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Let's talk about sweat, baby. 'Tis the season of high temperatures, humidity, sun, sun, and more sun. With summer comes the return of sweat, the sometimes pesky but ultimately useful process by which our bodies cool ourselves down. Even though sweating is totally normal and good for you, it also makes wearing makeup (and keeping it on) a bit of a tricky endeavor. Luckily, Allure editors and makeup artists have got your back, as we've compiled a list of sweatproof makeup products to get you through the steamy months ahead.
In general, less is more when it comes to makeup in sweaty times. Although there is evidence that skin benefits from sweating, leaving sweat and makeup on your skin for too long can lead to breakouts. "Sweat [prompts] your pores to flush out oil and dirt — when sweat collects and dries on the skin, this dirt, oil, and bacteria can become trapped under your skin, therefore causing breakouts," Kathleen S. Viscusi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Marietta, Georgia previously told Allure. So, if you're going to wear makeup on a hot day, make sure you wash it off completely before heading to bed.
Not every product included here is 100 percent waterproof, but they'll get you through pretty much any perspiration-provoking activity, sparing the fact that you're not fully submerged in water. Heatwaves are no match for the best sweatproof makeup products on the market, so keep scrolling to see our picks.
Maybe your first instinct when it comes to sweat-proof makeup is to slather on a layer of matte, full-coverage foundation and hope for the best. Don't get us wrong, high-coverage foundations tend to be an excellent match for sunny, summer conditions, especially because these formulas are often designed for long wear.
That said, don't sleep on hybrid skin-care-makeup foundations when it comes to staying power. Allure deputy digital director Kara McGrath recently tried out Danessa Myricks' Yummy Skin Serum Foundation and it surprised her by outlasting her waterproof eyeliner that day. This non-cakey, buildable formula delivers a radiant finish that'll make your skin look healthy and glowy, even if you're actually glowy from sweat.
Another formula that won't disappear once the heat starts ramping up is Shiseido's Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation. Makeup artist Andrea Claire reaches for this foundation when she wants "seamless coverage without the cracking and caking" for her clients. This medium-coverage formula even contains SPF 30 — what more could you want?
Sweat-proof concealer is serious business and Benefit's Boi-ing Cakeless Waterproof Concealer isn't joking around. This liquid concealer is available in 30 easy-to-blend shades that are totally full-coverage, so you'll only be needing one layer of this water- and sweat-resistant formula.
If you prefer a thicker, less liquidy formula, give Nars's Soft Matte Concealer a go. According to makeup artist Tobi Henney, whose clients include Ashley Graham and Megan Fox, this concealer has "the perfect consistency to cover undereye darkness and blemishes and can be easily layered." She recommends applying powder on top of the concealer to lock it in, but once it's powdered down, it really won't budge.
Speaking of powder, one of your best defenses against sweating off your entire beat is adding a layer of setting powder on top of your cream products. A good powder will lock your makeup in place, especially in the sweaty spots where makeup tends to slip.
The Mary Kay Translucent Loose Powder is about as universal as a sweat-proofing product gets. This Best of Beauty winner helps absorb excess oil and makes makeup last without altering the shade of any color cosmetics. You can even use it to save liquid eyeshadows from the perils of sweaty eyelids.
For powder with a bit of tint, Dior's Backstage Face & Body Powder-No-Powder is a sure bet. Don't let the comfortable wear and silky texture fool you, though, this Readers' Choice Award winner gets the job done when it comes to keeping makeup stationery on a hot day. You can even wear this powder on its own — a couple of layers will get you to natural-looking, medium coverage that's "just enough to give me an even skin tone and a smooth base," wrote Allure senior commerce writer Angela Trakoshis in our editors' review of this powder.
Think about primer and setting spray as bookends to an ideal, sweat-resistant makeup routine. To start, you need to give your makeup something to cling to once you step outside and are faced with muggy, 90-degree weather. Enter: makeup primer. A good primer doesn't just act as an adhesive for base makeup, it also preps your skin and makes it a better canvas for whatever step comes next in your routine.
Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip Hydrating Primer is a go-to for all skin types. The niacinamide in its oil-free formula helps keep excess oil at bay while ceramides and hyaluronic acid soothe any dry areas — all while making sure your makeup doesn't move an inch. It's such a good makeup magnet that our readers gave it a Readers' Choice Award in 2020.
