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How to Wear Makeup When It's Humid - Tips & Tricks
Makeup & Beauty Tips on How to Wear Makeup When It’s Humid
Share your best tips and tricks for getting your makeup to last through humidity! Feel free to share your experiences, how you mastered techniques, or what you struggle with.
Temptalia’s Tips
- I live in a dry climate, so I have only had to deal with humidity on a few occasions, so these are the things I’ve done to help but I’m no expert on humidity! Waterproof mascara/eyeliner is very, very helpful.
- Tinted moisturizer and liquid foundation tended to hold up better for me, because if there was any “melting” they could be blended/smoothed out a bit more without turning caky.
- Primer became more and more necessary!
I live in Miami aka (humidpalooza) any tip is well received, so thank you Christine. Last week I had to buy my mac studio fix powder+foundation, because my mathcmaster was melting on me. I have to take public transportation everyday, so I’ll be lucky if it would last decently half a day, I may have to buy mac prolongwear, which is perfect for summer. Thank you Christine.
LOLOL @ Humidpalooza…… aint that the truth!!!
I live in a humidpalooza area myself, and I find light, waterproof, spf makeup is really the only way to go without having a makeup meltdown after 10 minutes outside.
If I want my eye makeup to last in humidity, I need to layer a crease-resistant cream shadow on top of a primer. Pressed shadows are optional, but they do also help! And yes, waterproof mascara!
Question: I dont like putting on a face full of makeup in the summer months. I recently moved to Florida and this weather is killing me, I am breaking out and have super oily shiny shimmery skin.
I am thinking of just using moisturizer, sunscreen and primer, maybe some powder foundation on the days I feel too red. Do you think primer can act as an oil blotter for me? I use Tarte Clean Slate.
My summers are VERY humid up here when it get hot in southern Ontario.
Silicon primers for skin and Skindinavia bridals spray for my liquid (powder), silicon (powder), and mineral foundations.
Cream foundation I find my bare skin work with a setting powder then Skindinavia.
The makeup I use silicon based primer (Lime Crime), waterproof eyeliners (gel based) and wapterproof masacara.
One more tip for people with oily skin is to use Milk of Magnesia a a primer/ treatment to help cut that down.
http://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/skin-care/is-milk-of-magnesia-a-cure-for-oily-skin/
Good point. I think most people would be incredibly surprised at how freaking hot and humid it gets here. Primers are a must!
I live in the Caribbean where it’s humid all the time. It’s insane that after you’ve done your best to get dressed for work, you head outside and you instantly begin to sweat your makeup off.
My tips:
1. Go for sweat-proof, water-resistant, transfer-proof, LIQUID foundation. Estee Lauder Double Wear (foundation and concealer) and Double Wear Light are perfect and my holy grail for this sort of climate. I’ve been trying Clinique Acne Solutions foundation lately and it seems to be holding up ok but its not as great as Double Wear. I personally find powder and cream foundations don’t hold up well. Save those for a night out or wear only if you spend your entire day in air-conditioned luxury and don’t have to spend time outside walking or running errands. I agree that tinted moisturisers are a great option but give them a test run to see how sweat-proof they are.
2. Waterproof mascara is a must!
3. Eye-shadow primer…helps your eyeshadow keep their vibrancy and stay on your eyelid when you’re sweating..especially if its a cream shadow.
4. Stick to powder blush or a stain if you must. Cream is a no-no.
5. I’ve never had any problems with lipsticks but if you’re going to be drinking a lot of water to hydrate during the day, lip stains may be better.
6. Refreshing toner/mist is a must. I know some people love Mac Fix+, but I personally love spritzing rose water on my face during the day. Helps keep my skin refreshed and cool.
7. Select your moisturiser carefully. Personally I use aloe vera gel and its light-weight, cooling, absorbs quickly and highly moisturising. Save any richer creams for your night time beauty ritual.
8. Don’t go overboard with powder. Powder only where you must. I personally love Mac’s blot powder as it imparts little to no colour and does the job of controlling shine. With Double Wear, I find there is little to no need for me to powder.
9. Don’t forget your blotting sheets to touch up any shine during the day (if you tend to get shiny).
10. Be diligent with your skincare. With humidity, you really have to go the extra mile to keep your skin clean. Regular facials have also helped me tremendously.
It’s a real pain living in such a humid climate but if you know what to do, and which products to use, life is so much easier 😀
Oh and I forgot to add:
11. Become best friends with SPF!
You said it all. I have nothing more to add. Except maybe that SPF should be at least 30. 50 is even better.
