The make-up mandate for Pride is clear: like the flag, the order of the day is colourful. Journalist Rebecca Fearn, who identifies as queer, tells me that the flag and its evolution is crucial: ‘It being evermore inclusive recognises how diverse the queer community is — and like the community, it’s unapologetically bold, bright and beautiful.’
And while many take their make-up cues from that famous flag, meaning a sea of rainbow hues, getting those bright pigments to stay put can be a challenge, especially given that it is for many a very long day. ‘Last year, we started before lunch and ended up in Soho late into the night,’ Fearn tells me, adding that ‘you really want it to last — it’s all about having a good time, so I didn’t want my make-up to be my main concern.’
Her advice is to focus on what you want to say with the colours or flags you choose to paint on — she opted for a bisexual flag and little by way of lipstick to let it be the main event — and then being really savvy about how you apply the rest of your make-up to help it hang around. Make-up artist Sonia Deveney tells me to ‘start with skincare, making sure you’ve got a good quality SPF on that’ll protect your skin without slipping under your make-up (see Ultra Violette for a huge range of finishes, formulated excellently).
Next, apply your make-up, starting with the rudiments of foundation, eyebrows, and blush if you wear them, then moving on to the embellishment.’ Don’t, whatever you do, forget to seal your face paint; setting sprays make light work of it. Fearn recommends Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray (£28.50, at cultbeauty.co.uk) for serious hold even if you dance the night away, as she suspects you probably will.
Illamasqua Eye Paint Longwear Liquid Shadow
This highly-pigmented cream can either create a graphic look, or be smudged for a more subtle wash of colour. Either way, you can rely on it to stick around and to resist sliding out of place when you’re sweating.
Buy now £9.50, Look Fantastic
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Fearn’s favourite setting spray really does help make-up to stick around for longer, without the sensation of tightness. Just spritz over skin after applying make-up, let it dry, and you’re good to go.
Buy now £28.50, Selfridges
Ultraviolette Fave Fluid SPF 50+ Ultralight Skinscreen
Forget the idea that sunscreen is some gloopy nuisance product that’s going to make you look sweaty — this light fluid smooths on and adds a hint of glow but is otherwise undetectable.
Buy now £37.00, Ultraviolette
KIKO Milano High Coverage Water-Resistant Colourful Liquid Eyeliner
If an intense line of colour is your thing, these really deliver. Note that they don’t only come in bright primary shades, but also a gold and white for accents that’ll pop.
Buy now £9.99, KIKO Cosmetics
NYX Professional Makeup Metallic Glitter
Wear it on your face, in your hair, on your body, or just strew it around you as you enjoy the revelry — Pride is absolutely the time for glitter in abundance, and this one in its multi-coloured hues is one of the most fun and colourful ones on offer.
Buy now £7.00, Cult Beauty
