6 Tips to Help Your Makeup Survive the Summer Heat

There’s nothing worse than being hot with no AC in sight to save you: hair stuck to your neck, dress clinging to your thighs, makeup that looked flawless five minutes ago now a puddle on the floor. But we are firm believers that you shouldn’t have to sacrifice looking good on scorching summer days. Although summer is winding down, the hot temperatures are sticking around, so we asked a handful of makeup artists for their trusted tips and tricks to keep your look (and your cool) intact. These sweatproof makeup tips will prevent your makeup from melting.


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Switch Up Your Application Technique
Using too much product during the summer months can result in your face melting like an ice cream cone. To avoid this, celebrity makeup artist Jenny Patinkin recommends using a makeup brush that has been primed with foundation to achieve flawless coverage. “Working a small amount of product into the brush bristles before application is a great way to get sheer coverage on your skin without building up thick layers that can melt, slip, or slide.”


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Strategically Layer Setting Spray
Setting spray is a great finishing touch to seal in your sweatproof makeup look and make it last longer. If you’ve noticed your makeup gets shiny quickly in the heat, opt for a setting spray with a matte finish. Felicia Walker, editor in chief of ThisThatBeauty, says that setting spray is a non-negotiable in her sweatproof makeup routine, but it’s not just a haphazard spritz-and-go situation. Instead, she sprays three rounds of setting spray: one after sunscreen application, one after concealer application, and a final spritz when the look is complete. This ensures every layer of product is sealed and won’t slip around. “Even if my face sweats throughout the day, my makeup does not budge,” Walker says.

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Don’t Skip Skin Prep
There’s a widespread myth that you should avoid moisturizing if you have oily skin, but in reality, moisturizer plays a crucial role in regulating oil production. In fact, skipping moisturizer can lead to shinier skin, because your skin may overproduce oil to compensate for the lack of hydration it's receiving. The summer months are no exception! Celebrity makeup artist Vincent Oquendo says that surface-level dehydration is the number one reason why makeup can look patchy and wear poorly in the heat.

Natalie Dresher, a Miami-based makeup artist, suggests combining your moisturizer with an oil-control primer—with a focus on your T-zone—to keep your skin both hydrated and free from excessive sweating.


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Prime Your Lids
If you tend to have oily eyelids and they’re worse in the summer, try spritzing a bit of matte setting spray on a dry sponge and blotting your eyelids gently with it before you apply your eye makeup, says celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin. This helps neutralize the oil on the eyelid and lock down eyeshadow. Racoon eyes, be gone!

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Blend, Baby, Blend
To improve wear time and achieve a flawless finish, Patinkin and Martin suggest blotting over your foundation and concealer with a cold, damp sponge. This helps smooth patchiness and lift away excess product that has not gripped into the skin. Bonus: a damp beauty blender will instantly cool down a flushed face.

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Bring Powder on the Go
If all else fails and you find your makeup starting to look oily, be prepared with a powder compact. Throwing one of these powders into your purse allows for quick touch-ups on the go (especially if the compact has a mirror). Ditto blotting papers, which celebrity makeup artist Avia Solomon recommends for soaking up oil anytime, anywhere.