyebrow makeup product is super easy to apply—simply use the angled skinny brush in short, upward strokes to boost volume and build your brows to your desired intensity and shape.

2 MORE MAKEUP TOUCH-UP TIPS

We aren’t out of touch-up tips just yet! There are two products we recommend always having on hand for touch-ups. 

TOUCH-UP PRODUCT #1. FACIAL MIST

Skip the coffee! Spritzing on a facial mist is an easy way to perk yourself up when you hit that afternoon slump. When used correctly, a facial mist shouldn’t affect your makeup—some formulas can even refresh it! If you have dry skin, using a facial mist can also be a great way to add a little hydration instead of applying moisturizer over your makeup, which could mess things up. Reach for the L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Lumi Shake & Glow Dew Mist for a midday pick-me-up!

TOUCH-UP PRODUCT #2. OIL-BLOTTING SHEETS

Oil-blotting sheets should be your go-to product when it comes to oily skin. These sheets are easy to fit into your purse, so you can carry them with you anywhere. When you start to feel like your skin is a little bit too oily, all you have to do is pull out a sheet and blot. Concentrate on your T-zone area since for most people the skin there tends to get oilier than the rest of the face.

Next up: Maybe you need to do more than a small touch-up—perhaps you need to really transform your look for the next part of your day (aka your night)! Here are 7 Day to Night Makeup Looks for Summer to help with that.