Keeping makeup in place is tough business when it’s hot, humid, and sticky outside, not to mention the frustration of having your face melting off the moment you walk out the door headed to an event or gathering where looking fresh and well pulled together is a matter of importance! Going bare faced may be best but sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girls gotta do and just wear makeup. That’s we’ve compiled the best tips for keeping your summer makeup looking radiant despite the heat and humidity that threatens to destroy all your hard work.
Fresh Face Palette
When it comes to melting makeup, heat is only part of the problem. Skin produces more natural oil when it’s warmer too. Using an oil-prevention facial cleanser to blot your face before applying makeup helps keep those glands in check. A clay based mask used once each week is especially beneficial for oily skin types.
Eat Cake- Don’t Wear It
Bear in mind the anthem of the summer season- light and sheer. Tinted moisturizers, concealers, and sunscreen with a photo finish tint ar all your face needs to even out blotchiness and flushed areas. If you must apply foundation, do so only in the places where it’s needed the most. Wearing a faceful of foundation is asking for trouble! If you can avoid wearing any, that’s even better.
Bonus Tip: Apply a primer before applying foundation. Using your clean fingertips, instead of a makeup sponge will warm the product up and be less shocking before heading outdoors. The product will spread more easily, and you’ll use less product too.
Blushing Cheeks Without Embarrassment
Opt for cream based matte colors when it comes to blush and steer clear of shimmery products. They’ll make you look oilier and shiny. Powder blush tends to look streaky and dull in hot weather.
Beat Raccoon Eyes
Use an eyeshadow primer to prevent eyeshadow from sliding and creasing and to help keep the color vibrant. Cream eyeshadows are best during the summer. Powder and perspiration aren’t a good combination and are likely to get cakey in the creases of your eyelids.
Liquid eyeliner can be a bit tricky to apply, but with a little practice, you’ll get the hang of it. Pencil liners are oily. They will melt and spread leaving you with raccoon eyes.
Waterproof Lashes
Water resistant rather than waterproof mascara is best except for occasions where you’ll be spending a day in the water swimming. Water resistant is also less harsh and easier to remove at the end of the day.
Perfect the Pout
Use a colored lip stain instead of colored lip gloss or lipstick. It will look the most natural and has greater staying power than glosses and lipsticks do. If colored lipstick is all you have in your makeup bag, try dabbing a little foundation on your lips as a base to help keep it in place.
Now it’s time to set everything with a translucent powder. Lightly apply it across your T-zone. If you want a sun kissed glow, use a large makeup brush to lightly dust it across the high points on your face and shoulders. Be sure to select a shade that’s only 1-2 times darker than your natural skin tone and don’t overdo it. Remember, light and sheer is essential.
Mist and Set
Makeup setting spray is the final step towards locking makeup in place. It hydrates the skin and fills in areas that look dry and blotchy. Beware, some setting sprays are designed to make makeup last over 16 hours. While they are fantastic for sweat-proofing your makeup, they will require some elbow grease to remove.
Resist the Shine
Be sure to pack an extra makeup sponge or blotting papers in your handbag. This inexpensive tool is your secret weapon for controlling shine throughout the long hot days of summer. Whisk away sweat and oil without wiping away your makeup by lightly pressing the papers up and down in a gentle stamping motion across the troublesome areas and in the T-zone. It’s okay to re-apply face powders but don’t overdo it. Alternate between blotting and reapplying powder to avoid caking and build-up.
Check out our other summer tips post: The Do’s and Don’ts of Summer Hair Care