if you are using a water based foundation use a water based primer. if you are using a silicon based foundation use a silicon primer. if you mix and match the primer/foundation will break down within hours and look awful

I’ve felt like this so many times after wearing makeup for quite a few hours so I 100% understand how you feel! It can be such a bummer, especially when you feel like you look fine but then you look in the mirror and look like… crusty and dull!!!

Are you using a setting spray?

Could you please elaborate more on what’s happening with your makeup?

Don’t know how new you are to makeup but I sincerely have noticed that my face will look bad after a long day if I don’t let my primer dry completely before using foundation and then let it dry before adding more to my face.

You’re taking a 30minute walk during lunch hours - getting sweaty or just walking around?

I think a picture of your makeup in the morning vs when you say it looks demolished would help us identify the problem better if you’re comfortable. Or at least specifically describe that difference.

What makeup stays on you depends on the makeup brand/formula and your skin type.

My makeup will normally stay put completely but I also don’t like it to be heavy (typical of full coverage etc.) so it usually takes me a lot of trial and error before I find my go-to products.

There are some good staples for every product though, IMO, that generally work for most people. For example, for foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear works for most. It may not be everyone’s favorite but staying in place won’t be the issue. For every product from primer to powder, there are staples like this.

So what melted away? Foundation? Eyeliner? Contour?

Do you use an eye primer? A good, sticky one might help your eyeshadow stay in place better. It could also be your eyeshadow too. I’ve had some pallettes where it seems like the shades “travel” on my face a lot more than others.

Not sure which parts of your makeup you’re talking about. Sometimes some products work for others but won’t work for you. For example, I could never use a non waterproof mascara or wear eyeliner/concealer without setting it with powder. Finding the right eye pencil that doesn’t smudge on your eyes is a challenge as well. And any makeup needs some touch ups during the day, especially eye pencils or powder. Maybe you have oily skin?!

• Do you rub your eyes during the day?
• Do you have glasses that press up against your lashes?
• Do you live in an especially humid area?
• Do you live in an especially arid area?
• Are you using a ton of glitter? Some glitter eyeshadows can have pretty bad fallout. Non-glittery ones can have the same issue of course, but it seems like glitters are especially likely to wind up on every part of your face.
• Are you applying too much all at once? That can also cause fallout. Nothing wrong with going bold, but a thin layer may last longer than a thick layer if your eyeshadow is prone to fallout (or if it’s just not very buildable)

Lid primer and/or setting spray could potentially help! But if adding a primer and updating your technique don’t work, it could be that your products just aren’t great OR that they just don’t agree with you - everyone’s skin is different.

What exactly was wrong?

My eye makeup used to crease when I was new to using makeup. I’d do an awesome smokey eye, but my eyelids would be naked halfway through the day, surrounded by the rest of my dark eyeshadow. It looked awful. I wasn’t using an eye primer, and I have hooded eyes, so my entire eyelids became an oily mess throughout the day and the powders had nothing to hold onto.

Urban Decay Primer Potion has worked phenomenally for me, and you can buy a smaller tube to try it out. There are lots of other eye primers, too.

But it’s hard to say or recommend anything when the only description we have is “mauled by a bunch of animals.” It’s certainly funny and dramatic, but it doesn’t really help us help you.

Your skin will naturally produce oils, sweat and tears, even if you’re not doing anything strenuous. Unfortunately, not all makeup works on all skin types and it takes a bit of trial and error to get something that works for you. What others recommend may not actually be suitable for your skin type.

My personal tip is to maybe hold back on doing heavy eye makeup until you can work out what the combination is to make it stay. Heavy eyemakeup that migrates and smudges always ruins the makeup look and it can be quite disheartening.

If you’re not using an eye primer, I would recommend it. Face primer does not work the same as eye primer as I learnt the hard way. Apply it to both your lid and under eye and let it dry properly before applying any shadows/liner. I’d use a combo of lighter shades and lighter liner/mascara until you can work out what is causing the problem without it looking like a disaster.

Another thing could be making sure your makeup has time to “set” in between steps. This will help with the longevity of the makeup.

Did you put on sunscreen before makeup? Some sunscreens, and some oilier moisturizers, and make makeup “break” and look gross.

Do you have oily skin? Maybe you’re using a “glowy” product when you should be using a matte one (or the opposite for dry skin).

Is it possible that your skin reacted to something in the makeup? I’ve heard about people having horrible reactions, from black, swollen eyes to hives to full-on welts, from allergies to certain ingredients in some products.

Is it possible that you went in too heavy and the makeup just… melted? Migrated? Faded off?

What lighting did you use to apply? My bathroom lighting runs very yellow so I have to check in natural light before leaving the house to make sure I don’t look orange, and even then sometimes I look fine in natural light and like re-warmed death under office/mall bathroom lighting.

Did your makeup oxidize through the day? I found a shade that I loved in one foundation, only to realize that after an hour of wear it turned ashy and pilled.

Could be so many things… hard to tell without more info.

Only use quality eye shadows that have no fall out and less is more on the eyes

It’s all in the brand. I tried some Amor Us just to do a full face of make up for giggles, and when I blew my nose once, I ended up with a giant patch of setting spray, powder, foundation and primer all completely GONE for the rest of the day. The rest slid off my face by noon.

You get what you pay for, I guess - I think Estee Lauder, Urban Decay, and KVD, and Too Faced make my favorite long wearing make up and I can be very confident it won’t need a touch up.

I think it would have to be the quality of the makeup? Recommendations, particularly those from “influencers” aren’t always reliable.