Follow this routine to keep your makeup safe from the heat

It feels like we’re living on the surface of the sun but don’t let the heat ruin your beat.

National Weather Service predicts highs of 98 degrees (and higher) this weekend so it’s going to be HOT. If you can, stay in the air conditioning or find a pool. However, I know personally of three weddings happening this weekend alone so that’s not always an option. Here are some tips to look hot but stay cool.

 

Prep. Prep. Prep.

Prepping your skin on any day makes for a smooth canvas for applying makeup but prepping for hot weather is imperative in ensuring your makeup stays (somewhat) put. You should cleanse with a jelly, balm or oil cleanser before doing your skin care and makeup like Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. This removes dirt, oil, sweat, etc. without stripping. (Stripping = increase in oil production = a mess). Then, use a light, hydrating toner or MIST like  Next, apply a very light and hydrating moisturizer. Your skin tends to drink in light formulas faster, (like Youth to the People or Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide) giving you supple, hydrated skin. Sunscreen comes next! You should wear it every day but for the love of baby Jesus, please wear it when it’s a million degrees. My favorite is Coola.

As an optional step, lay down a base of primer to plump skin, fill in pores and fine lines and get your skin ready to hold makeup. Look for a formula that’s moisturizing but also a little tacky so it grips your products and helps them not slide off of your face. I think Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer does the best job on a hot day.

As for color products, formula is ying …

You want to select the right formulas for all of your face makeup such as your base (foundation, tinted moisturizer), concealer, blush, etc. that will give coverage or pigment but not feel or look too heavy.

Base

You will never go wrong with a tinted moisturizer on a hot day and so many brands have great ones. If you’re looking for a little more coverage, I’m going to suggest It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ with SPF 50. While it says it’s a CC cream (In my experience, BB and CC creams are just tinted moisturizers with added skin care or color-correcting benefits), it gives coverage like a foundation but still feels light and hydrating. Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 works just as well — though I don’t feel it’s as full-coverage as the former. For lighter coverage, Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint is a super light, almost-serum-type-formula that blends, blurs and gives just enough coverage that you can still see your skin — my nose freckles show through when I wear it.

Concealer

Pick a formula that’s creamy but will stay put without looking cakey or settling into lines. Tarte Shape Tape Concealer, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer or Colourpop No Filter Concealer all are good choices.

Blush

When it comes to cheek color, I would use a cream-to-powder formula that really settles into your skin. You all know about the love of my life, Glossier Cloud Paint. It was practically made for hot weather.

… application is yang

Base

You want your base to be blended into your skin as effortlessly as possible. I prefer to use a flat foundation brush to apply my base, then blend it out with a Beautyblender. This way, it’s diffused enough that nothing is sitting on my on top of my skin but I don’t create unwanted texture by buffing it in. Some people prefer to buff in their base and that’s fine. I would use a kabuki brush aka a brush with soft, dense bristles and a dome-shaped head. (Brush tip: The longer and softer the bristles of any makeup brush, the more diffused the pigment will be. Short, firm bristles yield darker pigment.)

Concealer

I conceal after I apply my base. I feel that, if I conceal first, the foundation moves or picks the concealer pigment up and cancels out all the work I did. This way, my base is already down so the concealer is on top and blended out so it can actually do it’s job.

Blush

You’re already going to be fighting the humidity and your own sweat so get a jump start by ensuring your blush has a good grip. Dust (so lightly) some loose setting powder down on your cheeks before application. This way, your blush won’t be absorbed into your foundation and disappear midday.

Keep it simple

As far as the rest of your face goes, I wouldn’t go crazy with pigments and products.  If you’re not going to a special event, try something subdued like groomed brows. Fill them in slightly and use a nice pomade to keep them in place. Brow sweat is REAL and no matter how fleeky your eyebrows may be, there’s a real possibility of them getting wiped away. You also can add waterproof mascara for some depth.

If you’re going to a wedding or know you will be in photos where you want to look fierce, I would focus on your eyes. Very few of us are immune to mustache sweat and if you’re trying to wear a bold red lip, it’s going to be all over your face and hands and clothes by the end of the night. Falsies are your best bet since they can’t smudge. If you don’t like them, a waterproof mascara is a must. Even better is Glossier Lash Slick, which does not smudge at all. A shimmery eye look is perfect for hot days (Glossier Lidstar will not move) or pick a bright summery color for your lids. (Urban Decay, Colourpop, Kylie Cosmetics and so many more brands just released gorgeous summer palettes.) I wouldn’t mess with smoky looks that require blending or multiple colors. For eyeliner, only use a waterproof liquid formula with a pen applicator like Stila Cosmetics Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner.

Use a tinted lip balm to give your lips some color without the mess. Glossier Generation G or Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment are great options. For more pigment, Colourpop Ultra Blotted Lip is a buildable lip stain that stays put.

Set it

Setting your face with powder and a spray is going to keep your makeup in the spot you left it but don’t set too soon. If your base is still wet, the powder will look cakey and messy. Allow your base to dry and, with a big powder brush with long, soft bristles, dust translucent powder (I like Glossier Wowder or Make Up For Ever Invisible HD Loose Powder) over your T-zone, or forehead just above and between your eyebrows, along your nose and its sides, above your lip and your chin. I do NOT “bake” and I don’t apply powder all over or on spots that wrinkle (under eyes, sides of mouth) because I think it makes you look dusty. It also ages you since the powder tends to settle into those lines.

After powder, set that baby with some setting spray. You already know the best one: Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray.

Invest in blotting papers

These papers will soak up sweat and oil without disturbing your makeup and you can take them with you. I know these sound like a scam but I swear they come in handy. You can be very boujee and grab Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Blotting Paper or Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers. You can also heed the advice of Beyonce’s makeup artist Sir John who suggested using cigarette rolling papers instead. “They have the same texture as $17 or $18 blotting papers,” he told Allure. And if he says so …

Stay cool, kids.