Great tips! I like that you included skincare tips. Good makeup application starts with good skin.
This is great! Thanks so much for taking the time to write out all those tips.
I actually prefer a TM, coupled with a MPF. I have drier skin, though, so that’s just what I’ve found works best for me. These products also feel lighter on my skin, while liquid & cream foundations feel suffocating in humidity.
I also tend to forgo lipstick & gloss in favor of a tinted lip balm, as I find those products tend to slide around more with humidity.
Also, for some reason, humidity tends to make face products oxidize more (on *me*), so I don’t use blush, contour, bronzer, etc., as those end up just looking streaky & the color changes. This is another reason I prefer powder foundations, as they stay true to color.
Unless I plan to be somewhere eye makeup is necessary, I skip eyeshadow completely, and just go with waterproof mascara & liquid or gel liner. I also don’t bother with lining the waterline, because I know it’ll end up melting off completely. For brows, I like a stiff, waxy pencil, set with transluscent powder; it stays put, and I don’t worry about color migrating around the brow.
Every year I get to a certain point in the summer where I seriously pare everything back and stick to minimal makeup looks as well.
Nars TM is still my favourite in the heat over any foundation. My lips want to be dry in most seasons including summer so tinted lip balm is my go to for the heat as well. I usually end up grooming/filling in my brows, lining upper lashline with gel liner, slapping on some brown mascara–which works better for me when I am not wearing heavier eye makeup–and good to go.
I totally agree about Nars TM. I live in Australia where it regularly gets above 30 degrees in summer and even though it might not always be humid, I do tend to sweat like crazy in the heat. I wore it all through last summer and I was amazed how well it held up! I never had a foundation look that good at the end of the day.
I have never lived or been anywhere really humid, so I am afraid I don’t have any tips and tricks to share… I would guess carrying around mattifying powder would be helpful?
There are already some great tips! I moved to the Netherlands 3 years ago and Dutch summers get SUPER humid compared to what I was used to in the UK – possibly due to tons of standing water.
My tip would be that if you think you cannot wear eyeliner in humid climates because the waterproof stuff you chose has never worked, DON’T GIVE UP! Not all waterproof products are created equal. At all! There are some truly bad products on the market but some awesome ones too – I love the GOSH Long Lasting Liner Pen and Illamasqua liquid liner. For pencils, GOSH make some great ones in the drugstore end (Velvet Touch) and I recently found MAC’s to be brilliant. Urban Decay are a mixed bag, some shades seem to do better than others. But anyway, there are good products to be found out there! 🙂
I agree! Makeup Forever’s Aqua line is amazing too! Their liners and cream shadows are perfect for humid weather and even swimming in my experience.
One tip that always serves me well is to embrace a slightly rough around the edges look, a little smudged, a little imperfect. Chances are that no matter what you do, your makeup is going to melt a little, so you might as well start with a look that won’t make it obvious that something has gone wrong.
Clever!
I live in South Florida, so we get a lot of humidity. I find a lighter foundation really makes a difference. And lately I’ve been going more for BB creams or tinted moisturizer since the weather has gotten warmer. I also prefer cream shadows like the Maybelline Color Tattoos. Those things set really well!
For more casual looks, I love tinted moisturizers (especially BB Oil-Free TM) or a waterproof foundation, like MUFE Face and Body. Both of these have good enough coverage for me, but if I feel I need a little more, I’ll top it lightly with a powder foundation. For eyes, defintely waterproof eyeliner and mascara. I tend to keep the cheeks clean and wear my lipstick as a stain (apply and blot a few times). And I always keep MAC Blot powder and blotting papers handy.
For a more professional look, I prefer something like MAC Prolongwear over a primer. My eyelids are quite oily year round so I like to layer primer, cream shadow, and then powder shadow. That being said, I only really use eyeshadow if I’m spending most of the day in AC.
As a Florida native, everything revolves around the humidity 🙁
My suggestions:
– Find or invest in a good primer (both for face & eyelids). Whether its Monistat, Milk of Magnesia, UD or Hourglass… Seriously a good primer makes all the difference in the world!!!
– Longwear LIQUID Foundations. MAC Prolongwear is good (hate the scent) or MAC Face & Body. Im excited to see how the new Covergirl 3in1 will hold up, so far so good 🙂
– Waterproof Liner/ Mascara are a must! LOL! I dont think I own any that arent!
