EVELYSS / Guides / Beauty

How to Stop Make-up Transferring Onto Clothes, Collars and Scarves

“Winter is when foundation goes everywhere: roll-necks, coat collars, scarves and party hugs. You don't need a mask of product. You need less of it, set properly, and a smarter order for getting dressed.”Her take

Why does make-up transfer more in winter?

Winter clothes sit right against your face and neck. Roll-necks, scarves, high coat collars and hoods all rub along the jawline and chin, which is exactly where foundation is often heaviest. Central heating and crowded rooms make skin warmer and slightly oilier, so make-up stays soft for longer.

Rich winter moisturisers and creamy formulas also take longer to settle. If you dress straight after applying them, the top layer is still wet enough to wipe off on the first thing it touches.

How to apply base so it stays on your skin

Apply moisturiser and give it at least five minutes to sink in before foundation. Use less foundation than you think, in thin layers, and concentrate it where you need coverage, usually around the nose and on any marks, rather than taking it right down the neck.

Blend the edges at the jaw thoroughly with a damp sponge or clean brush, so there's very little product on the area your collar touches. Let the foundation sit for a few minutes, then press, rather than sweep, a thin layer of translucent powder over the jaw, chin and sides of the nose. A mist of setting spray at the end helps everything bond to the skin.

Get dressed in the right order

If you're wearing a roll-neck or anything that goes over your head, put it on before your make-up. If that isn't possible, drape a thin scarf or a silk pillowcase over your face like a veil while you pull the top on. It sounds fussy, but it keeps foundation off the neckline and lipstick off the inside of the collar.

Fold a roll-neck down slightly so the edge sits just below your jaw rather than against it. With scarves and coat collars, choose darker colours on days you wear more make-up, and put a tissue between your chin and a pale collar on the bus if you'll be leaning into it.

How to stop lipstick transferring

Line and fill the whole lip with lip liner first, which gives colour something to grip. Apply lipstick, blot on a tissue, then hold a single ply of tissue over your lips and press a little translucent powder through it. Apply a second thin layer and blot again. This builds colour that's much less likely to mark glasses, cheeks and collars.

For a party with a lot of hugs, a long-wear liquid lipstick that dries matte transfers least. Give it a full minute to dry with your lips apart before you touch anything.

How to remove make-up marks from clothes

Act quickly and dab, don't rub. For foundation and powder, dab the mark with micellar water or a little washing-up liquid on a damp cloth, then blot with clean water. For lipstick, which contains oils and waxes, dab with washing-up liquid first to break down the grease, then rinse with cool water. Check the care label and test on an inside seam first.

For delicate fabrics such as silk and cashmere, or for marks that don't shift, take the item to a dry cleaner and tell them what the stain is. Avoid hot water on make-up marks until the stain is gone, as heat can set it.

Questions people ask

The takeaway

Thin layers, five minutes to settle, powder on the jaw, roll-neck on first, lipstick blotted and powdered, and dab marks out fast.

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