Fix-and-Forget: Holiday Make Up Hacks, Part Three

Here we are in the middle of the holiday party season! I am getting daily emails asking for tips and tricks on how to better use make up for the season, so I thought I would dedicate a few blogs to the best professional make-up artists' hacks that are easy to use at home.

From creating waterproof make up at home to making your natural lashes look like false ones, to turning any lipstick into a long wear, smudge proof formula, make up artists use tricks that are quick, efficient, and cost-effective.

The Make Up Artist's Trick For Lush Lashes

CREATE SUPER WATER RESISTANCE

Professional make up artists need their work to hold up under extreme conditions including long shoots, runway shows, glaring lights, and yes, very wet conditions. Models and actors sweat under the lights and make up needs to hold up or else it will need constant touching up.

For everyday wear, especially this time of year, you can use a little known pro secret to get your make up to be very water resistant. Full waterproof is impossible unless you wear a waterproof formula; but your regular make up can hold up in extreme conditions too. In fact, you can get your regular make up to wear even when fully submerged in water for up to 90 minutes with one simple purchase.

The best make up setting product you won't find at your local drugstore or department store is called D2O.

D2O is a naturally occurring form of water. It is often referred to as heavy water because it has about 10% more density than drinking water (H2O). D2O stands for deuterium oxide and it is a simple hydrogen isotope which changes the behaviour of regular water into heavy water. To be clear you cannot drink heavy water - it would be as dangerous as drinking salt water - but on the skin it is very safe and hydrating.

So how does it work in creating very water resistant make up?

D2O has a high resistance to vaporization. Simply put, it does not evaporate as regular water does. When you spray D2O on top of your make up it creates an intense surface tension that is extremely resistant to water. Regular water will simply bead off the surface of D2O which in turn protects the make up underneath from being dissolved. Also, because D2O is more viscose than normal H2O it does not upset the make up upon which it will sit.

A quick spray of D2O and any make up becomes very water resistant. Just remember the effect is not instant - it does take about 10 minutes for the D2O to fully set make up but it is worth the wait for the effect.

My favourite D2O products are:

Jane Iredale Hydration Spray - $32 for 90 ml

This can only be found online or at a spa. You have to special order it or find a local spa carrying Jane Iredale products. Jane Iredale products are never sold in stores.