Who’s ready for summer? Think adorable little picnics at the park, electric music festivals and sun-kissed evenings by the beach. It’s the best season to soak up some much-needed vitamin D, and enjoy slow living for a change. After all, that’s what we love most about summer, right?
But summer also brings with it the sweltering heat. Even in Singapore, where the unforgiving weather tests our patience every day, the heat quite literally gets turned up this time of year. But that’s no reason to let your makeup suffer. That full-face beat that you just spent 90 minutes perfecting? It’s not going to waste this time.
Ahead, we show you how to achieve sweat-proof makeup, every time. So if you’re heading to Bali for a short vacay, attending an outdoor concert—like the Singapore Grand Prix, maybe?—or just need a foolproof way to protect your makeup from the unrelenting heat, we’ve got you covered. Discover not just the tried-and-true makeup products, but also tips and tricks from makeup artist Saffron Hughes to make sure your beat is on lock, even as sweat beads trickle down your forehead.
Face Primer
First things first, never skip primer, especially when you’re preparing yourself for a long, hot day out. Post-skincare, this is the most crucial—and if you ask me, non-negotiable—step for maintaining a solid, seamless base. Most days, I reach for the Huda Beauty Easy Blur Primer. This soft, silicon-free primer blurs the pores and primes the skin for whatever complexion product you have coming. The Easy Blur Primer works especially for fellow oily-skin girls, toning down sebum production so your foundation doesn’t shift.
Otherwise, a new kid on the block that promises a similar result is the Hydra Prime SPF 50 from Anastasia Beverly Hills. As someone who sweats easily (at times, even excessively), this new primer has helped me with my foundation and concealer application, preventing my skin from producing oil seeds. Plus, this multitasking primer comes with SPF 50, so you can shield your skin at the same time.
Foundation
When it’s hot out, the last thing you would want is for your foundation to melt off. That’s why, for blazing days and nights, I tend to reach for matte-finish foundations. I especially love Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, for its highly-blendable formula.
But if it’s a glowy complexion you desire, stop by a Dior Beauty boutique and get your hands on the Dior Forever Hydra Glow Cushion. The compact, This Jisoo-approved cushion provides just the right dose of luminosity and radiance, in a classic compact case—perfect for touchups on festival grounds or while enjoying a breeze by the sea.
Eye Primer
With the same level of care you accorded to your face, your eyes deserve just as—if not, more—focus when prepping your face for a long day out. Before you applying any pigment, prepare your lids with an eye primer. In particular, I love the ones from Hourglass Cosmetics or Pat McGrath Labs. The Hourglass Cosmetics’s Veil Eye Primer may look like an ordinary concealer but it actually works well as a neutraliser for the lids, clearing your lids of uneven pigmentation while ensuring that any shadows you apply after stay on for longer.
If a tinted eye primer isn’t really for you though, reach for the IntensifEyes Artistry Wand by Pat McGrath Labs instead. This clear priming stick can be used both before and after you apply pigment, to amp up both colour payoff and staying power.
Setting Powder
Never underestimate the power of setting powder, especially on sweltering days. But contrary to popular belief, packing on the product may not be serving you as much as you think. According to makeup artist Saffron Hughes, “Too much powder can backfire. It tends to cling to sweat or settle into fine lines, especially in the sun, which can leave your skin looking cakey or textured.”
She advises to use a light, restrained hand when applying setting powder, mainly focusing on your T-zone and other areas, as needed. My personal favourites are the Nars Light Reflecting Prismatic Pressed Powder, and the Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Powder. Both prevent the skin from appearing oily, even after hours in the sun. Baked setting powder also make touch-ups in public areas less frantic—you won’t need to worry about spilling your powder in the public restroom anymore.
Mascara
Perhaps the biggest hurdle to cross in perfecting a sweat-proof makeup look is mascara. It can be challenging to find a mascara that can survive through sweat and heat and can still hold a curl. That’s precisely why I love the Judydoll 3D Curling Eyelash Iron Mascara. Created specifically for short, stubborn Asian lashes, the Judydoll mascara lengthens and defines, all while maintaining its shape through the day.
But if it’s a dramatic look you want—especially for a concert or music festival—I would highly recommend Tarte’s Tartelette XL Tubing Mascara. Tubing mascaras coat each lash with an outer shell (thus, tubing the hairs), but this Tarte one holds a special place in my heart for its sweat- and waterproof formula. No more running mascara here.
Setting Spray
Arguably the most important step in any heat-proof makeup routine is setting spray. If you don’t believe me, take it from Hughes, who says, “If you want your makeup to last in the heat, setting spray should always be the final step that locks everything in.
“A good setting spray works like a veil, helping to keep products in place even when your skin starts to warm up,” she emphasises. And the setting spray I reach for most regularly comes from Gucci Beauty. The Brume de Beaute Glow Hydrating Mist keeps everything on lock while hydrating your complexion with a superfine mist—trust me, your skin and makeup will thank you later.
A newer addition to my routine has been the Jungsaemmool Mool Ultra Setting Fixer. Thanks to a special polymer fixing later, this setting spray boasts an impressive 24-hour hold for makeup and controls oil production on the skin. Plus, the formula is infused with hyaluronic acid to keep your complexion moisturised throughout the day.
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