Stop the summer slip-n-shine with these humidity fighting tips.
There’s a not-so-subtle shift that happens during the summer months; the best barometer is in our hair. You can track the increase in the humidity index by how big hair gets. Although we might bemoan the rise in humidity for this effect, we love what it does to our skin.
The added moisture is like a big dose of hydration providing youthful plumpness. That’s looking at it positively. But humidity also causes our makeup to slip and shine; the end result can be a little too dewy and greasy. Luckily, there is help at hand from a myriad of products that have been designed to battle this global predicament.
Squeaky clean
Cleanse thoroughly at the end of the day to remove all traces of makeup and ensure there is nothing remaining that can potentially block pores and create acne. In very humid weather, perspiration sits on skin rather than evaporating quickly, which can lead to clogged pores. Regular exfoliation is also needed to slough off dead skin cells. Switch your moisturiser to a lighter weight formula; acne-prone skin should look for oil-free options.
Prime time
Take the time to prime; it’s the ultimate base protection. Primers have a variety of purposes: they smooth skin texture, fill in fine lines, minimise the appearance of pores and mattify makeup, helping it to “stick”. Consider primer to be the makeup version of Spanx and apply liberally after moisturiser and before foundation.
“For oily skin, hydration is key, even though that sounds an anomaly,” advises Natalie Soto-Carlisle. The Jane Iredale International Makeup Artist is based in Los Angeles and knows about battling humidity. “If the skin is dry it will produce moisture to compensate, so make sure it is well hydrated.” She suggests spraying hydrating mist as needed during the day. Natalie suggests avoiding eyeliner in the under-eye area as it can run and smudge.
Choose sheer over creamy
“As your skin naturally becomes oilier [with the humidity], it helps to go for sheer products which allow it to breathe,” advises Dorothy Ng, Elizabeth Arden National Makeup Specialist. “Avoid cream products as it will start to feel sticky when you get hot. Go for liquid type products and a light dusting of powder.” Kiekie Stanners, MAC Senior Artist, agrees: “Try avoiding anything too creamy in hotter months – apply a cream blush that is designed to set or a powder highlight to ensure your colour stays where you want it to. Same goes for a carbon black mascara – the heat can make it smudge faster, especially if the colour is jet black. Replace with a mascara that is sweat- and humidity-resistant, of which MAC has two amazing options: MAC Extended Play Mascara is a lightweight waterproof product that is easily removed with warm water rather than waterproof eye makeup remover, or try MAC’s new breakthrough mascara, InstaCurl Lash with its customisable curved wand.”
Bobbi Brown Senior Artist Olivia Wildey travels frequently in her work and has found the varying climates challenging. From Tokyo to LA and New York, her role requires her always to present her best face. She suggests using a sheer loose powder with a brush over the T-zone to remove shine – but brush on lightly as the puff can deposit too much powder. “For crease-free eye makeup, prime your lids pre-application with the same loose powder you use to set your foundation. It works as a great primer – it will absorb natural oils and create a base for shadows to stick to.” She also suggests using gel and liquid eyeliner: “Smudge-proof and water-resistant, these will stand up to almost any summer day.”
She adds: “Any lip formula will last longer if you use a pencil first because it gives the colour a slip-free surface to adhere to. Choose a pinkie-brown one that matches your natural lip colour, and use it to line and fill in your lips before applying lipstick or gloss.”
Blot topics
Kiekie adds a tip: “Instead of adding product, when makeup starts to shift, I like to press shine away with a firm sponge. This way you don’t have to touch up with powder constantly. Try using the MAC Pro Performance Sponge with a soft spritz of MAC Fix + Spray on it, and press any shine away from foundation and refresh what you already have on. Alternatively use MAC Blot Film to press away shine.”
We spoke to Olivia Davies from Servilles about how to tame hair. “When the air is humid our hair responds by sending any dry ends on the search for moisture from the air,” she explains. “This results in frizz and fluffiness which can only be battled with products designed to protect our hair from humidity. One of my favourite products to battle the frizz is Kérastase’s new blow-dry lotion L’incroyable. It has 96 hours of humidity protection and makes your hair feel amazing. For best results against the fluffies though, a good layer of hairspray like Sebastian Re-Shaper on all hair types will seal in the style, and the travel size is perfect for your handbag.”
