The right makeup for summer
Most women won’t forego putting on a face just because the mercury’s rising, turning their skin into a slippery mess. The smart ones, though, get smarter about the products they use and how they apply them.
“When it’s hot, makeup doesn’t stick. It will literally slide off the face,” says Allie Lapidus, a commercial makeup artist in Los Angeles. “In the summer, be sure to create a really good base so that everything stays on better.”
Lapidus says it’s best to keep layers minimal because “an extra layer of anything on the skin makes it feel heavy. The thinner the layers, the more it’s going to stick.”
Face
As a first step, Lapidus recommends using oil-free, highly pigmented concealers and moisturizers, instead of foundation, and applying as little as possible to prevent it from sliding. Nars Pure Radiant tinted moisturizer ($42) incorporates broad-spectrum sun protection, as does CoverGirl’s CG Smoothers tinted moisturizer ($8).
To bring a fresh summer glow to the cheeks, Lapidus suggests gels and stains instead of powders and creams — with one exception: Yves Saint Laurent creme de blush ($38), which she says has the pigmentation of a cream and stays put in hot weather.
The only powder Lapidus recommends for summer is for “setting” a face. She swears by Make Up For Ever Microfinish Powder ($32) when the makeup application is finished, then switches to blotting papers if the skin sweats or begins to look greasy.
“It’s better to remove moisture than to add another layer to the skin that will then get cakey,” Lapidus said.
Boscia blotting linens, which come in a tiny, tissue-like dispenser, are a popular option; they cost $10 for 100 sheets.
Eyes
For eyes, Lapidus recommends applying either a primer or a dab of foundation before putting on shadow to
help it stick, and following it up with a gel liner, instead of waxy, melt-prone pencils or tricky-to-apply liquids, and then topping it off with waterproof mascara.
For summer, Make Up For Ever introduced its new Aqua cream shadows ($23), which are billed as waterproof, smudge-proof and crease-proof. Maybelline’s EyeStudio Color Tattoo gel cream shadows ($7) and L’Oreal’s Infallible shadows ($8) are similar, though the Aqua line has a larger color selection.
Lapidus likes Maybelline and L’Oreal mascaras, such as Maybelline Mega Plush ($8), L’Oreal Voluminous ($10) and, at the high end, Christian Dior Diorshow ($25). To “melt the makeup away and leave the skin super-soft,” she suggests using Josie Maran Argan cleansing oil ($32).
Lips
For lips, there are lots of options for giving a hint of color without the heaviness of a lipstick.
Again, Lapidus recommends highly pigmented products, such as balms and butters, that build up color through layering. Lapidus likes Revlon’s Colorburst lip butter ($8), which comes in a tube but is best if dabbed on with a finger for a more natural look, and tinted lip balms from Burt’s Bees ($7). Some tinted balms, such as Sugar Lip Treatment from Fresh ($22) and Neutrogena’s Moisture Shine Lip Soother ($7), also incorporate SPF.
