12 longwear makeup essentials that won’t budge—no matter how sweaty your face gets

This time of year, I’m lucky if my a.m. primping lasts over an hour. The majority of the time, my morning beauty routine is sabotaged the second I spend more than two minutes outside, thanks to the out-of-control humidity that makes my hair immediately frizz and my makeup to melt. Such a tragic waste.

To make sure all that time (not to mention product) that I spent doing my face for the day isn’t for nothing, I’m now looking to take some serious action: with long-lasting makeup. While it goes on and looks just like you’re wearing your regular makeup products, these are formulated to work overtime and actually stay put from the morning locker room through work and dinner plans.

The secret’s in the ingredients. Typically, a longwear makeup product will have something like polymers or soft waxes—which both help the product stay on your skin—and/or strong dyes or extracts that provide pigment that lasts. “It has to do with certain polymers and plasticizing ingredients that are in a lot of formulas, especially the waterproof ones,” explains Jeannie Vincent, professional makeup artist. “Also, certain dyes last longer on the skin, like with the Bite Beauty stains, which give you such long wear.”

To make long-lasting makeup products last even longer, pair ’em with primers and setting sprays. “Priming the skin is definitely an important step to keep your makeup on all day,” she says. “Hydration is key because if you’re dehydrated, your skin might kick into overdrive, producing more oil and making your makeup melt away.”

Of course, with an extra-strong makeup product comes the need to be extra diligent about taking it all off at night. “It’s a good rule of thumb to always cleanse really well after wearing any makeup, even the natural stuff, but definitely if you’re wearing longwear makeup you want to give your skin a really good cleanse afterward,” says Vincent.

Ready to shop the magically long-lasting products? Keep scrolling for our fave longwear makeup products, from breathable foundations to inky mascaras and everything in between.

Shop longwear makeup

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color $24

Giorgio Armani Beauty Power Fabric Longwear High Cover Foundation SPF 25 $64

Becca Ultimate Coverage Longwear Concealer $29

Lancome Drama Liqui-Pencil Longwear Eyeliner $23

Juice Beauty Liquid Lip Stain $24

Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara $25

Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation $48

BareMinerals BarePro Longwear Matte Lipstick $20

Marc Jacobs Beauty Poutliner Longwear Lip Liner Pencil $25

Ere Perez Beetroot Cheek & Lip Tint $26

Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation $62

Bite Beauty Outburst Longwear Lip Stain $24

To make sure your *lewk* truly stays put, here’s how to use a setting spray. And here’s the deal on makeup primers, according to the pros.