Beauty Bits
TRIED & TESTED
MELT-PROOF MAKE-UP
We’ve all been victims of make-up meltdown, a pool of foundation between the brows, a sweaty mess around specs or sunglasses. Look no further, here are our picks of summer’s beauty must-haves for balmy days. Highly recommended. Our tester wore it for hours and hours on a boiling hot day, and it didn’t budge. It gives a nice coverage, with the bonus of containing SPF 20.
ALLEVEN London Colour Shield Hydrating Tinted Protection, £38, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Pale legs are never a good look in the sunshine; pale and blotchy legs are even worse. Unless you’re a pro with fake tan the only option is to wait patiently for a colour change – by which time, we’ll all probably be back in trousers again. This clever mist is a quick-fix solution, a make-up for the body without too much gloop or smudge – and it didn’t melt in the heat. Needs quite a few sprays though and is a streak-free, if subtle rather than tanned shade. Claims to give a quick shine-fix, but while it did mattify, reduce and prevent shine for a few hours (apply prior to make-up for best results), it did require a top-up or two in the heatwave. Calls itself a foundation but feels much more like a concealer as it’s thicker than foundation – and that’s probably the reason it didn’t melt off halfway through a hot day. You don’t cover your face with the product but it does cover imperfections really well and it lasted until late evening. Feels too thick to use on delicate skin under the eyes, though.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur Instant Oil-Absorbing Coverage Cream Mousse, currently £11 from £16.50, Escentual.com
Contains SPF20 and glides on like silk. However, anyone who wears glasses, sunglasses or has hayfever won’t like the patchiness that appears around the sides, and across the nose, once on for a few hours. A fixing spray with serious staying power. Weightless and quick-drying, this ultra-fine mist sprayed over make-up before a night out will see a good six hours and still have that fresh “just applied” look. No melting, fading or settling into fine lines either, it’s a winner.
BAREMINERALS BAREPRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation, £22.95, Escentual.com
Be quick if you want to get your hands on this, it’s a limited edition. It doesn’t contain any SPF, sadly, but it’s a lovely, buildable foundation, which you apply with a sponge and it dries to a powder finish. Claims to stay put for 12 hours and still looked good after half-a-day’s worth of wear.