Every year we face the same problem when summer comes around- you leave the house looking flawless and then within 10 minutes you feel like your makeup has melted off. Over time I have developed my own tips and tricks to help my makeup stay in place for as long as possible in the humidity, and still feel just as gorgeous at the end of the day as I did in the beginning!
MOISTURISE
Skincare is such an important part of your makeup routine because the better your skin looks and feels without makeup, the better your makeup will look and last throughout the day.
DRY SKIN:
You must moisturise, particularly if you have dry skin; in the summer the sun can dry out your skin even further so moisturiser helps to prevent more damage. I recommend Boots own Botanics brand day cream for dehydrated and sensitive skin. This product has been my saving grace as it’s a lightweight formula that’s quick to absorb, infused with clary sage that gives you instant hydration. Best of all its only £8.99!
LINK- https://www.boots.com/botanics-hydration-burst-hydrating-day-cream-50-ml-10231438
OILY SKIN:
If your prone to more oily skin try using an oil-free moisturiser. We tend to sweat more at this time of year, so you don’t want to add any extra oil to your face. I recommend Bioderma Mat Matte Moisturising Fluid- RRP £13.00. It has a high mattifying formula that prevents against shine all day long whilst still giving it the moisture it needs in the summer.
REDNESS/ EASILY BURNT SKIN
Protecting your skin from the sun is a must during the summer months, specifically if you suffer from redness or skin that burns easily. Having porcelain skin myself, I can go extremely red and burn. I use Clinique Pep Start Hyrorush Moisturizer with SPF20. I absolutely love this product as it doesn’t give you that heavy feeling that a lot of SPF moisturisers do. It’s oil-free giving it a lightweight non-greasy texture, absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling rich in moisture. It’s a little bit pricier with 50ml= £24.50 and 30ml = £15. There’s also Boots own range Botanics that have an all bright hydrating day cream with SPF15. It has brightening hibiscus properties, keeps skin hydrated and it’s only £6.99.
LINK- https://www.boots.com/botanics-all-bright-hydrating-day-cream-spf-15-500-ml-10231426
PRIMER
Some people aren’t a fan of using primer as they don’t think it’s a necessary step in your makeup routine, but I think it’s an important step to ensuring the longevity of your makeup in the summer heat. It creates a slightly tacky surface for the makeup to adhere to locking it into place making it as budge-proof as possible.
Illmasqua Hydra veil £34 – my go-to primer for any clients with dry skin. It has a unique gel-like feel, combined with vitamins and microalgae to maintain moisture levels making your skin look fresh and healthy. A little goes a long way, therefore it will last a long time giving you great value for money.
LINK – https://www.illamasqua.com/hydra-veil-primer/11264666.html
Mac Prep and Prime Fix+ £19 – This product generates a lot of hype around it and for good reason! This is an all in one product you can prep and fix your makeup with. It adds instant moisture to the skin and its spray applicator makes it quick to apply.
LINK-
Maybelline Dream Satin Mist £ 8.99 – Although it’s a setting spray I found it’s worked extremely effectively as a primer. It gives the skin a nice glow whilst having a slight tackiness to hold the makeup in place. So, you have a two in one benefit with this product for a brilliant price. Although not quite a direct dupe if you don’t want to spend the money on the Mac Fix+ this is a great option.
FOR OILY SKIN:
Smashbox Photo-Finish Primer Stick £22- I love this primer for oily skin. The stick makes for easy application to target areas where you find oil concentrates the most. It reduces oil and shine and smooths out the skin without clogging your pores. I had never felt anything like it when I first tried it as it makes your skin feel so amazingly soft! I’ve used it on actors on film sets so if it can stop the shine under hot bright lights it can definitely hold up in the summer humidity.
LINK-https://www.smashbox.co.uk/product/6038/50569/face/primer/photo-finish-iconic-primer-stick
L’Oréal Paris Infallible Priming Base £8.99- The best drugstore primer for oily skin by far. Its silicone texture fills in pores giving the skin a matte finish. Unlike other silicone primers it does not cause the foundation to slide around on the skin, it holds makeup in place all day whilst giving great oil control.
LINK- https://www.superdrug.com/L%27Oreal-Paris/L%27Oreal-Paris-Infallible-Priming-Base/p/401012
RED AND EASILY BURNT SKIN
Clinique Super Primer £23 – For a while this was my everyday primer- it’s a universal primer that smooths and corrects whilst still hydrating the skin. It comes in a variety of colour correcting shades to balance uneven skin tone. This is perfect for disguising redness or any sunburnt areas as the colour correcting element will balance it out making sure no redness shows through your foundation.
Smashbox Colour Correcting Primer Adjust £28 – Smashbox primers are amazing and some of my favourites! This primer has a green undertone brilliant for cancelling out any redness, evening out skin tone and filling in your pores.
TIP 1: If you are using any type of colour correcting primer DO NOT put a heavy amount on your face. If you apply too much product the green will show through your foundation. The most effective way to use it is to apply a tiny pea sized amount on to any red areas and work well into the skin.
TIP 2: For easily burnt skin also refer to the primers for dry skin as your skin will start to dry up and scab depending on the stage and severity of sunburn. You need to make sure those areas are moisturised so your foundation doesn’t settle into the dry patches. I think the Clinique primer will be most beneficial to use as its moisturising and it colour corrects at the same time so you don’t have to spend money on two different primers.
