How to Keep Your Makeup in Place All Day

Don’t get us wrong: we love it when balmy summer days linger into September—and beyond. But nothing is worse than logging time in front of the mirror only to have your face melt off the minute you step out into the humid, sticky air. From the self-explanatory (primer) to the never-knew-that (creams > powders!), here are six pro-tested strategies for keeping all your makeup exactly where you want it.

1: Moisturizer, primer, then makeup

While the last thing you want to do is add more product than you need to when it’s hot and humid outside, pros far and wide agree that primer is a must. Pittsburgh–based makeup artist Tiffany Fluhme, who specializes in bridal work, says: “A great foundation primer is very light and makes your skin feel like silk; put it on after moisturizer and before your makeup.” (There’s a primer for everyone here.)

2: Lighten up your base

Try and keep your makeup as fresh and natural as possible in any weather, but especially when it’s muggy. To avoid over-application, Fluhme recommends using a BB cream with added SPF, like Embryolisse Secret de Maquilleurs BB Cream.  

3: Mind your lids

And your face isn’t the only thing that can use primer when the mercury rises. Eye primers are fabulous for keeping shadows in place, especially those that have a tendency to slip, smudge, or even run into your eyes—something that’s all the more likely to happen when you’re sweating, notes Fluhme. (We like Too Faced Shadow Insurance.)

4: Creams, not powders!

For warm weather looks, Fluhme suggests opting for cream—rather than powder—blushes and bronzers. It may seem counterintuitive, but “these products are less likely to cake up or ‘melt’ and will only add to a dewy, youthful glow,” she says. Point taken! For the lightest color pop, check out the organic cream-based options from rms beauty.

5: Skip the gloss (dare we say it?)

On warmer days, Fluhme stays away from sticky, thicker textures of lip gloss. When it’s really, really sweltering, “they tend to look and feel uncomfortable, and don’t sit well,” she says. Instead opt for lighter, non-tacky balms and stains to avoid looking like a hot (literally!) mess. For a just-conspicuous-enough wash of color, we’re partial to ILIA Tinted Lip Conditioners.

6: Set before you jet

Powder may be one of the last steps in your routine, but it can also be the first thing to ruin a look. When you sweat, makeup can fuse into a cakey, pasty mess. To avoid that, Fluhme recommends translucent powder. An ultralight, colorless powder like RCMA Makeup No Color Powder is great because you use it to touch up and refresh midday without caking on a bunch of product. Fluhme, is a fan of makeup fixing sprays, too. “Three or four spritzes is all you should need to lock it all in place,” she says (hold the bottle several inches away from the face). Some makeup artists have been known to use hairspray to do the trick, but unsurprisingly, Fluhme advises against it. “From a professional standpoint, I wouldn’t recommend that,” she says.