Ways to Sweat-Proof Your Makeup

Makeup malfunctions are like disasters that can strike anytime. Be it at the hottest party when you check your makeup in the mirror after strutting your stuff through the night or a hot summer day at your important meeting! You may have come in looking like a goddess but now, you realize that you look like a homeless crackhead. Makeup half washed out due to sweat can ruin your carefully picked out trendy outfit. It would be absolutely ludicrous to use a heavier quantity of your cosmetics in a bid to have additional color and prevent looking drab. Either you can opt for a no-makeup look and risk it, or learn the way to sweat-proof your makeup and never be worried about sweating again. The basic rule of make-up, "less is more", applies especially in the case of sweat-proofing your make-up. Applying heavy coats will make it difficult for the make-up to stay on your skin and it will easily glide off your skin. Using less will ensure that your make up dries of quickly on your skin and lasts longer. The brilliance lies in not loading up on makeup but in preparing your skin pre and post application to sweat-proof it.

Ways to Sweat-Proof Your Makeup

Go Oil Free
Everyone knows that applying oil-based make up is not a smart idea especially if you perspire a lot. So instead, opt for a water-based or matte foundation and concealer. If you have a dry skin, which is common in most people after the twenties, moisturize your skin well with a double coat of a mild lotion. Do not weigh down your skin with a heavy moisturizer because it will clog your pores and make the skin slippery. Use a liquid eye-liner instead of an eye-pencil as it does not smudge once dry.

Try: Clinique's Stay True Makeup Oil-Free Formula and Bobbi Brown Oil-free Even Finish Foundation. LycoGel's Camouflage foundation and concealer is suitable for sensitive and fragile skin. Victoria's Secret Oil Free Cream-to-Powder foundation is priced only at $15.

It's Primer Time
A primer is a good base to use under your foundation and concealer. It helps the make-up last longer, brings out the color and reduces sheen on your face due to oiliness. Skimping on primer is essentially inviting a makeup disaster to befall upon yourself.
Tip: If you are in a rush and have run out of a good primer, try this tip. Use a baby talcum powder and lightly dust it on your T-zone with your makeup brush. Alternatively, you can also use an eyeshadow that most resembles your skin tone. Lightly dab the tip of your fingertip over it and with a feather touch motion, apply it around your eyes and other areas. This will prevent the makeup from running off and hide spots too.

Try: Bare Escentuals Prime Time Oil Control Foundation Primer at $21 and Alcone's Super Matte Antishine Kit at $28.

Killer Eyes All Through the Night
To ensure that your eye makeup lasts throughout, use a cream-to-powder eye shadow. Cream-to-powder formulas help apply the eye shadow easily, give your eyes a subtle sheen (sparkle) and stick to your skin. A cream to powder based make up is present in a cream form and transforms into fine micro particles when it gets in contact with skin. It is very light and gives the skin a natural look (finish). However, it is not suitable for oily skin as it can make it appear shinier. Or you can apply primer on your eyes before using a powder eye-shadow to avoid having your eyes look chalky. It also reinforces and peps up your eye-shadow's color. You can seal your eye-make up with light strokes of pressed powder. Use a gel or a liquid liner with a felt tip to avoid smudging for best results. Fluid gel liners are very easy to apply and stay longer than their liquid or pencil counterparts.

Try: Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion, L'Oréal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara at $11 and Mac fluid line at $14.50.

Soak in the Minerals 
Mineral powder contains silica which helps reduce oil without causing you to break out because its particles are light weight and loose. Many foundations and concealers are now available with minerals as a vital ingredient. In fact, mineral makeup also acts as a good concealer without clogging up your pores. It makes your skin look fresh and not cakey.

Try: Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil is available at $19 in various types.

Perfect Pout
Use a more natural shade of lipstick and it should closely match your actual lip color. If the lipstick fades away after a few hours, it will not give you a ghastly appearance by having a different color on the outer line of your lips and different color in the center. However, if you need to go bright or dark, then apply a coat of primer under your lipstick for it to stay longer. After applying your lipstick, put a sheet of tissue on top of your lips and press. Apply a second coat and repeat. Take minimal quantity of translucent powder on your brush and light tap on top of you lips over the tissue. Don't forget to line your lips with a long-lasting lip liner. Apply a coat of lip gloss on top. If during the night you cannot touch up your lips, even out the lipstick by smudging it with your finger. I would recommend using water-proof liners.
Tip: Peachy shades with gloss over them look fresh and natural. Also, use your lipstick to stain your cheeks instead of opting for a blusher.

Try: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye and Lip Pencils at $18 and Revlon's color stay dip line.

Blot it Away
Blotting paper is an absolute must-have in your bag. It will help you remove excess oil off your face without fading away your make-up like an ordinary tissue. Some also have powder in them so you can touch up your makeup. However, it can make oily skin look flaky so go in for a normal blotting sheet.
Tip: Sarah Jessica Parker advises the use of toilet seat covers when a blotting paper is not at hand in case of emergency. Don't have or want to use a toilet seat cover? Try the toilet roll.

Try: Clean & Clear Touch Oil-Absorbing Sheets are available only for $5. Shiseido Pureness Oil-Control Blotting Paper is already infused with powder but Sephora's Roll Up Blotting Papers are powder-free.

Fake Bare Skin
A tinted moisturizer is a smart way of keeping your skin moisturized as well as giving your complexion an even tone. It is hard to tell if someone has used a tinted moisturizer because it blends in with the skin so easily and gives a very natural look. It prevents the dry skin from getting flaky and oily skin from getting blotchy. You can even refrigerate your moisturizer as the temperature cools the skin and reduces oiliness caused from open pores.
Tip: How to make your own: Mix your foundation with equal amount of a matte water-resistant sunscreen lotion or moisturizer. You can use Biore's Shine-Control moisturizer available at $5.99.

Try: MAC tinted moisturizer

Remember to apply make-up that will stick to your skin and not fade away or wash off in sweat. Avoid using cosmetics that say comedogenic on the label. They cause break-outs and blemishes as you reapply your cosmetics and clog your pores. Rice powder is a new discovery in the cosmetics industry that, when added to cosmetics as an ingredient, can boost sun-protection, prevent blocked pores and enhance long-lasting power of your make-up. It doesn't make your skin look shiny and instead it gives a silky appearance. Rice powder is an upcoming technology in make-up predicted to soon be a trend to stay. But why wait for it to be added to you favorite cosmetics? You can grind rice into a fine powder and use it as a scrub or cleanser with water. It is especially favored for acne-prone skin. Palladio Beauty offers several rice powder imbibed products like herbal concealer, foundation, mineral powder and oil-absorbing sheets at very budget-friendly prices. Another useful product by Urban Decay, the De-Slick Mattifying Powder contains rice powder that sits light on skin and keeps it shine-free. With so many tips in your kitty, I hope you won't have another sweat and makeup run-down again.

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