And don't forget to wrap up your summer day makeup routine with a couple of spritzes of setting spray. Urban Decay's All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray is another line of defense against makeup slipping and sliding all over the place, and a Best of Beauty Award-winning one at that.
Don't let the fact that both of our favorite sweat-proof blushes have the word "dewy" in the name freak you out. Dewy isn't always synonymous with long-lasting, but we promise that these blushes can take the heat. Make Beauty's Dewy Gel Tint, a new fave of Allure site director Sam Escobar, imparts a watercolor-like flush that stays put and looks fresh all day. This balmy blush comes in eight pigment-packed shades that can be as subtle or striking as you please.
Allure commerce writer Jennifer Hussein can vouch for the staying power of Rose Inc's Blush Divine Clean Dewy Cream Blush. According to Hussein, this blush has survived multiple hot yoga sessions, which is like getting a perfect score on the summer makeup SATs.
The one downside to being diligent about wearing your SPF is missing out on the natural glow a couple of hours in the sun can grant you. But thanks to bronzer, it's easy to fake it without incurring sun damage! Tarte's Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer adds warmth and livens up a dull complexion, and the durable formula is made to last through sticky weather conditions.
Given its balmy texture, Tower 28's Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer is also surprisingly long-lasting. This subtle bronzer goes on dewy and imparts a sheer, summery tint that will keep you looking fresh off of a beach vacation, even if all you did was walk home from the grocery store in July.
Nobody likes an on-the-move eyebrow, so we've got you covered in the water-resistant brow department. Make Up For Ever's Aqua Resist Waterproof Tinted Eyebrow Gel tames even the unruliest eyebrows, plus the thin, angled spoolie brush makes shaping brows a breeze.
We hardly have to tell you that Anastasia Beverly Hills's Dip Brow is the blueprint for waterproof brows, but a reminder is always nice. If you're not so blessed in full eyebrows arena, use this iconic brow pomade to fluff up and shape your brows to your heart's content. Then, you don't worry about it for the rest of the day because they're not going anywhere. The brand also sells a clear brow wax that holds brows in place just as tightly as its pigment-packed sibling. "ABH has a handle on brows," endorses Claire.
When it comes to sweat-proof eye shadow, we're all aboard the liquid eye shadow train. These formulas tend to be long-wearing and easy to apply, perfect for getting out the door quickly for a park picnic, patio hang, etc. About-Face's Best of Beauty-Winning Matte Fluid Eye Paints are so smudge-proof that you can safely wear one of the brand's punchier shades without worrying about looking like you've been crying technicolor tears after walking outside for twenty minutes.
A little goes a long way with Haus Labs Hy-Power Eye, Cheek & Lip Pigment Paints (freshly relaunched and now available at Sephora). The shade Rose Gold Shimmer (pictured above) strikes a beautiful balance between shimmery and glittery and won't migrate down your face like chunkier glitters tend to.
Powder eye shadow aficionados, don't fret — we didn't forget about you. Makeup artist and content creator Jaleesa Jaikaran turns to the Urban Decay Mini Naked Eyeshadow Palettes when she needs a palette that can take the heat. "I love how vibrant the shades are and they last up to 12 hours for long-lasting and bold, vibrant eyeshadow looks," she tells Allure. P.S. eye shadow primer will add even more longevity to these stand-out shadows.
Even though solid waterproof mascara is an essential part of a well-rounded makeup kit, they don't have a monopoly on the sweat-resistant mascara market. Now, we know what you're thinking: "Don't tubing mascaras come off with water?" And yes, that is technically true, but hear us out. Caliray's Come Hell or High Water Mascara does come off in fun little tubes when doused with warm water. But until you decide you're done for the day, this stuff is totally clumpless and impressively water-resistant.
NYX Professional Makeup has been running the waterproof liquid eyeliner game for a minute, so it's hardly shocking that the brand makes multiple sweat-resistant options that are worth adding to your cart. Jaikaran recommends the brand's Epic Wear Waterproof Liquid Eyeliners. "I love that these NYX liners are at such an affordable price so you can buy multiple colors," she says. You also can't go wrong with the classic black Epic Ink Waterproof Eyeliner, which just picked up an Allure Readers' Choice Award.
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