10 Top Tips for Stress-Free Make-up in the Sun

I love the sun and being enveloped in hot weather but I dread it at the same time when it comes to make-up.  I still have an oily skin (even at the age of 45) and by the time I get home from work, my make-up has basically disappeared if I haven’t used an oil-free silicone primer, powder, eyelid primer and make-up fixing spray and sadly, even then some not-in-a-good way shine has come through. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for being well-groomed at all times on holiday and I adore make-up (being a make-up artist an’ all) but on my summer break, I take it with me but it remains in the mini-bar fridge, unused.  I tend to look too made up with a tan.  My freckles make an appearance big style, I get a lovely colour and I look healthier than I’ve ever done so I feel I don't want to cover it up by the end of the holiday.  I also would like to add that I have never, ever worn make-up on the beach, beside the pool or sightseeing so if I do wear it, its for evenings only.

One big freckle

To be honest though, being make-up free on holiday is me being down-right lazy as it’s the removal of the make-up that makes me not want to take it away on holiday with me.  I find it stressful, if I'm honest.  It's the stress of seeing remnants of the night before's mascara on waking up, or worse, after a swim in the pool despite the copious amounts of eye make-up remover used the night before.   I have in the past tried eyelash and eyebrow tinting but they both disappeared after day one...

As I've said though, I always take some with me and this year I will practice what I preach.  I've had a think about what I'm going to take with me.  I shall let you know what I took and how I got on when I come back to Blighty.

However, if you're not a lazy-bones like me and you do like to take your full face with you then I recommend the following.  I actually wrote this piece for a fellow make-up artist and very talented style coach, Lisa Newport (she certainly knows her stuff: colour + clothes = confidence).  You can check out Lisa and her blogs at www.myrubyslippers.co.uk.

10 Top Tips for Summer Make-up

Less is more.  Too much make-up will just slide off in the heat.  Avoid gloss, heavy creams, powders and eye pencils – anything that will melt.  Look for products with ‘long-lasting’, ‘waterproof’ and ‘water-resistant’ on the packaging and anything that is a gel is great.  If you are very oily then treat yourself to some blotting face papers rather than reaching for your powder compact (Shiseido Pureness Sheets £19, Boots Skin Clear Oil Absorbing Papers £5).

Make sure you have a hydrating, oil-free moisturiser with a high SPF – goes without saying.  New product on the market is Bioderma Hydrabio Eau de Soin SPF30 £9 which is a hydrating spray, perfect for your handbag and unplanned walks in the sun.

Clinque City Block £18, Clarins UV Plus Protective Day Screen SPF 40, £30.  

Choose a light-weight but long-lasting, oil-free foundation.  Better still, a light-weight BB cream which will give you radiance but will still hide any imperfections.  If you are confident enough then you could just wear a mattifying primer (The Body Shop Insta Blur £14, KIKO Mat Base £4).   Estee Lauder Doublewear Light £31, Bourjois City Radiance Foundation, Garnier BB Original Cream £10.

Again, ‘long-lasting’ concealers won’t budge.  However, if you have very dry skin then best to leave this step out.  Estee Lauder Doublewear £23, Clarins Instant Concealer £22, Bourjois Radiance Reveal £8.

Eyebrows – having done some training with Make Up For Ever, they have a fab selection of waterproof and water-resistant products and they do a great gel for the brows: Aqua Brow £31.  Avoid powder, pencil and creams.  Gels and the felt-tip products are best.

There are so many cream/gel eyeshadows at the moment.  They come in glass pots or as eye crayons – get them on quickly as they set well and won’t come off until you want them to.  Apply with fingers or brush.  Chanel Illusion Dome £25, Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo £5, KIKO Eye Sticks £3.

Another obvious choice if you don't want to tint your eyelashes are waterproof mascaras - essential as normal ones can melt, flake and smudge in the heat.  Urban Decay Cannonball £16, KIKO Ultra Waterproof Sculpt £9.

Gel/cream blushers are great as they sit nicely on oil-free bases plus they freshen up the complexion in the summer months.  The Body Shop Honey Bronze £9, Revlon PhotoReady™ Cream Blush £8, SEVENTEEN Instant Glow tan Cream Bronzer £5.

Lipstains are great for hot weather, especially on holiday what with all that eating and drinking going on!  Or do what I’m going to do on my holiday, take a hydrating clear lipstick – it will go with anything.  Revlon ColorBurst ™ Balm Stain £8, Kate Moss Rimmel Conditioning Balm £6, Rimmel London Colour Rush Balm £6.

I am not a fan of wearing make-up at the beach or pool-side but if you HAVE to wear it then pop SPF on, skip the foundation and wear some concealer instead on dark shadows, spots, pigmentation – wherever you need it and follow with a select few of the above products and you will look fresh-faced and HOT (not in a sweaty way).  Remember, less is more to enhance your natural beauty in the sun.

www.myrubyslippers.co.uk