8 Makeup Tips for summer According to Makeup Artists

To avoid summer makeup blunders, here’s giving you a few makeup tips for summer to sail through the humid weather.

Those hot summer months can make wearing makeup more of a chore than an enjoyment. It does not have to be this way, however. With the right products and application, your makeup can last long into the day without feeling too heavy or melting right off. Choosing the right products and applying them is not everything, however; picking out the right colors and finishes can also go a long way toward creating a summery look!

1. First Makeup Tips for summer: Start with moisturizer

The way you care for your skin is just as important as the makeup you apply to it. “Use an oil-free moisturizer in the morning,” says celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles, adding that you should opt for an oil-free foundation formula to match.

2. Give Your Lips Some Love

The days are longer, the sun is stronger, and you’re often moving from one extreme temperature to another. All of these factors can leave your lips seriously dry and flaky, and we all know that doesn’t bode well for your lipstick. But don’t pout, because there are three simple things you can do to keep your lips soft: Protect, exfoliate, and repeat. Invest in a balm like Kaplan MD Lip 20 Ultra Hydrating Treatment + SPF, which fends off damaging UV rays while locking in moisture. Make sure to reapply throughout the day — at least every two hours. When it comes to exfoliation, we swear by Beauty for Real Lip Revival Exfoliating + Hydrating Lip Scrub (in fact, we’re such believers that this scrub is the real deal, we included it in the July Allure Beauty Box). So, what makes it so good? Raw sugar granules infused in the formula gently slough off dead skin, while vanilla, orange, and cinnamon bark essential oils boost hydration. Use it twice a week for a pretty pucker that will give your lipstick shade its moment in the sun.

3. Switch to Waterproof Formulas

There’s nothing worse than mid-day mascara or eyeliner blunders. Avoid the raccoon-eye look by investing in a waterproof version of your favorite eye product — especially in the dead of summer. “With the heat from the body and the summer’s high temperatures, most eyeliners will end up either running or will have to be reapplied all day,” says Sesnek. “A waterproof eyeliner won’t smear, run, and can even handle the swimming pool.” Our current fave? Make Up For Ever’s M-24, a matte electric blue hue.

4. Layer on sunscreen and UV protection

Besides hydrating your skin, you also want to make sure it’s properly protected from the sun — and that means wearing sunscreen every single day, even under your makeup. (Applying makeup over sunburned skin is not fun.)

You should be re-applying sunscreen every two hours, but that can be hard when you’re out and about — especially when you don’t want to use your hands. Sabina Wizemann, senior chemist at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Beauty Lab, swears by this sunscreen trick she adopted from makeup artist Erica Whalen, that involves repurposing an empty makeup compact:

Use dish soap to clean an old liquid foundation compact and cushion. Let dry.
Soak the cushion with your favorite face sunscreen inside the compact.
To re-apply, dip a sponge applicator into the cushion and dab on your face.

5. Invest in a powerhouse makeup primer

You won’t regret the few seconds it takes to apply a primer, which goes on after moisturizer but before face makeup. “Primers are definitely the way to go in summer,” says New York City-based makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff. “They don’t feel at all like a heavy, additional layer, and they really help hold makeup in place.” Try No7 Airbrush Away Primer, which uses hyaluronic acid to soften wrinkles and blur imperfections — all while keeping your makeup on your face!

6. Wear less makeup

If you want to prevent your makeup from creasing and caking, say it with us: Less is more. “If you can, just use a tinted moisturizer and a concealer where you need it,” says Stiles. “Makeup likes to move around when it’s hot, so the best way to avoid that is to wear less of it.”

7. Use Multitasking Makeup

Invest in a product that does it all — for the lips, lids, and cheeks, says Sesnek. It keeps your bag light and gives your look a soft, monochromatic focus. We like the rose-toned Bite Beauty Multistick in Papaya.

8. Skip the shimmer in the summer

Everyone loves a nice, dewy glow, but there’s a big difference between a healthy radiance and an over-the-top shine. “Avoid cream foundations or anything too luminous, as the humidity will make you extra shiny and sweaty-looking if you have too much sparkle on your skin,” warns Stiles.