Have you ever stepped outside on a hot summer day and after only a few minutes of sweating asked yourself, “why did I even bother getting ready?” Yuck. There’s nothing worse than mascara and cakey foundation running down your face. These tips and tricks from the beauty experts at Allure will help keep your face looking fresh and your makeup ‘meltproof’ – just like Heidi Klum and Jessica Biel.
1. Primer Power. On clean skin apply a mattifying primer such as Smashbox Photofinish Light Oil Free Primer $36, or L’oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Primers for about $13. Or for a well-kept beauty secret for a cheap drugstore alternative, Monistat Chaffing Relief Powder Gel $8, has the same main ingredients and produces the same makeup-lasting effect as most primers for a fraction of the price. The Glamour Magazine Beauty team tried it and swears by it!
2. Less is more. Instead of a heavy all-over foundation, switch to a light waterproof stick concealer like NARS $22, or Maybelline New York Coverstick $5 (voted best discount concealer by Allure’s 2010 reader’s choice awards). But if you still want the coverage of an all-over foundation, make sure to apply only a light layer by with a dampened makeup sponge or opt for a tinted moisturizer like Laura Mercier $42 (a little pricey, but it’s the winner of InStyle Best Beauty Buys for 5 years in a row).
3. Skip the powders. Powders + perspiration = one cakey mess. Avoid powder blushes and shadows and go with a cream or stick color instead (just make sure to blend well). Try Stila Convertible Color Cream Blush $25, or (Allure Best of Beauty Winner) Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow $19.
4. Avoid the Raccoon Eyes. Eye liner and mascara can often smudge in the heat and leave you with an unflattering under eye disaster. Waterproof mascara like Maybelline Great Lash $5, and liquid eye liner such as MAC Liquidlast Liner $20, will stay put whether you sweat, swim or cry (hopefully tears of joy).
5. Finishing Touch. This is the one powder you are allowed! With a large fluffy brush, dust translucent powder such as Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder $30, lightly across your oily areas (cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead) to set your makeup. Also, some cosmetic companies have come out with makeup-setting sprays like Urban Decay All Nighter $29, which promises to keep your makeup looking fresh for up to 16 hours.
6. Blot it up. As sweat and oil builds up during the day don’t cake on the powder, instead use blotting papers such as Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets $5, or for a free alternative: toilet seat covers are also great for absorbing oil. Perhaps it’s not the most glamorous thing you’ve ever tried, but hey… it works!
Enjoy the outdoors while ‘saving face!’
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