The Trick To Making Your Makeup Last All Day Long Is This

Of all the fun things that summer entails — partying at outdoor concerts, bumming it out on the beach, walking to your local train station without sweating through your gauzy sundress — getting your makeup to last all day in the heat isn't always one of them. Putting on a full face in the morning and then finding it melt off as soon as you're a few blocks away from your home can be frustrating, but there's some crucial tips that celebrity makeup artists swear by to make makeup last without having to reapply as soon as you're underneath the AC.

To start: Why does makeup wear off your face in the hot temperatures, anyway? "It’s a combination of your body heat with sweat and oil, it just wears off your face faster when temperatures increase," celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh, who works with Jessica Chastain and Brie Larson, tells TZR. It's no surprise the makeup artist has a few tricks up her sleeve, especially when it comes to prolonging her client's makeup in the California heat, where she's based.

Shopping for products that will help extend the wear of makeup during these roasting summer days can be confusing with so many different options on the market right now, but fortunately, Quynh has a few suggestions on what to look out for. "It’s all about the texture and wording of the product. You want to find something that is more matte, long-wearing, waterproof, and especially oil-free," she says. "For eyes and cheeks, look for products that are more gel or jelly textured because they will dry up and not just sit on the face or add more oil or moisture."

And to find more even more key tips on helping makeup stay fresh during the summer, keep scrolling below.

Start With Skincare

Before you even consider exactly what makeup products you want to put on your face for the day, ensuring you'll be applying them to primed and ready skin is essential. "I like to use humidity-friendly skincare for prep before applying foundation," Alana Wright, an editorial makeup artist, explains. Her go-to for underneath makeup is Pour Moi's Tropical Day Cream. "It’s a lightweight climate-smart formula that helps skin acclimate in the summer heat." Wright also likes to prep the eyes before applying any shadow, with her top pick being Dermadoctor Eye Balm. "It has a whipped texture that won’t interfere with eye makeup," she notes.

Prime With A Sticky Formula

After you're done with skincare, use a primer before applying your base. Quynh recommends using a sticky formula that has a gripping effect to fully lock in your makeup. The product she reaches for is Jelly Pack Multi-Functional Gel Primer from Korean beauty brand J.One.

Opt For A Water-Based Foundation

As you're choosing your summer foundation, Quynh suggests looking at the ingredients and opting for one with water listed first, not oil. Her go-to foundation that won't immediately melt off? La Prairie's Skin Caviar Essence-in-Foundation, the first compact foundation infused with caviar water for luxe-feeling hydration.

Layer On Products

When Quynh sends a celebrity down the red carpet on scorching hot days, she swears by strategically layering products on the eyes, face, and cheeks to ensure they stay put. "The more layers you wear, the longer it will stay on. Always start with your skin care, then apply primer, and then foundation," she says. "Remember to use an oil-free lotion or a water-based moisturizer and primer especially if you have more oily prone skin."

For the eyes, she recommends starting with a cream shadow first, then applying a powder formula over it. The powder will have something to hold on to, allowing your eye look to stay in place the whole night. And when it comes to foundation, Quynh suggests starting with a liquid or cream foundation, and then setting with powder. Lastly, to lock in your cheeks, she proposes using a liquid or cream blush and setting with a powder formula afterwards.

Powder For A Radiant Finish

Achieving a radiant finish isn't a lost cause in the summer, either. "I still love a little shine on the skin so I set everything with Laura Mercier's Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder," Wright says. Not only will you achieve an illuminated look, but the powder will also help set your foundation, preventing it from moving.

Set Your Look With A Spray

To finish off your look, setting spray is a must. There are essential ingredients that help in locking in your makeup, including polymers. "Polymers are long molecules like plastics which are great at forming films that don’t budge," Quynh notes. And the makeup artist has two she can always rely on — Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray and Cover FX's Illuminating Setting Spray.

Keep A Mini Beauty Blender On You

And for touchups throughout the day, Quynh recommends keeping a mini beauty blender with you. For her clients, she packs the pointy part of the sponge up with foundation and wraps it in a tissue for them to easily throw in their purse. When ready to apply, she suggests slightly wetting it first, then dabbing it to the nose and eye areas.