Summer makeup survival guide: How professionals keep their look fresh and flawless in scorching heat
The sizzling season is here, and with it, the challenge of maintaining a flawless makeup look. While the rest of us might reach for blotting papers and emergency touch-ups, beauty artists have mastered the art of enduring extreme heat. Here's a deep dive into the techniques and products that make their makeup last, even under the scorching sun.
The Power of Lightweight Prep
Leiya Phinao Ningshen, a renowned M·A·C Cosmetics India National Artist, emphasizes the importance of balanced skincare before makeup. Over-moisturizing, she warns, can lead to product breakdown and sliding throughout the day. Instead, opt for lightweight, fast-absorbing hydration that keeps skin fresh without feeling greasy. Amanda K, another industry veteran, agrees, starting every makeup application with a cleansing and lightweight, water-based skincare routine. For a full-glam look, Hila suggests an unexpected primer: liquid magnesium. This helps control oil and sweat, ensuring makeup stays put.
Less is More: Lighter Base Products
Counterintuitive as it may seem, professionals opt for lighter coverage during summer. Hila recommends using a tinted SPF as a foundation base and spot-correcting only where needed. This approach prevents the heavy feeling that can come with full-coverage foundations. Amanda K echoes this, suggesting spot correction over a full-coverage base whenever possible. By using less product, they minimize the chances of separation, creasing, and patchiness, ensuring a more natural and long-lasting finish.
The Art of Strategic Layering
Layering is a key technique in the pros' arsenal. Nadine Elias, a Dubai-based artist, suggests applying setting spray throughout the makeup process, not just as the final step. This technique helps lock in products and extends their wear time. She also recommends layering cream blush with powder blush to prevent color fading in the heat. Hila's trick involves using a setting spray on a concealer brush before blending, maximizing the concealer's longevity.
Targeted Powder Application
When it comes to powder, less is indeed more. Ningshen and Elias both focus on targeted areas prone to excess oil and perspiration, like the T-zone. Instead of dusting powder across the entire face, they suggest blotting it on specific areas like the chin, nasolabial folds, and sides of the nose. This ensures a natural finish without the heavy, caked-on look.
Heat-Proof Products to Keep in Your Kit
- Milk Hydro Grip Primer: A lightweight primer that prepares the skin for a long-lasting makeup look.
- MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 24HR Matte Foundation: A tinted foundation with SPF, perfect for a fresh base.
- Tarte Shape Tape™ Medium Coverage Radiant Concealer: Provides natural coverage and long-wear.
- Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder: A targeted setting powder for oil control.
- Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara: Tubing mascara that resists smudging.
- Benefit Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain: A lightweight lip stain for all-day color.
- Onesize On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray: A versatile setting spray for a matte finish.
In the scorching heat, professionals rely on lightweight preparation, strategic layering, and targeted formulas that work in harmony with the skin. By embracing these techniques and products, you can achieve a fresh and flawless look, even when the temperature rises.
