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How do you handle your makeup with high humidity and heat?


How do you handle your makeup with high humidity and heat? Share your tips for reader Katy!

I try to wear less makeup overall–I stick to tinted moisturizers and cream blushes, and then I set it all with powder. If you keep a blot powder in your bag, it can help freshen up any makeup that’s been hit by humidity, too.

Thanks to Katy for today’s question!

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39 Comments

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Leah Avatar

Well, living in the Northwest like me and not really having a summer is one way to handle it haha. Realistically though, I generally use primers for my skin and lids, and set my foundation with a powder. During the summer, I prefer to wear waterproof mascara because it hold my curl better also.

jenni Avatar

i cant stand full on face make up when its humid, if i feel i have to ill put on a tinted product. then its waterproof mascara, lip gloss, and cream blush or cheek tint.

Kristine Avatar

I prefer powder products in high humidity. I cannot stand liquid foundations or anything cream in hot weather. They make my face sticky. When I was in NY the past week (very high humidity compared to CA), I used MAC Studio Fix powder and powder blush then i finished it off with BE Mineral Veil.

Evelyn Avatar

I just give up wearing anything more than lipstick or gloss and maybe mascara. No matter what primer I put on, I will sweat through anything (and that’s not pretty!).

Vally Avatar

I top off my makeup with the Urban Decay setting spray. I’d like to think it works? I should have bought the Deslick spray with my oily skin type though.

Katrina Avatar

Deslick is the best! I have super oily skin and it really helpa. I spray it on before any other makeup, then when I am all done my makeup, except powder, I spray again. Once it’s dry, I put on my powder and it’s amazing!

Joyce Avatar

I’m typically not outside much, but if I know that I will be I actually avoid putting anything on at all.

But if I have to or feel like it, I’ll just apply tinted moisturizer, waterproof mascara, dark brown eyeliner on upper lash line, bit of powder blush (cream blushes freak me out xP), and lipgloss!

Courtknee Avatar

I just don’t wear any make up at all, it’s not worth it to feel like a melty slimeball! Even if I put any on it’ll just sweat off in that kind of weather, no matter how longwearing it is.

Nikki Avatar

YES blotters! In the heat and humidity, I usually stick to wearing less makeup as well, just a bit of powder and eyeshadow (with primer definitely). Keeping the lips moisturized is important as well, and a nice summery lip color to wear with the look 🙂

Ali Avatar

I also use less make-up than usual (going for just mascara and lip gloss much of the time since it’s been 100+ for forever here). But … my moisturizer (La Mer oil absorbing lotion) drastically tones down the oil production. I also use primer for any product I put on my face (Urban Decay for eyes; haven’t found my perfect one for face). Finish everything with the Makeup 4Ever HD finishing powder and makeup even stays on my greasy face. (But I also keep a packet of blotting paper in every single purse I own as a backup plan – expect a good ROI but not miracles in your products.)

Serena Avatar

I want to try cream blushes again! I haven’t used one in ages (I had a “Pout” cream blush stick that I rarely used because it felt a bit too bright for me).
I love my Bobbi Brown foundation powder (brightening, evens skin tones, finely milled = no cakeyness, very light on the skin, and eliminates need for any liquid foundation) and also use Bobbi Brown BB cream (spf 35++) for extra coverage or when I’m going to be in the hot sun.
Also, blotting powders are my best friend.

Celine Avatar

i go for a much lighter weighted and lighter coverage foundation and use more concealer than normal for blemishes or whatever, i set it all with more powder than usual and I always carry blotting papers and touch up powder too xx

Kimberly Avatar

Ahhh, makeup vs. humidity….this is a challenge most men will never understand!! Yes, I too opt for Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturize in Porcelain. I also love the Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Powder for setting your face yet keeping a slight natural dewy look. That fan brush of hers is amazing!! My shameful thing I use though is one of those mini portable fans that run on like 2 AA Batteries. They’re only like $1 at Walmart. It helps cool the face so you don’t sweat off all the pretty colors and your hard work at trying to look beautiful. But yeah, haha…people give me weird looks when I pull that out. Eh, so what…it works like a charm ;c)

Yazmin Avatar

I just dont wear any. I remember when i went to bangladesh, the weather was sooo hot, my makeup was literally melting off my face. I just stopped wearing makeup. If i did it would only be eyeliner

Gillian (AKA Munchy) Avatar

Living in Fort Worth Texas, I am an expert at this tactic. air out your products for a day each week. Take them out of whatever box you have and just line them all up on a carpeted floor underneath a towel. I know it sounds too simple but honestly it really helps to keep your products from gaining too much moisture.

