Beauty Confession: This Is How I Hacked My SXSW Makeup to Last for 12+ Hours
Earlier this week, I returned from a Texas-sized trip to Austin for SXSW Interactive. My schedule was totally jam packed: I had six completely full days of attending panels, going to networking events, filming a selfie tour of Austin and, of course, lots of parties at night. Most days, I was out the door in the early AM, having to dress in something that would easily translate from work to play — honestly, what I wore was the least of my worries.
What was really tricky was how to have my makeup look good from 8am until 2pm without having time to fully freshen up during the day. To get the job done, I had to hack the ish out of it, get creative and get kinda weird TBH to ensure I didn’t melt in the Texas humidity. Here’s how I did it, and the products that got me through SXSW from sun up to sun down.
USE BROW PRODUCTS AS EYELINER
Benefit Brow Zings ($32) is one of my all-time fave brow products, and it’s especially great for traveling because it comes with two tiny brushes and a mini tweezer inside the compact — boom. I happen to use the dark shade of Brow Zings, and frequently turn to the brow powder as a super long-wearing eyeliner. It’s a really flattering deep brown shade that is designed to seriously stay put after it’s applied, and, trust me, this product delivers. I’m not really sure what it is, but the way this powder holds onto the skin is better than most eyeliners I’ve used — especially in 90 degree Texas heat!
USE NUDE EYELINER AS LIPLINER
Okay, I know this one sounds bizarre, but it’s one of my favorite beauty confessions EVER! If you’re going to be wearing a super bold lip color for a really long period of time (12+ hours like I was at SXSW), ditch your normal lipliner for a waterproof and nude-colored eyeliner. I am a huge fan of Rimmel London Exaggerate Auto Waterproof Eye Definer ($7) in In The Nude. Not only will the eyeliner create a waxy, waterproof surface on your lips, but it will make the color payoff in your lipstick stronger. My long wearing lipstick of choice is Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick ($8), and I wore the shade Anna Nicole multiple days at SXSW — it’s the besssst.
SKIP MASCARA SMUDGES BY WEARING FALSE LASHES
Makeup smudges due to hot weather and being out and about all day/night are inevitable, especially when it comes to eye makeup. I knew I would fall victim to mascara and eyeliner smudges if I wore them like I normally would (aka when I’m in San Francisco and don’t have to worry about makeup-melting 90 degree weather). Not a cute look. Instead, I kept my eye makeup super light and wore false lashes instead — that way, I didn’t even have to wear mascara. I swear by Ardell Deluxe Pack Lash #110 Black ($6) because of the nifty little lash tool they come with; it makes putting on falsies 100% foolproof, I promise! False lashes + Benefit Brow Zings as eyeliner = eye makeup that is set in perfect place until you take it off, straight up.
FACE MIST IS YOUR BFF
Whether it was the long hours or the high temps, my makeup needed a touchup by 2pm every single day I was at SXSW. In a perfect world, I would have had access to my beauty product arsenal, but I was at panels, networking events and happy hours and left with the bare minimum when it came to reviving my makeup. One product I relied on multiple times throughout every day was my DIY face mist. By mixing witch hazel, mild face toner and a drop of tea tree oil, you’ll be left with a minty, refreshing mist that you can spritz any time you want to perk up your look. It’s a great way to cool down and give your makeup a just-applied look even though that’s definitely not the case.
Follow us on Pinterest for more beauty hacks, tips and tricks.
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.