Of the US’s natural wonders, Niagara Falls is at the top of the list.
The mighty falls straddle the border between the US and Canada, with some 3,160 tons of water thundering down it every second.
The spectacle is actually a trio: the American Falls and its smaller neighbour, the Bridal Falls, and the Horseshoe Falls, which sometimes goes by the Canadian Falls. The sight of the rapids churning and zooming past and disappearing over a cliff edge never gets old, but does lead one to question the sanity of the many characters who have willingly gone over the Falls, starting with the first recorded person, a 63-year-old school teacher in 1901.
It’s one of the many thoughts I had on a recent visit there. My family and I were doing the whole sightseeing thing, from watching the nightly firework display and strolling across Rainbow Bridge - the elevated walkway that connects the neighbouring countries - to wandering around Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest in the US, soaking up the incredible location.
The Canadian side offers the undisputed panoramic views, but the American end is made for thrill seekers, with Maid of the Mist boat tours taking visitors as close as it can safely get to the action.
The stars-and-stripes side of the border also boasts the Cave of the Winds attraction, a series of walkways that skirt along the jagged rocks under the American Falls, so you can experience the raw power of Niagara undiluted. In one corner, a torrent of water roars against the railings, creating a backdrop suitable for only the brave - and reviewers who can’t leave the day job behind.
Now, I hadn’t intended to use the Falls to test the longevity of my makeup, but when faced with the almighty wall of water, not once, but twice, my reviewing instincts kicked in. I was curious to find out what could withstand the ultimate soaking, even when my clothes under the flimsy ponchos they laughably hand out as protection couldn’t.
So, at the revered altar of tried and tested, here is my list of all the makeup products I wore on the Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds - and what survived to tell the tale. Both excursions took place on the same day with a few hours of walking around in the sun in the middle. Aside from lip balm and the odd daub of blush, I didn’t reapply anything else.
Read what makeup survived the Niagara Falls below, and if you like what you read - shop now
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Morphe Wakeup Artist undereye correcting concealer in Honey 8W
First task: erasing darker patches, namely under the eye, around the nose and on the chin.
Morphe’s Wakeup Artist concealer is my weapon of choice, since the formula contains clever colour correcting technology, so I can skip that step entirely. The Honey 8W shade is deliberately a touch lighter than my foundation to help brighten my undereyes even further.
The serum-life formula glides over skin easily and minimises the look of fine lines rather than settling into them. Place three dots under each eye, well below the lashline and blend well to look sparkly-eyed for Niagara snaps, both before and after a dunking.
Buy now £12.00, Lookfantastic
Huda Beauty Easy Blur foundation in Gingerbread 430N
A foundation with serious legs, Huda Beauty’s Easy Blur base is super light and layerable, so you can tweak the coverage from medium to full as you like. Me? I’m in the lighter camp, spreading just a few drops across my whole face. That’s enough for the silica and niacinamide to blur larger pores while keeping skin feeling plump and hydrated.
Huda claims this foundation gives 12 hours of solid wear, but it’s unclear whether the testing process involves a skirmish with one of the world’s most famous waterfalls.
Luckily, it is part of Standard Shopping’s; this foundation performed admirably, scoring highly after the Maid of the Mist boat ride, but fading slightly in the force of the Cave of the Winds.
Plus, the 30ml plastic bottle is small and squeezy, so you can eke out every last drop while you’re away.
Buy now £32.00, Cult Beauty
Morphe Cloudlight soft glow veil in Sunset
I like dusting a bit of powder on after concealer and foundation to set the base and buff away rogue streaks. My current go-to? Morphe’s Cloudlight, designed to use over a liquid base and gives a radiant finish, courtesy of the light-reflecting particles in the powder.
The Sunset shade is darker to double as a bronzer (and save space in my travel beauty bag), sweeping it around the edge of my face as a gentle contour. I don’t use much, so it’s hard to tell exactly how much remained after the Niagara test, but the borders of my face certainly looked as defined afterwards.
Buy now £16.00, Lookfantastic
MERIT flush balm in Postmodern
I’ve previously extolled the virtues of MERIT’s flush balm for Standard Shopping, saying I won’t leave the house for it - and that goes for holidays too. The super creamy, vitamin E-enriched formula is easy to apply, melts in, and floods cheeks (and lips, if needed) with healthy-looking colour, leaving behind a sheeny glow.
It’s the last step in my face makeup, which means it’s the first in the line of fire against the Falls.
Although opacity dropped a little from the force of the Maid of the Mist spray, I could still detect much of this cream blush when I checked back on dry land.
Plus, the pot is so compact I could stuff it into my sling bag, meaning on-the-go reapplication took seconds.
Buy now £26.00, MERIT
One/Size Point Made waterproof liquid eyeliner pen in Bodacious Black
From drag artist Patrick Starrr, this jet black eyeliner with a fine tip has waterproof right there in its name. It’s performed well in London drizzle, but we can all agree that Niagara Falls is another realm of moisture entirely.
How did it do? While it was left intact by the Maid of the Mist voyage, the sheer thundering volume of water I skipped around in at the Cave of the Winds did clip the bold black wings slightly. But look, 60,000 gallons of water plummeting over a cliff per second will do that. Unless you’re in similar circumstances, you can bet on this black and come out winning.
It’s sold out almost everywhere in the UK, but you can find worthy alternatives in our roundup of the best waterproof eyeliners here.
Buy now £30.00, London Loves Beauty
Iconic London triple precision brow definer in chocolate brown
My eyebrows have long recovered from fevered teenage overplucking, but I believe a good brow to be like a decent glass of red: rich and full of body. Anything else is horribly ageing.
Of all the makeup in my kit, I repeat buy eyebrow pencils the most. This is my current beau, and it’s a triple threat, with a twist-up pencil eyebrow crayon backed with a spoolie to blend harsh lines on one end, and a pen stylo on the other to fill larger areas of sparseness quickly.
The waxy crayon, boosted by setting spray, clung heroically through the Maid of the Mist ride, proving its mettle against the mighty Falls.
Buy now £22.00, Lookfantastic
Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red 01
Lip colour instantly brightens my complexion and makes me look ‘done’ with two swipes. It’s the ultimate in lazy girl makeup.
From previous use, I knew that Sephora’s lip stain would lock on for hours, fading only slightly after eating and drinking. Despite having ‘cream’ in its name, the formula can be a little drying, typical for any lip product with a matte finish. I’m happy to take the hit if it means high opacity, smudge-proof colour that can survive the power of a waterfall, which it did with flying colours.
Besides, the dryness is nothing that a little lip balm can’t fix, and I always have one of those knocking around in my bag.
Buy now £13.99, Sephora
Huda Beauty Easy Bake setting spray 30ml
Famed for its staying power, this Huda spray comes in a travel-friendly 30ml option, so will sail through airport checks. I’d already been impressed by the longevity Easy Bake gave my makeup on humid days - including sweating for hours at Beyonce’s DC gig - but credit it as the ultimate makeup shield for the Maid of the Mist trip.
There’s rice starch here, which controls shine to give a soft-matte finish, plus hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, refreshing the skin while extending my makeup’s hold. The twist cap protects the spray’s nozzle when it’s not being used, stopping any crust from forming and consequently, the product misfiring.
I just wish it were refillable; now I’ve seen it properly in action, defending my makeup from the Falls’ endless moisture, how can I expect to travel without it?
Buy now £15.00, Sephora
