Now I don’t know about you, but when I think about this dry weather and what it does to my skin all I can say is AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT. Having to be a personal victim of this dry air, my skin has been a pain to deal with for the last few months. Doing my makeup routines every morning would constantly leave me frustrated and dissatisfied because a few months before, this routine had me walking out of the house feeling fabulous and fresh. Lately, all I’ve been feeling like is a cakey hot mess. Therefore, I had to think about how I could change up my routine from winter so that my skin would look great and I wouldn’t have to worry about half my face being wiped off in a few hours. So here is a rundown of my new makeup routine as opposed to my old one and why it works better with this dry Riverside air. (The products shown are the products I have been using in my makeup routine and are simply here to serve as a guideline.)
Moisturizer is KEY
Before the weather drastically turned, moisturizing my face wasn’t essential. Primer was always important for my makeup routine, but I always thought that could take the place of moisturizing. But the harsh reality is that the dry air sucks out all the moisture not only from your mouth, but from your skin as well! Think about it this way: when you are thirsty, you drink water. Well, moisturizer is your skin’s water! That is why when I don’t moisturize, my skin feels rough and has a dull hue. It must be replenished!
Switch out Regular Primer for a Primer with SPF
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Primer (Drug Store Retail: $11.99)
I used to use a primer more focused on keeping my makeup on and giving me a smooth finish. But after being out in the harsh Riverside sun for most of the day, I realized protection was much more important than anything. Sun screen itself can be oily and annoying to wear under makeup, but having it already in a primer is just as good– it’s really quite unfair to sun screen companies.
Powder your Eyebrows First
RIMMEL London Stay Matte (Drug Store Retail: $3.97)
Trust me, as someone who has done this before, it is not cute when you sweat and wipe your forehead only to take off half an eyebrow. Before you do your eyebrow routine, go over your eyebrows with a translucent setting powder. This tip actually came from my roommate who always has perfect brows! I can attest to this method because I haven’t wiped off a brow since.
Switch out Liquid Based Concealer for Crème Stick Concealer
L’Oreal Paris True Match Crayon Concealer (Drug Store Retail: $8.99)
One thing I noticed when my makeup routine started going haywire was that I was breaking out excessively. It took a while to find out the cause behind it, but eventually I realized the concealer I had once used in winter was now clogging my pores! Because it was a liquid based concealer, it was naturally oilier. In the winter this was a good thing because it kept my skin from looking dull. However, I have combination skin so my skin gets both dry and oily depending on the area of my face. Going over my trouble areas with something oily only irritated my skin more. Therefore I switched to a crème consistency because it doesn’t clog my pores and it stays on longer in the hot weather.
Switch out Sponges for a Stippling Brush
Real Techniques Stippling Brush (Drug Store Retail: $9.95)
In the winter, sponges were my best friend. They gave me a clean application that required only a light layer of foundation. However, now that it is hot and dry, the sponge sadly doesn’t cut it for me anymore. Because it is so hot, sponge application only takes off the concealer I applied right before. This makes the process long and tedious. Instead, I opted for a stippling brush and this has proven to apply the foundation more evenly and quickly because of the dabbing motion you use with the brush. It doesn’t wipe off any concealer or foundation with it and essentially coats the skin evenly and smoothly.
Switch out Matte Setting Powder for Vitamin Infused Setting Spray
E.l.f. Studio Makeup Mist and Set (Drug Store Retail: $3.00)
Something that really puzzled me was why all of a sudden my makeup was looking thick and cakey. I realized it started to look this way after applying my matte setting powder which, I would like to note, was an essential part of my winter makeup routine. Instead I decided to lock my makeup in with a setting spray, that way my face could stay hydrated and look young and radiant! After that change my makeup didn’t settle in fine lines and people were telling me my makeup looked more natural!
Of course everyone has different skin types, so different routines work for different people. This was my quirky little routine that took a lot of trial and error to figure out. Therefore, embrace your skin and don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things because only you can know what works best for YOUR skin! Sometimes things will come our way that we won’t anticipate, so it’s essential to stay true to yourself and just quirk it out.