You spend a great amount of time in the morning to perfect your makeup – but by lunch-time, it’s almost gone. You touch it up but it doesn’t looked just as good and what’s worse – your makeup looks cakey after multiple touch-ups.

If this is a familiar scenario, you’re at the right article. Here are five simple tricks to add to your pre- and post-makeup routine and you’ll find that you no longer need touching up anymore.

1. Blot before you apply primer

The skincare products that you apply before your makeup routine such as serums and moisturisers may contain oil. While most of them should be absorbed by your skin, there may be some excess oil that remains on the surface of your skin.

This is why you should use a blotting paper to gently dab your entire face before you apply the primer and begin your makeup process. This ensures makeup goes onto a more matte surface and is able to stay on for a longer time. Take note not to be over-zealous with the dabbing and dry out your face instead. The idea is simply to get rid of the excess grease.

2. Build up foundation slowly

Do you have the habit of dispensing an entire pump of foundation and applying everything onto your face? This may be convenient but could mean you’re applying too much foundation – which can mean more budging later.

Instead, pump out a small amount first and focus on just one section of your face. Slowly pat out the foundation to achieve the thinnest layer possible with the level of coverage that you require. Then, pump out more and repeat the same at another section.

If you’re not worried about product wastage, and value convenience, you can dispense a full pump onto the back of your hand and slowly build up your foundation as described above. You can wash away any foundation that you didn’t use.

3. Sweep on some powder before doing your brows

If you’re one of those who notice their brow makeup coming off quickly, this is the trick for you. After your foundation, sweep on a thin layer of powder first before applying brow makeup.

The sequence of brow makeup application is also important. Always start with products with creamier texture and end with those in powder format. In other words, if you typically use a pomade and and brow powder, the pomade so go before the powder.

4. Prime your eyelids

Our eyelids get oily after a while, this is why it’s important to prime them before applying eyeshadow. Besides using an eyeshadow primer before you apply the colours, you can consider sweeping some translucent powder after you’re done too. Another great trick to try: apply cream eyeshadow to achieve the intensity that you want, then tap on some powder eyeshadow in the same shade to seal it in further.

5. Layer your blush

Amateurs apply blusher in one minute. But if you watch the pros at work, you’d notice they tend to spend more time. This is because many experts layer on their blush. Here’s a recommendation to try: apply cream blush first, then layer on powder blush in the same shade. Alternatively, consider using a cream blush first and then powder highlighter on top of it. This way, your glow will last a lot longer than before!