Stand the Heat Beautifully (Part 3): Less-Than-No-Makeup Makeup

Less-Than-No-Makeup Makeup

This is the the last part of my little Stand the Heat Beautifully series. I know it was short, and I would love to post more on this subject (I had ideas for at least a couple more posts) but summer just decided to end too soon :).

If you want to catch up on the previous parts you can do it here: part 1 and part 2.

Ok. I almost feel bad posting it now, since the weather changed drastically since I started this series and now it's raining, it's windy and cold and looks exactly like fall, so this post will seem absolutely irrelevant. But since it is still officially summer for another 4 days, I'm still officially good to go (or I can just use it as an excuse). Plus, maybe for some of the readers from hot countries it will be relevant. Hopefully... :).

So, imagine it's +45°C ... +50°C under the sun. You are literally melting and dreaming of only one thing: to immerse yourself in the cooling water and not get out of it. Obviously, the last thing you'll be thinking about is putting on some fancy makeup or, in fact, ANY makeup at all. But... for several reasons you still have to wear makeup, whether it's because

• your skin isn't perfect and you just feel more confident wearing at least a little bit of makeup that perfects the way you look,
• or you have to go to work and look groomed and professional there,
• or maybe you just PREFER wearing at least a little bit of makeup even if it's only out of politeness and respect for others looking at you.

What do you do? You don't want to feel any foundation or makeup on your skin, you just want it to breathe, but you have to wear some makeup.

Well, ladies, you can do that if you use just these 4 products that I suggest, or similar ones. The goal here is to use as little as you can possibly get away with and keep the skin on the face and on the eyes as makeup-free as possible, but still get the effect you're after. As to the lips, I'm sure that having something hydrating and protective on them won't bother you too much if at all.

Step 1. For your face, just skip foundation and spot conceal only where you need. This step alone will keep your face almost makeup-free and breathing yet nicely perfected. To set it and add a little bit of color I used my Hourglass powder. For my skin tone this particular shade turns out to be a fantastic multitasker. Because it is so finely milled and has such subtle refined shimmer that translates to the skin more like a barely-there sheen and has the right tone for me, I can use it in 4 different ways without feeling it on my skin:

1. when used very lightly all over my face it acts as a setting powder without changing the color of my face really
2. when used more strategically and built up I can subtly contour with it
3. when used a bit more on the high points of my face where the sun would naturally hit me, I can bronze with it
4. and when used on the apples of my cheeks, it turns out to be a nice neutral blush/bronzer (oh, and you can also sweep it lightly on your eyes or in the crease)

If you don't have this particular product, you can find something that will work in a similar way for you or just use a lightweight translucent powder only in the oily areas of you face and for the cheek color just use a touch of the lipstick you'll be using in the next step.

Step 2. For the eyes just put loads of waterproof mascara on and nothing else. Forget the brows, embrace your natural brows. Chances are, under such heat most brow products might melt or break down.

Step 3. For the lips you can choose whatever you like, either a tinted lipbalm with SPF or a sheer lipstick or anything really. However, I would steer away from lip glosses, because when you're sweaty yourself, having something sticky or liquidy on your lips, where your hair may stick accidentally, is the last thing you'll enjoy. So a lipstick or a lipbalm is a more fuss-free option. Also, try not to go too nude. Choose a midtone color that will brighten your face, since you don't have much else there.

So take your hair out of the way and enjoy your pretty fresh face being nicely and subtly made up in a way that you will not really feel.

Here is the full list of products I used:

1. Too Faced Absolutely Flawless Flexible Coverage Concealer in Vanilla

2. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

3. CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof mascara
4. Lumene Raspberry Miracle Lip Sorbet in 16 Wild Raspberries

On the final note, I want to point out that there is a ton of great completely waterproof makeup, and if you wanted to you could do a full on face of makeup. It's up to you. My suggestion is only applicable for times when you don't want to wear makeup at all or at least you don't want to feel it at all. So it's a survival type of makeup :).

I hope this was helpful to some of you. Leave me your comments on how you survive the heat and what beauty tricks you use. Thank you for reading.