FOUNDATION
I believe using the best foundation for your skin is the most efficient way to ensure long-lasting makeup. The sun breaks it down at a much faster rate than on a normal day so if your makeup does not adhere to your skin type it will not last in the humidity.
TIP 1: If you have more oily skin but you still want that dewy look that’s popular in the summer time, powder down areas you get oily and add highlight to cheek bones, bridge of nose and brow bone to still achieve that same effect without having to use a dewy foundation. Going for a liquid highlight is great for that glow look.
TIP 2: For Dry Skin stick to light weight formulas. You don’t need a slightly heavier formula to control a lot of oil and particularly in summer, the heat will cause thicker foundation to cake into dryness on dehydrated skin.
DRY SKIN
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation £42 – This is an expensive foundation however this has to be one of my all-time favourite foundations and for me it was worth the money. It gives you this beautiful dewy finish with medium to buildable coverage and it doesn’t feel like you are wearing any foundation at all.
Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation £7.99 – My favourite drug store foundation for dry skin and it has SPF13 great for protecting against UV rays in the summer. It gives you a healthy radiant glow with buildable coverage and doesn’t settle into any dry areas. It’s almost the drug store version of the luminous silk.
OILY SKIN
Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless £6.99- This foundation is perfect for oily skin! A medium coverage foundation with a natural matte finish that minimises the appearance of pores leaving your skin looking smooth and healthy.
L’Oréal Infallible Matte Foundation £8.99 – This foundation is full coverage with a thicker consistency than the Maybelline Fit Me. However, this foundation is not cakey and is extremely long lasting perfect for keeping your base looking incredible all day.
LINK- https://www.boots.com/loreal-paris-infallible-matte-foundation-10191030
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick £42- I have never found another foundation that performs the way this one does. It’s a creamy stick foundation that transforms into a powder-like consistency and feels weightless on the face even though it’s so full coverage. You only need the tiniest bit to cover your entire face so it lasts a long time. It’s great for oily skin as it keeps oil levels down but it’s got the slightest shine to it so not completely matte- ideal for those with oily skin who still want a little bit of a glow without looking greasy.
REDNESS AND EASILY BURNT SKIN:
Refer above to information about the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick as its weightless full coverage formula is perfect for covering redness and sun damage.
VICHY Derma Blend Fluid Corrective Foundation £20 – This foundation is wonderful for concealing redness and areas of sunburn as its specifically designed for people who suffer from skin blemishes and conditions. When I broke out in a huge face rash a couple of years ago, this foundation was a life saver as it seamlessly covered patchy raised red areas without clogging into them. It also has an SPF of 25 to protect your skin.
LINK- https://www.boots.com/vichy/vichy-coverage/Dermablend-Corrective-fluid-foundation-10237553
POWDER
Powdering is a necessity for all skin types to keep that makeup looking flawless all day long in the heat as it will stop your base from moving. If you have oily skin carrying around some blotting paper in your bag is a great way to dab off any excess oil throughout the day keeping your makeup looking fresh.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder £34 – The only powder I use at the moment. It’s perfect for my dry under-eyes as it’s so finely milled it doesn’t settle into any fine lines and crease. Infused with rose wax and almond oil it gives an element of moisture and you can really pack on the powder with this one without it looking heavy.
LINK- http://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/airbrush-flawless-finish-1-fair.html
Laura Mercier Translucent Powder £29 – An old favourite of mine and a holy grail for my friend who has oily skin. It’s oil-free, gives you a shine-free finish and helps your makeup to hold in place all day.
Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder £3.99 – For such a cheap price this is a brilliant setting powder. Its large pan size gives you a great amount of product that will last you ages and controls shine with a lightweight feel.
LINK- https://www.boots.com/rimmel/rimmel-face/rimmel-stay-matte-pressed-powder-10097901
FINALLY SET YOUR FACE
Setting spray a sure-fire way to be certain your makeup will last all day this summer as I’ve found it the most effective product to prevent my makeup from slipping across my face. It’s so easy to throw in your bag and give yourself a quick spritz when you need it.
Urban Decay All Nighter £24 – Your makeup will not move if you put this on your face as it locks everything in place. This is by far the strongest setting spray I’ve ever used. You can also get the travel sized version for £10 which is a lot cheaper than the full sized one and you don’t need a lot.
LINK- https://www.urbandecay.co.uk/en_GB/face/makeup-setting-spray/all-nighter/ud803.html
Mac Fix + £19 – With a variety of different finishes you can find a setting spray that adheres exactly to your skin type whether you want a more dewy or matte finish and you can use it to prime your face too. Travel size is £12.
LINK- https://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/collections-prep-prime-fix
Barry M Makeup Setting Spray £4.99 – I’ve been loving this product recently. I am currently using the dewy version but they also have one in a matte finish. I find this setting spray really helps my makeup to stay on and works just as well as some of the higher priced items. LINK- https://www.boots.com/beauty/makeup/face/setting-spray/barry-m-flawless-mist-and-fix-makeup-setting-spray-dewy-10219614
Words By Lily Hollingworth
*This is not sponsored or affiliated content to any of the brands nor entities mentioned. All opinions are my own. All images are sourced from either Google or the brands’ official websites. I am not responsible for the property of the images beyond these entities*