– Blush = Tarte Amazonian Clay => HG!
– Oil absorbing sheets/ rice paper/ tissue – I have combination skin so I always have at all times,just in case I need to blot my oily T zone
LOCATION: South East Asia, right below the equator. Humidity is somewhere around 60-90%. SKIN TYPE: Combination. Oily with dry patches. Joy oh joy.
Combine these with not that many brands available, it took me a long time to figure things out, but I did! I hope this will help some people.
Things that has worked for me:
1. Waterproof, transferproof liquid foundations.
Make Up For Ever has worked best. MUFE HD and F&B has been a life saver. You do pay more for MUFE, but it lasts a LONG time.
MAC oxidizes like crazy.
Estee Lauder Double Wear (original and Light version) foundation transfers, but works well enough. Barely any yellow undertone though.
Revlon Colorstay does last but I find for every day wear it is a heavy look and also heavy on the skin.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation and the Serum has worked well, but must always set with powder.
ALWAYS get a thinner consistency. It is tempting to wear a heavier, dryer foundation but it will look very bad once you sweat.
Light to medium coverage is enough. Foundation is to even things out.
2. Concealers
Waxy ones like MAC studio finish works great if you’re not sweating. Once you do, it separates. Liquid would work better, preferably waterproof. MAC pro longwear or MUFE Full Cover is my choice. Did you know you can make a tinter moisturizer with MUFE Full Cover? Double use of product for the win!
3. Eyeliner
The new generation liquid eyeliner is like made out of unicorn tears – it doesn’t budge.
MAC Superslick
MUFE Aqua Liner.
CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE – Etude House Oh M’Eye Line. This thing sticks on me like glue, but easily removed with cleansing oil. Holygrail.
4. Blush
Cream or powder works the same. Set with translucent powder, blot as necessary.
5. Eyeshadow
I am so oily no powder shadow sticks on me. Layering a primer with a cream shadow does the trick.
MUFE Aqua Cream lasts more than 8 hours on its own, so it’s A++.
BareMinerals Prime Time Primer Shadows also great if you’re ok with the price and size.
Maybelline Color Tattoo – too good for the price!
6.Setting/Blotting Powder
MAC MSFN, MAC Blot, is holygrail. The keyword here is translucent. Don’t go overboard, a light dusting only where you get oily, so when you blot later it doesn’t cake. But before you blot/reapply your powder…….
7. BLOTTING SHEETS! Or one thin layer of tissue to blot. Always blot before reapplying powder.
8. Lips
Not affected by humidity. You can go crazy here! I wear anything from matte to sheer stains with great success.
But my favorites are tinted lipbalms, or matte lipsticks worn as stains (much more economical!). Just make sure to base or top with lip balm with SPF. Neutrogena lip balm is a staple. Revlon Lip Butters is like candy to me! I can never have enough.
9. Face Primer – NOT a big fan. None in this category has prolonged my makeup wear so far. Foundation is engineered to grab onto the skin, so I truly do not see the need. Prime your face with moisturizer with SPF!
I will not comment on skin care- it is too personal.
The trick for make up is to go LIGHTER, but in layers.
Less on the foundation, more pigment on concealers.
My staples are: moisturizer with good SPF, UVA&UVB coverage, waterproof concealer, cream blush and tinted lip balm. That is it!
Danza, Great ideas! Thanks for all the great tips.
You’re welcome! I hope some of it will help!
“The new generation liquid eyeliner is like made out of unicorn tears”
Hilarious! And completely true, I’ll add Illamasqua Precision Ink to that list as well 🙂
I also agree about Colourstay. It sure does stay put, but in my opinion the texture feels (and kinda looks) like putting house paint on your skin.
Awesome tips, you obviously know what you’re talking about! I live in Australia and it never even occurred to me to look for a waterproof concealer!
Hey Crystal, I’m right above you in Indonesia! 😀
I think Colorstay gives the face a very heavy look, flat, and quite outdated. Also, thinner consistencies is easier to work with, you can get away with sloppier application, lol!
Do try out MUFE Full Cover, you need literally a pinprick amount for the whole face, so it is worth the price and if you find it a little dry, mix some moisturizer into it. It’s still more pigment than most concealers! I hope some of this helps you. I know how frustrating humidity can be!
Thanks so much! I recently moved to Brazil and I’m struggling with looking put together throughout the day.
Thank you, Danza!! These are extremely helpful tips. I agree with you about the Primers – I haven’t found they’ve done much for me, either.