Ana Avatar

Hi Gillian, thanks for the info. I had never heard that thing you say, it´s interesting. I will try it. I live in Valencia Spain, and we have a lot of humidity. thanks!

Katy Avatar

Yay, this is my question! Its hard applying makeup while sweating! I have to sit with a fan blowing on me. Make sure not to open any loose powders though, no good well come of that! Haha

Mariella Avatar

I make a point of using primers (eye and face), mineral powder foundation and generally less makeup. I’m going to a wedding in an hour and have made sure to pack blotting squares as well.

Noir Avatar

Since I live in an extremely humid country, I usually use Shiseido’s Sun Protection Liquid Foundation. It’s really good, lots of coverage and it stays on pretty well. As for Concealer, Pro Longwear Concealer from MAC never fails! I don’t like applying eye shadows (unless I have too), so I put Paint Pots instead such as Rubenesque or Nice Vice. Then I set everything with MAC’s Mineralize Skin Finish Natural and MAC’s fix Plus. As far as blush and mascara go, I just apply powder blushes and I never use waterproof mascaras because I never liked it. For my lips I put either Benefit’s Benetint and Vaseline if I’m going for a natural look or any other lipstick for a drastic look.

Nicole Avatar

Use less make-up and no creme in the morning. I avoid eyeshadows and powder blush, because I have oily skin and the powders will crease. I prefere waterproof mascara in the summer.

meme Avatar

I live at the beach on the ocean front of a town on a bay on the Central Coast of CA so it’s rarely humid here or hot. But when I go inland to the heat (talking over 100 many days of the summer), I like to keep some of those refreshing sprays in my purse with me. But now I am trying out the new UD All Nighter makeup spray fixative – works great! So now the refreshing sprays I just use on my arms – over my head and on the back of my neck to cool off.

Miss K Avatar

I always use Paint Pots or the Nars shadow primer to make my eye shadow stay put.

For my face, I spot apply MAC pro longwear concealer instead of using foundation and it doesn’t budge.

Sheba Avatar

Just started using Clean and Clear’s matte moisturizer and then just a light foundation (Bobbi Brown Skin) and powder. It’s working very well at keeping me matte.

MORENA Avatar

I stick to waterproof makeup, such as the makeup forever (mufe) products
-face and body foundation or mufe HD with urban decay’s de-slick under it
– aqua cream eyeshadows by mufe
-mufe eyeliners
– and when im not using waterproof eyeshadows, i use makeup forever eyeseal or a good primer (udpp) to keep them in place

Kelli Avatar

I use MAC Oil Control Lotion and Prep & Prime Face Protect Visage SPF 50 primer. Then I use a long wear foundation and MAC Studio Fix powder over it. My makeup lasts all day in heat and humidity.

Sarah Avatar

Living in Houston, aka the home of nine months of heat and humidity, it’s how we address our makeup routines year-round…when it gets dry, we freak out. Anywho, I avoid cream anything (blushes, eyeshadows, bronzers, etc), and stick with powder formulas. Even with foundation, I’m finding that the pressed or loose powder foundations survive our summers far better than any cream or liquid formula I’ve ever used. I don’t use waterproof mascara because it’s insanely difficult to remove, and I’ve never had problems with it running. Typically, I tend to use less in the summer, unless we’re going out for a special occasion in an air-conditioned venue. Using a lightweight primer is also a great way to solve the problem.

patricia Avatar

SKINDINAVIA facial spray is a MUST!!! Get the Cool Mist or Bridal one. It works! I opted for all powder makeup. I rarely wear eyeshadows. Bronzer/blush, mascara and lipstick is a must. Lip stain doesn’t work on me, nor lip gloss solo, due to my pigmented lips. Blotting powder and powder touch up gotta be handy all the time.

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