Ask the Experts: How To Create A Long-Lasting Base To Combat The Heat

We tap makeup artists Sha Shamsi and Larry Yeo for their best tips

The heatwave that hit our shores recently has not been kind to our daily beat, and if you’ve been suffering from smudging makeup, you’re not alone. The secret to makeup that stays put? A long-lasting base.

From choosing a suitable moisturisers and serums for makeup prep to switching up foundation application techniques, Singapore’s favourite makeup artists Larry Yeo and Sha Shamsi spill their top secrets to help your look stay flawless all day.

Sha Shamsi

As a makeup veteran and one of Singapore’s top models in the early ’90s, Shamsi knows how to make you look your best as simply as possible. Her simple tip for a long-lasting base? Doing your base makeup first and letting it sit for as long as possible while doing the rest of your makeup.

The makeup artist starts with a face mist, followed by a serum and then applying foundation quickly on top. To set everything, Shamsi uses the cult-favourite Urban Decay All Nighter Long-lasting Makeup Setting Spray.

Shamsi’s Must-Haves

Dior Forever Skin Correct Full-Coverage Concealer, $73

Cle de Peau Beauté Concealer, $115

Clé de Peau Translucent Loose Powder, $200

Larry Yeo

The prolific makeup artist emphasises the importance of prepping your skin before makeup, and how it can differ for each skin type. “Finding that optimal moisture level you need is vital because it affects makeup grip and lasting power,” he says.

In light of the high heat and humidity we’re currently experiencing, Yeo recommends products that are lighter in texture than your regular skincare. “At the end of the moisturiser step, your skin should feel supple, not greasy. If you’re already sweating at this part, take a clean face towel and blot to make sure your sweat and skincare products do not accumulate. This will affect your UV step and then your makeup step.”

For those with oilier skin, opt for two or three layers of hydrating toner—he suggests the CoQ-10 toner from Indie Lee—followed by a lightweight serum such as Glow Recipe‘s that leaves minimal residue. This will ensure makeup glides on without patchiness. According to Yeo, drier skin would benefit more from serums and lightweight creams, and should be applied to the drier parts of the face first, then the oilier parts.

“Ensure your UV product is spread consistently because this is going to work as your makeup primer,” the makeup artist explains. “The trick to wearing makeup in ultimate humidity isn’t about plastering the face in makeup like what TikTokers are teaching you. It’s about using as little as possible to even the skin tone.”

As for creating a long-lasting base with makeup, he prefers foundations such as the MAC Studio Fix Every Wear All Over Face Pen and the Gucci Beauty Éternité De Beauté Foundation which have excellent grip even with minimal product. Strong pigmentation, buildable coverage and their ability to set without powder are their other plusses. Yeo combats dark eye circles with the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer that has a skin-like finish and the right shade to neutralise grey undereyes, and loves the Make Up Forever Matte Velvet Skin Concealer for spot concealing stubborn spots. “This has a perfect grip, and matte [products are] great for pimples.”

And to set areas where you have concealed, Yeo recommends lightly fixing the spots with powder—he uses MAC Cosmetics’ loose powder, also a staple of Shamsi’s—with a fluffy eyeshadow brush for precise application.