Dripping with sweat, I’m tossed over the barricade after some slightly tall man helped me up and toppling over the heads of the crowd.

Quickly, I scrambled away from the stage and back toward the audience, weaving my way between mildly-annoyed concertgoers. Suddenly, I’m back where I belong: the mosh pit. By the end of the show, I’ve done the same routine several times. I’ve also been punched in the eye, jabbed in the side, and likely fallen flat on my face before being propped back up by strangers.

When the lights go up, I find my concert buddy, who has been through the trenches with me, just in a different pattern. When we go to concerts together, we’re rarely together. There’s not a whole of opportunity to stick by each other’s side when fists are flying and the mosh pit is, well, mosh pitting. We give each other a once over; sometimes I come back with a battered eye. We both will find bruises on our legs the next day, and there’s a chance my nose is already bleeding.

However, the first question I ask almost every time: “Is my eyeliner okay?”

So, finally, I’m going to give my secrets as to why, every time, she replies, “Yes.” My concert makeup hacks are here.

Primer – Super Goop $38

Genuinely, I use Super Goop more for the SPF benefits than anything else. In that sense, it’s absolutely best for festivals, especially since it’s a bit pricey. Nonetheless, I still opt for Super Goop most nights. The primer works well, regardless. Plus, it has a great smoothing effect which comes in handy when you see how low coverage we’re going for our foundation.

Foundation – The Ordinary $7.50

The secret is to keep it simple and don’t expect full coverage. Using a simple serum from The Ordinary keeps the sweat from turning your foundation running. If your foundation turns to sweat, the rest of your makeup, including your eyeliner, is absolutely doomed. One layer of The Ordinary serum will be plenty to smooth over skin – even if some of your insecurities still slip through. Plus, you don’t need to go full coverage when the lights are low, anyway.

Setting Powder – Mehron $8.95

A revelation of mine a few years back: Cosplayers and special effects artists probably know the best makeup for long-term and dramatic wear. That’s when Mehron became a sort of staple in my beauty bag. Their setting powder comes in a handful of hues, but I choose the easy translucent option. Be careful not to overdo the powder as to go too matte, especially since there wasn’t much liquid foundation to begin with. However, it’s definitely important to hit the area around your eyes so the next step — our beloved eyeliner — doesn’t end up bleeding together. Moisture is not your friend in this case — let the sweat do that for you.

Eyeliner – KVD Beauty $25

I swear upon KVD Beauty only for their eyeliner. The brush tip pen allows for perfect precision. They advertise a tattoo liner effect, and you get one. The liquid seems to blend into your skin rather than rest on top. The striking black brings depth to your appearance, which is otherwise likely pretty bland as we strip down to the essentials. I will say, they used to have a dagger tip version. It made for the perfect angle. It’s discontinued. Help demand they bring it back, please.

Eyeliner Setting – Urban Decay $25

Here’s my secret weapon: Set your eyeliner separately with powder. Take a small, flat brush and apply a deep, black powder to the eyeshadow. You’ll want to be as precise as possible for the wing, but can go a little messier for the undereye if you’re looking for a grunge appearance. As an emo gal, my go-to is Urban Decay. After all, I need to snatch up every palette they possible release with Gash, but truly any higher-quality eye shadow should work.

Admittedly, this one can get tricky as they tend to retire their palettes. My favorite to use for this eyeliner setting is Born To Run or their Naked Neutrals. Last I saw, you can’t get either, so I’m linking the closest black you can get.

Setting Spray – Mehron $8.95

To finish it off, we return to Mehron. Give a final spritz to secure your makeup. This setting spray does smell a bit like alcohol, and it will feel like straight glue on your face for several seconds before it relaxes in. However, if you don’t want your makeup moving then the few seconds of discomfort is worth it.

P.S. I don’t get any kick backs. These aren’t affiliate links. Just wanted to share the love.