Fall is officially in season, but down south, it still feels like summer. If you have been feeling discouraged about doing your makeup in 90-degree weather, I’ve crafted the perfect routine to ensure your base is flawless and sweat-free.
First things first
The foundation (no pun intended) to the best makeup routine is skin prep. Skincare comes first, and you want your makeup to reflect that. Even if it’s just a 2-step skin routine, it’s worth the extra time and effort to achieve a flawless base. If you’re like me and like to keep a simple routine, I recommend:
- a cleanser based on your skin type
- your preferred toner
- a moisturizer and sunscreen, bonus if you have a moisturizing sunscreen
Primer and foundation
While some may consider primer a part of their skincare routine, I think primer will always be the primary makeup product for everything that comes after. There are many different kinds of primers, but my personal favorite is the e.l.f. Power Grip Primer. This primer is a sticky substance that you can apply all over your face to create a smooth canvas for your liquid and cream-based products. Apply primer to your entire face, but avoid the eye area because it may cause irritation
The next step is foundation—for real this time—and there is a plethora of products to choose from. However, because of the atrocity that is this weather, I recommend using foundations with a lightweight feel; that way, you get full coverage without the cakey feel that most foundations have. My personal favorite is the Maybelline Super Stay® Lumi-Matte Foundation; it’s suitable for all skin types, budget-friendly, and water- and sweat-resistant. When applying foundation, use a brush to spread it across your face and follow up with a beauty blender to soak up any excess product.
Bronzer
Bronzer is the next step after foundation, but I want to make it clear that bronzer and contour are similar, but not the same. Bronzer is a warm-toned product and, as the name implies, is used for bronzing certain areas of your face. Contour is a cool-toned product used primarily for shading and brings that snatched look that a lot of people look to achieve when doing a makeup look. In a nutshell, use bronzer in the summer—a.k.a. right now—and contour in the winter. I recommend the Juvia’s Place Bronzed Duo Bronzer because it’s inclusive for all skin tones and a combination of cool-toned shading and warm-toned glow. Apply bronzer to the high points of your face, such as the top of your forehead, your cheekbones, and the top of your nose.
Blush and Concealer
The next two steps are my favorite part because this is when your makeup look really comes together. I like to apply my liquid blush and concealer together because the blush I use is very pigmented, and when blended, they balance each other out. My all-time favorite blush, liquid and powder, is by Rare Beauty. I use the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush and the Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush; both products are very vibrant and last on my face the whole day. Apply blush above your bronzer placement and in the center of your nose for a more sunkissed look.
Now it’s totally fine if you aren’t a fan of blush, but concealer is an absolute must because it brightens the areas of your face that tend to be duller. The best concealer I’ve ever used—and that I recommend to anyone who will listen—is the award-winning NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. This product brings a natural glow, the perfect amount of coverage, is crease-less, and a little goes a long way. I recommend applying concealer to your undereye area, your T-zone, the tip of your nose, and your chin.
Powder Products
Now that all creams have been applied, the next step in this routine is to apply all your powders on top. Firstly, you want to apply loose powder in all the places you applied concealer. Speaking from experience, I don’t recommend applying loose powder all over your face because it may leave you looking pale and ashy. The type of loose powder you use is up to you; if you like to bake instead of set those areas, I recommend a translucent powder such as the e.l.f. Translucent High Definition Powder. If you’re like me and prefer to set with loose powder, I recommend Fenty Beauty’s Set It Down Superfine Blurring Setting Powder in the same or similar shade as your concealer.
Once loose powder is applied, add pressed powder on top of the areas you set with your loose powder, as well as below your cheekbones. The only pressed powder I’ve used is the Maybelline Fit Me® Matte + Poreless Powder; it is the first makeup product I used at 15, and I haven’t put it down since. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it works with any makeup, and little to no touch-ups are needed. It is the perfect product for all my fellow oily friends and also works well as a foundation.
Setting Spray
The final and most important step to this routine is applying setting spray. Setting spray is essentially used to set all of your makeup into a seamless look. I’ve tried many setting sprays, but the only one that hasn’t failed me—and I doubt it will fail you either—is the Morphe Continuous Setting Mist. The best feature of this product is that it sets both cream/liquid and powder products, meaning you can spray it multiple times. I recommend applying the mist after all creams are applied and then applying once more after you apply your powders.
This makeup routine has a lot of steps, but it’s very effective and worth the effort in the end. Coming from someone who has oily, acne-prone skin and sweats after being outside for like five minutes, I can assure you that following this step-by-step routine will leave your makeup looking freshly done throughout the day. Now I know some of these products are expensive, so I have a few alternatives, that I have also used, for those not wanting to spend too much money on makeup products: