Makeup Tips for Humid Weather

Following on from my last post, here are my makeup tips for hot humid weather:

• Sun, sweat and humidity can lead to your make-up melting halfway down your face so it's best to start by using a moisturiser with a gradual tanner before you head off on holiday.  This will give your skin that sought after golden glow which, in turn, means that you will need to use less products on the skin.  At the moment, I'm really liking Loreal NutriSummer (medium skin) or Philosophy 'The Big Skinny' Self Tanning Firming Cream.  They both give you a beautiful golden hue that looks healthy, natural and even.  The Philosophy one is especially good as it contains firming agents and kills two birds with one stone!

• A mattifying moisturiser or primer with SPF (I use Clinique Super City Block SPF40) will act as a barrier between your skin and the intense heat.  It will also diffuse any imperfections/skin discolouration leaving you with the option of skipping  foundation altogether if you are lucky enough to have generally good skin.  I think we all get more confident about going au naturel in the face department when we have a tan! But, if like me, you simply can’t bear to go completely without any makeup, make sure you choose a foundation that has a natural sheer formula like my holiday favourite, Korres Ginger & Vitamins Foundation SPF10.  This water-based foundation gives me the coverage I need without feeling heavy on my skin.  It actually moisturises and soothes the skin as you wear it and has good lasting power considering it's so lightweight.  My skin always looks healthy and radiant when I wear this and I always get two shades to match my skintone when my skin is paler and also when it's more tanned.  This way, you can mix the two shades to create your perfect shade as you tan over the course of your holiday.  Mac Face & Body is also a great foundation for this use as it's water-based and becomes water resistant once it has set so it has great lasting power whilst looking natural on the skin.

• I like to set my foundation with a light powder (Korres Wild Rose Compact Powder is brilliant because of it's feathery light texture).  However, during the course of the day, if you find that your face is becoming very shiny/oily, it's better to absorb excess oil and sweat with blotting papers rather than powder, which will start to look cakey/heavy after too many applications.

• If you need to use a concealer, I would use a light diffusing concealer pen with a lightweight formulation where possible as these are perfect for the eye area which rarely sweats.  This is an easy way to help to lift the face.  A great primer for concealer is Benefit's Stay Don't Stray, which stops concealer from melting/sliding away and ensures that your eye makeup looks fresh all day.
• As with skincare, it's a great idea to keep makeup like primer, foundation, concealer pens etc in the fridge so they are lovely and cool when you apply them to the skin.  Not only will this be soothing but it will combat any puffiness.

• I would avoid makeup that comes in a cream consistency when it comes to bronzers, blushers and eyeshadows. Cream products will melt in hot, humid weather and that means they will melt off your face alot faster. Look more to using powders and gels because these will have more longevity in that type of environment.  If you are worried about the 'powdery' look, then you can do as I do and spray your face with something like Mac Fix + to give that natural, luminous look to the skin. I would also stay away from cosmetics that are glittery or overly shimmery as these can end up making you look even more shiny/oily.  For example, matte bronzers will be more flattering than ones with shimmery particles (I love Dior Matte Sunshine SPF20 in Honey Matte or Korres Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder in Sunglow Light or Sunglow Warm).  If you normally apply highlighter to your cheeks, skip that as your skin will have a natural radiance in humid weather.

• Always use waterproof eyeliner and mascara as these can be the first things to start sliding off your face, especially if your eyes get irritated and you tend to rub them.  I really rate Mac's Liquidlast Liners and my fave colours are Point Black and Aqualine.  Once these are on, they're not coming off!  They are fool proof. I would only apply eyeliner to the upper lashes too as this will create a wide awake look and there's less chance of it smudging everywhere.  Also remember that the darker the colours you use, the more obvious they will be if they smudge or bleed.

• What I often like to do on holiday is wear minimal eye makeup during the day, wear my sunglasses and then get totally glammed up at night when the temperature drops and you're more likely to be going out to eat or to a bar etc.  That keeps your days fuss free and also gives you a chance to do something different at night.  During the day, when your sunglasses are surgically attached to your face, it's nice to wear a bright lipgloss to add interest and colour.  I love Mac's Pink Lemonade Lipglass but if you prefer a more muted colour then YSL Gloss Pur in no.2 is beautiful and so is Estee Lauder High Gloss in Honey. 

I hope these tis help anyone who is battling with humid weather or heading off somewhere exotic soon.  As always, I would love to hear from anyone who has more tips or advice!