Summer Makeup Tips: Stay Flawless During the Heat
Wearing makeup during the summer can be a major challenge. Oils tend to peak through your pores because of the heat, which results in your makeup slipping and sliding. Makeup that doesn’t stay in place will either look cakey on the skin or melt off in a not-so pretty or discreet manner. It’s a little tough to determine which products you should and shouldn’t use during hot, summer days, but I got your back 😉
Here’s a list of makeup tips to keep your makeup looking flawless through the summer heat.
1. Primer is your friend
Always kick off your makeup routine with a primer. Primers create a barrier between your skin and your makeup. This allows products to adhere to the skin without slipping and sliding. There are tons of primers on the market. Some may work better on your skin than others. Don’t be afraid to shop around and test different formulas to find one that works perfectly for you.
2. Ditch heavy foundation
There are few things I hate more than the look and feeling of makeup melting off of my face. Wearing heavy foundation on a hot, summer day can cause just that. To avoid this, ditch heavy foundation formulas, and look into lightweight foundations or tinted moisturizers. These will allow your skin to breathe and will wear nicely throughout the day. If some product were to fade, it wouldn’t be as big of an issue as it would be if it were a medium-full coverage foundation.
Tip: Some lightweight foundations/tinted moisturizers can be built up to medium-full coverage, however I highly recommend sticking to one, light layer. Building these products up will create the same effect as a heavier foundation. The heavier the application, the more apparent it will be if you sweat it off. The lighter the application, the less apparent it will be if you sweat it off, so keep it light!
Here are some of my favorite lightweight formulas:
3. Wear less makeup
Wearing less makeup in general will help avoid the dreaded melted makeup look. The less you have on, the better. I actually switch up my routine a bit during the summer. Most days, I like to go foundation-free. Here’s my routine in a nutshell:
I apply primer all over my face
I apply a small amount of liquid highlighter all over my face
I use a concealer in my shade to conceal all of my problem areas
I use a concealer two shades lighter to highlight under my eyes
I set my entire face with a light setting powder
I apply blush, bronzer, highlighter, and mascara
I finish off with a setting spray
This routine is super easy and simple. If I do want more coverage, I just swap in a tinted moisturizer and mix it with my liquid highlighter. That way, I’m still glowing but there’s still some coverage in place.
4. Choose glosses over matte lipsticks
The sun and heat in general can be very irritating on our lips. Our lips are one of the most sensitive areas of our face, so we want to make sure we’re using gentle products. Matte lipsticks, especially liquid ones, are pretty rough on the lips. They can cause excessive drying, resulting in irritated, cracked lips. I’d take almost anything over dry and cracked lips.
For long summer days, opt for glosses or balms. They’ll keep your lips soft and juicy. My favorite gloss is Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb. I’ve gone through about 5, and I will gladly go through another 5.
If you do want to pop on a matte lipstick, just don’t wear it for an excessive amount of time and you’ll be gucci.
5. Use waterproof mascara and eyeliner
Have you ever put on eyeliner or mascara and looked like a raccoon by the end of the day? I sure have, and it definitely wasn’t one of my proudest moments. Non-waterproof eye products will do this to you with zero remorse, and if you continuously have this issue, these products can actually stain your under eyes, leaving you with actual dark circles. This has also happened to me 😫. It took a few months and lots of eye cream to resolve. To avoid raccoon eyes, opt for waterproof mascara and eyeliner. They’ll last through the summer heat, and leave you with no worries. You can even shed a few tears with those suckas on lol.
Most people’s reservation with waterproof eye makeup is that it’s not easy to remove. Normal makeup removers may not be able to get rid of your waterproof products, but all you need to do is pick up an eye makeup remover, and you’re good to go.
6. Use a liquid highlighter
I adore liquid highlighters. They create a glowy sheen on your skin with zero cakiness. They’re undetectable (unless you use too much), and will make you look as if you’re glowing from within. They can be worn alone, under your makeup, or mixed in with your makeup. In addition, you can also wear them on your body for an all-over glow.
But seriously, don’t use too much. You don’t want to overdue it and look like the Tin Man.
Here are some of my favorite liquid highlighters:
7. Try cream blushes
I used to feel very out of my element when it came to using cream blushes. In fact, I used to be too afraid to even try them until I got a sample of one at Sephora and my life changed. They blend seamlessly into the skin, leaving you with naturally-looking flushed cheeks. Another great thing about cream blushes is that they’re multipurpose products. They can be used on the eyes and lips as well. If you’re afraid to use cream blushes, overcome that fear and test them out. I promise, after you master the application, you won’t be disappointed.
Here are some cream blushes you should check out:
8. Use bronzer
Glowy, bronzer skin is absolutely beautiful. During the summer, I get very bronzer happy because I love it’s ability to make me look instantly sun-kissed. Bronzers add beautiful color to the skin without feeling heavy or cakey.
My all time favorite bronzer is MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Dark Deep. It’s technically a finishing powder, but it works perfectly as a bronzer on me. It has golden and red tones, and looks super natural. It blends beautifully into my skin; making me look naturally sun-kissed.
9. Blot away oils
If you do see oils/sweat peaking through your makeup, reach for blotting powder or blotting papers. Don’t try to fix your makeup by putting on more makeup; that will cause a cakey mess. Blotting papers/powders are made to pick up oils without ruining your makeup, so invest in them. They’ve saved me from a lot of makeup mishaps during the summer, so I highly recommend them. I’m not too picky when it comes to blotting products. Drugstore blotting papers work perfectly fine. I’m also a fan of Fenty Beauty’s Blotting Powder if you’d prefer not to use papers.
10. Finish off your makeup with a setting spray
Setting your makeup during the summer is a must in my opinion. If you want your makeup to last throughout the day, and don’t want it to melt off, you should use a setting spray. They lock in your makeup, making it less likely to transfer or fade. I also love setting sprays because they smooth out your makeup and intensify your highlight.
Urban Decay’s All Nighter is my setting spray of choice when it comes to making my makeup last. If I’m more so concerned with reducing the powdery effect of my makeup, I reach for one of the Mario Badescu’s Facial Sprays. The lavender one is my favorite!