5 really simple ways to give your makeup kit a summer upgrade
- by Avanti Dalal
Along with your wardrobe, your makeup kit too needs a few smart swaps to help it stand up to the heat. Here's how to do it
Consider your favourite makeup products like cricket players in the IPL—even the top hitters get swapped out some seasons. While you might be super loyal to your failsafe foundation or your budge-proof liquid lipstick, summer can be the time some oft overlooked players make winning runs. Below, we put together a roadmap of the best makeup switches that’ll solve all your summer beauty problems.
If your foundation is clogging your pores…
Swap it with a tinted moisturiser. While full-coverage foundation can be a lifesaver for hiding dark spots, uneven skin tone, acne scars and discolouration, it can be too heavy in the summer. Even with a primer, the heat and humidity in the air can melt the oils in a liquid foundation, leaving the complexion looking streaky and sticky. Plus, since foundations usually contains heavy oils and silicones to make them last all day, they can form occlusive barriers on the skin. When mixed with sweat, this can cause clogged pores and congestion, especially on the cheeks and chin. Reach for a tinted moisturiser like NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer instead. It is a multitasker since it moisturises, protects skin with its SPF content, and provides an even coverage as well. It is buildable, so if you need to pile more on a specific spot, it does not look too thick. The oil-free tint is sheer, but leaves skin with a natural, lightweight wash of colour.
If your matte lipstick is starting to look dated…
Choose a tinted lip oil instead. Especially when it’s hot and humid, matte lipstick can settle in the lines and creases of your lips. They contain more wax and pigment with less oil to balance it, which makes for a rich, opaque colour payoff that is long-wearing. However, this leads to super dry lips, especially when you’re constantly switching between being outside in the sun and indoors in air conditioning. A tinted lip oil is the perfect compromise—it imparts a glossy, smooth colour without leaving a parched pout. Lancôme’s Juicy Shaker Pigment Infused Bi-Phased Lip Oil comes in 23 bright shades, and the cushion applicator delivers the ideal amount of sheer colour and shine. Plus, lips feel kissable and comfortable through the day.
If your kohl is giving your raccoon eyes…
Pull out your waterproof eyeliners. While a cat eye is a non-negotiable finishing step of most makeup routines, a creamy kohl pencil can land up smudging and moving when you sweat or rub your eyes. If you include a washable mascara, a smoky eye can look messy as soon as you leave the house. Upgrade your eye makeup with a brightly coloured waterproof eyeliner to add a fresh pop of colour to any look. The Maybelline New York Hyper Glossy Electrics Eyeliner come in five bold metallic shades that are smudge-proof and last all evening. If you want to forgo eyeshadow for fear of it travelling, an elongated cat eye in a bright shade could be just the drama you need.
If your blush seems to look cakey…
You might want to use a creamier textured product. While some people use powder blush in the hope that the powder will soak up excess oil and grease on the face, the sweat and humidity of the summer can render it unnaturally cakey and crumbly on the skin. A cushion blush like the Shu Uemura Fresh Cushion Blush will sink into the skin, looking more like a natural flush. The smart K-beauty formulation is essentially a sponge applicator that deposits a sheer wash of colour on the cheeks that melts into the base when pressed onto skin. It takes the guesswork of blending out as well (we know how long you spend to ensure a flawless base), which means you can be out the door even faster.
If you’re worried about greasy skin…
Eschew shimmer-based bronzers for matte versions. When you layer shimmer on top of an already greasy base, the end result can look messy. If you want a summer glow without excess shine, dust on a matte bronzer where you’d like to create definition for a more natural just-back-from-vacation look. Chanel’s Soleil Tan De Chanel is a cult favourite for a reason—the velvety-soft bronzer has a gel-cream finish that mattifies as it sculpts.
Also read:
Update your makeup kit for the summer with these lipstick shades
8 concealers loved by Bollywood’s top celebrity makeup artists
9 makeup setting products that actually have great skincare benefits