I actually wait and apply primer and powder when I go to the office. I tend to take a less is more approach with face make-up. i play up my eyes with a colorful liner and mascara. I choose a vibrant lip color to add some color.
What has worked best for me in humidity is not wearing any makeup. Seriously, it works.
Lmao.
I live in New Orleans and omigosh is humidity a problem. These are a few products I found that work well for the high humidity here:
Foundation: Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation (Very Water resistant & contains SPF)
Eyeshadow Primer: NARS Smudge-proof eyeshadow base
Eyeliner: MUFE Waterproof eyeliner
Mascara: YSL Waterproof mascara
Great tips everybody. I find I sweat easily on my face, so every little exertion/warm weather and there goes everything!
My trick, as others have said is to go for less. I already use light to medium coverage foundations, so it’s not a stretch to go for a tinted moisturiser or a coloured SPF. Everything else (blush, eyeshadow, etc) is pretty much ok, so no great change there.
In regard to blotting products:I much prefer blotting film to papers.Inexpensive and highly blotting:Clean and Clear Blotting Film.As long as I use these,I never have to reapply powder.
I use layers starting with a primer and then usually a BB cream; (occasionally Bare Minerals powder foundation)I layer a cream blush followed by the Clinique yellow loose powder followed by a light blush and sometimes a highlighter. I use powder eye shadow over an eye primer, UD pencil eye liner and one of several mascaras. I do not use waterproof though. I buff well and apply everything lightly and use a finishing spray. Normal products for eyebrows and lips. I also use blotting papers which I carry with me.
I live near Cleveland OH which can be very humid at times and am on multiple meds which can make me perspire more. This seems to work for my. My skin is very sensitive and is generally dry but can be more oily in the summer. I also have Rosacea. I’m 64 but very few wrinkles.
Waterproof mascara is a necessity in Florida!
I’m so glad you put this question out there because this is something I needed help with. I don’t have any problems with eye or lip makeup…it is the face makeup that will melt off my face in big patches >_< I'm definitely looking into some of these suggestions. I just got a setting spray, so hopefully that will help.
I live in Florida, so this is a HUGE issue for me and my daughter (who just went to prom). I swear by a few products–Origins mattifying lotion on clean, dry skin. Then I use an oil control powder before applying anything else. Finish off with OCP (I use Fyrinnae, MUFE, Meow and UD will similar results) and then add one of UD makeup setting sprays (I prefer the all-nighter so far the best).
I also keep a stash of blotting papers with me (any will do–I keep getting them in beauty boxes so I have several brands I use). If it’s going to be a long day, I may need to re-apply the UD oil control powder, just lightly. I was literally shocked how well my makeup held up in the middle of summer!
Mineral powder make up. You can sweat through it, but it stays put. Anything liquid will melt and run on a hot day. NO powder. Wet and messy! Primer? No, it’s a layer of hot and makes me sweat more. Very sheer moisturizer and sunblock if needed.
Of course I’m in New Orleans, where we don’t call it a problem unless its over 90 degrees with 80% + humidity. That’s about seven months out of the year. And you do want to pour sweat; if you stop it’s either 3 AM or you’ve heat stroked. That cascade out of your pores does keep them cleaned out; sweat has antibactierial properties too. I also only started using moisturizer at 48, but have no wrinkles. The climates not all bad.
For the people from countries with mixed climates (especially US) I suggest you look at cosmetics made in and for countries that are overall pretty humid – talking Asia here. Humidity is not a main concern for most US and EU brands, but that’s not the case for Asian brands!
I lived in Shanghai for two years, and honestly, the make up that held up best were Australian and Asian brands – try BECCA for a standout Australian Brand (Red Earth was a good one too but they shut down a few years ago I think?) and Etude House, L’aneige, Canmake, Majolica Majorca, Shiseido Maquillage (most beautiful shimmer/light glitter eyeshadows of ALL TIME), Holika Holika, HERA, Luna Sol ect ect ect for good Asian ones.
IMO, Shiseido works by far the best for humidity control foundation. I love their sun protection liquid foundation soo much <3
My issue isn’t really humidity, it’s the fact that I sweat so much out of my face. If someone marketed a face anti-perspirant, I’d probably try it.
Last year, I managed fairly well with a bb cream, setting powder, setting spray, and prayer.
