How-to: Summer-Proof Makeup

Summer is a beauty junkie's waterloo, makeup-wise. From oily to dry skin, we have but one dilemma as we embrace this sweltering temperature: how to prevent makeup from dissipating, melting and caking. Living in the tropics, I have experimented different ways and whatnot so I am glad to have finally nailed down what works for me. Scroll down for a step-by-step blog-torial!

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After washing your face, spritz with rose or citrus-based toner. Aside from the refreshing aspect, it hydrates and brightens the skin.

While summer brings out the worst in acne-prone or oily skin, the extreme heat zaps out moisture making your skin dry and flaky. Opt for a moisturizer that works according to your skin type. Applying moisturizer also primes the face which allows the makeup to stay in place.

Skip thick liquid or cream foundations during daytime as they tend to cake and grease up, leaving you feeling weary and icky. Instead, choose something with thinner formula such as BB or CC cream with built-in sunscreen and skincare benefits. Use damp beauty sponge by pressing and bouncing it all over the face.

If you need to brighten your under-eyes, apply concealer sparingly and use beauty sponge to blend.

Now here's what will make your makeup summer-proof and guaranteed melt-free all day long. Lightly set concealer and BB/CC cream with loose translucent powder using damp beauty sponge. It's similar to the concept of "baking" but more breathable as you are not packing powder upon powder on the skin. Use large fluffy brush to sweep off the excess.

For that proverbial summer glow, lightly apply bronzer on the side of your face and temple. Highlight sparingly. Skip contouring; again, you want to look effortlessly chic for the summer.

Apply bronze, gold, copper or taupe eyeshadow. Prime eyes or better yet, use cream-to-powder eyeshadow for better adherence on the lids.

Unless you own a waterproof eyeliner, I'd say skip lining your eyes since it tends to smudge under extremely hot weather. Apply waterproof mascara as you normally would.

Exfoliate and apply lip balm with SPF. If you want heavy-duty lip power without the need to touch up, I suggest using liquid lipstick. Give it some dimension by doing gradient-effect.

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