Summer is all about looking good, feeling great and soaking up those sweet, sweet rays of sunshine. But what happens when those rays get too hot and you start sweating up a storm? The makeup you’ve spent forever perfecting starts to melt right off your face.
It doesn’t have to be this way, though!
You can sweat-proof your summer routine and look flawless as you move from the sand dunes to the boardwalk and even into the water! Or, more realistically, from your too hot apartment to your sweltering car and then to your un-airconditioned office.
1. Create a good base for your makeup
If you want to make sure your makeup has a shot at staying on your face during the sweaty summer months, the number one thing you can do is create a good base for it.
“Perfecting a radiant, sweat-proof look is just as much about the make-up you choose as it is about the skincare routine you prep with,” says the founder of Beverly Hills’ Ciel Spa, Isabella Koretz. “To ensure your look stays set and glowing in all the right ways, prep your skin with a hydrating, non-greasy or oil controlling moisturizer, like Biologique Recherche’s Crème Dermopurifiante.
Look for formulas that help minimize pores and curbs your skin’s oil production, so your makeup stands a better chance at staying in place throughout a hot day.” Finishing off your look with a BB cream instead of a heavy foundation will give you a base that’s built to last. With BB cream, you also get the added bonus of having sunscreen incorporated in your makeup already.
2. Choose the right products for summer
Even though you’ve been wanting to try out that smokey eye and raspberry lip color combo, summer might not be the best time to do it. If you know you’re going to be sweating a lot, there’s a higher chance of melting your makeup off when you’ve got more of it on. To prevent this problem, try switching to products that hold up better against heat and humidity. Use products like a waterproof concealer or tinted lip balm with SPF that give you benefits and the touch of color that can make your facial features stand out!
3. Locking in your look
Lock your look in. If you’re going to do your makeup, especially your eyebrows, you want to make sure it will not budge throughout the day. Not only can brow and eye makeup streaming down your face look bad but it can also make it harder for you to see when you are at the beach or as you dance the afternoon away at your favorite summer music festival.
According to Billion Dollar Brows founder, Natalie Plain, “a clear brow gel is pretty much essential if you’re going to rock a great brow design in the summer heat. Like most finishing products that are designed just to lock a look in, this won’t add any extra color, so you can keep everything looking fuss-free and natural.” Plus, it doesn’t take much extra work, so make sure you use gels and finishing sprays every time.
4. What’s in your bag?
When you’re out and about, having a travel pack of micellar cleansing wipes could come in handy. Not only do they quickly and conveniently remove any smeared makeup, saving time and getting you prepped for touch ups, but they are also a great way to refresh and hydrate your skin. This will also remove the oil, sweat and impurities that can build up and clog your pores, leading to acne.
Regardless of your skin type, you’re likely to be more prone to oilier skin from the summer heat. Carrying around some blotting papers will do wonders in helping mattify your skin without drying it out.
5. Always remember sunscreen
As tempting as it can be to skip the sunscreen in favor of your traditional foundation, don’t do it. Skipping the sunscreen can lead to sun spots, wrinkles, and skin cancer. While it might seem obvious to not skip sunscreen on those vulnerable places, like your shoulders and the tips of your ears, you need to remember to continuously apply it to your face and remember that sunscreen isn’t a one-and-done for the day thing.
If your makeup look doesn’t allow you to apply sunscreen throughout the day, consider your other options – these days, there are sunscreen-infused setting sprays and sunscreens in pressed or loose powder form that you can reapply without hassle.
And, good news, sunscreen could be getting even safer for you and the environment!
6. Shade your face for makeup (and skin) protection
Now that you’ve got sunscreen on, you’re good to go right? Not so fast. You still need to protect your face, hair and scalp with a hat. Make sure you get a hat that provides protection from both types of the sun’s harmful rays. The hat combined with sunscreen will help protect your face from the sun, but it also comes with the added benefit of providing a cool shady place for your face so you don’t sweat as much. Needless to say, the bigger the hat, the more protected your face will be.
When you’re ready to brave the heat that comes with summer, don’t let it ruin your makeup plans. Sweat doesn’t stand a chance when you take steps like preparing your face, locking in the look, and protecting it all with a big, bold and beautiful sun hat! By taking a few steps to prepare for your day out in the sun, you can protect your skin and prevent your makeup from coming off.