They do make a face antiperspirant, “proface no sweat” that cost approximately 9 dollars a bottle. Pair that with Ben Nye final seal after you put your makeup on- and you will be golden. It can clog pores (no sweat) so you must be meticulous with taking care of your skin.
I’ve got some cleansing oil on order, and if it does some of the pore-unclogging it’s been reviewed to do for me, I’d definitely feel safe giving that a try. Thanks for the rec!
As many said, the more humid, the less heavy the foundation. Actually interestingly enough I tend to use tinted moisturizer in both weather extremes (during the summer and winter) and regular foundation in spring/fall.
My face is combo/oily, but very oily where it does get oily.
– Primer: Too Faced Primed and Poreless.
– Concealer (Under My Eyes) MAC studio finish followed by a matte eyeshadow by Inglot (which happens to be in my exact skin color) to really set the stuff.
– Face Powder: Laura Mercier Matte Translucent. It really leaves no color trace.
– Eye Primer: Too Faced Shadow Insurance
– Eyeshadow Base: Too Faced Glitter Glue. My eyelids are very oily, and cream will only enhance this. My eye makeup NEVER creases if I use the glitter glue.
– Waterproof Mascara: Stila Stay All Day. This does not move. Hell it’s almost a pain in the ass to wash off. Which is good for what I want if I’m going out.
——-
And if it’s the summer and I’m going out dancing which is really the end all for makeup:
Ben Nye Final Seal (Setting Spray). Oh yeah!
Here’s what I do:
Self tanner for face (St Tropez mousse, the color helps even out the face and hide minor imperfections)
If not tanner, then MUFE F&B
Aloe vera gel as moisturizer
MUFE Full Cover to spot conceal
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye undereye on dark circles
Becca Beach tint on cheeks
Colorscience Sunforgettable mineral powder SPF
silica spheres for touch-ups if needed
Maybelline color tattos on eyes (just one color as a wash, usually)
waterproof mascara and liner
UD All Nighter
I live in a place where humidity is high and there is more sun than rain in a year. Wearing make-up in such a climate can be troublesome. The tips here are so helpful. Thanks everyone for sharing.
Eyeshadows always start creasing on me after a few hours. I’m lucky if they’re still there after 6 hours. Primer helps a little (I like NARS Smudgeproof) but I use it more to intensify colour rather than to extend wear time because nothing works for that. I like to powder my eyelids after primer and before eyeshadow because 1) it seems to soak up oil and 2) application is a wee bit smoother. I also powder my undereye area whether I use concealer or not because my makeup tends to smudge under my eyes too.
Waterproof mascara doesn’t always work for me. In fact, they mostly don’t work for me. Water and oil are opposites so if something keeps water away, it probably will succumb to oil and my main problem is that the oil glands around my eyes are very active. My favourite mascaras are Guerlain’s G and Tom Ford’s Extreme (not really extreme though).
Eyeliners also smudge really easily on me so I like to go over pencil with eyeshadow (NARS night breed has been my favourite for more than 10 years for that sole purpose). Armani’s Eyes to Kill may be the sole exception to this rule; it just doesn’t budge once it sets and is soooo black. Good liquid eyeliners will also do. I like YSL’s and Shiseido’s.
If I want my blush to stay, I’ll layer powder blush over cream/liquid blush but formulation is also very important. Tom Ford and Burberry do well in humidity on combination/oily skin, I’ve found.
Skincare is very important. I breakout more in humid weather anyway but I’ve found that wearing foundation worsens the situation. Regular extractions are a must and in the day, I use only a good sunscreen that moisturises sufficiently as well to minimise the number of products, and thus oil, I end up putting on my face. So far, the best I’ve found is Epicuren’s SPF 20 sunscreen (which has no cones!) and it doubles as a primer though it’s not marketed as such. I like using tinted moisturisers like Chanel’s CC cream over real foundations most of the time. Shiseido’s Perfect Refining Foundation is very good when I need fuller coverage. Powder on my face (other than the eyes) doesn’t seem to make much of a difference and I sometimes skip it because I prefer a more natural look.
But the most important thing to do, other than good prep, is to blot, blot and blot. My favourite blotting medium is facial tissue. It gets the job done with minimal disturbance, is cheap and readily available. Also, if makeup becomes a balled up mess as the day goes on, I take the excess off with a tissue and smear the rest of it back and it looks remarkably like it did at the start of the day. I hope this helps someone!
I honestly find that the elf eye primer is just as good as the urban decay one or the too faced one 🙂 and its a whole heck of a lot cheaper