Make-up that beats the heat

IN THE heat, I find my make-up suffers, meaning I have to blot my shiny skin and regularly reapply. I’m going on holiday to Italy this month and would love some tips on how to ensure my make-up stays put.

Angela, 49, Kent. SummEr is all about glowing skin. We want to look radiant and healthy — but how do we stop that from turning into a shiny, smudged disaster?

If you can, it is a good idea to reduce the number of products you use: tinted moisturiser, lipgloss and mascara should be enough for the hottest days.

However, if you can’t bear to part with your full make-up bag, mAC senior artist rebecca Butterworth says it’s all about ensuring you invest in the right kind of make-up.

‘Look out for products that are labelled waterproof, water-resistant or humidity-resistant,’ she says.

LONG-LASTING EYES

For eyeshadow-lovers, rebecca advises investing in a good eye base. ‘Apply a colourless, sweat-resistant product before your eyeshadow — this will stop any products you apply on top from creasing and fading.’

mAC Prep+Prime 24 Hour Extend Eye Base (£16, maccosmetics.co.uk) is waterproof and will keep eye make-up in place for hours. It also boosts the colour of products you apply after.

No 7 Stay Perfect Smoothing and Brightening Eye Base (£7, Boots) is a great, cheaper alternative for achieving an even base for eyeshadow.

To add definition, try a waterproof eyeliner. You need one that’s creamy enough to slide on without dragging the skin, but that won’t smudge easily, such as Barry m Waterproof Eyeliner (£3.99, Boots), which comes in a range of colours.

For hot days, mascara must also be waterproof. most big brands have waterproof versions of their bestselling mascaras, such as Lancome Hypnose Star Waterproof mascara (£22.50, Boots).

PERFECT POUT

HEAvY lipstick doesn’t work well in heat, looking sticky and overdone. rebecca suggests using a matching lipliner and light matte lipstick, which you can finish off with a nonsticky gloss.

‘Lipliner is having a resurgence,’ says rebecca. ‘To create the illusion of fuller lips, take the colour slightly over your natural lipline. Then, before lipstick, blot over your liner with a tissue. make sure that you match the colour of your liner to your lipstick. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillowtalk (£16, charlottetilbury.com) works with her Stoned rose or Penelope Pink lipsticks (£23 each).

THE BASICS OF BASE

EvEN skin that’s not prone to oiliness can become shiny in the heat — and there’s nothing worse than finding your foundation is starting to slide off your face.

How you apply your base is key. ‘using your fingers can add extra heat and excess oil, so invest in make-up sponges,’ says rebecca.

For particularly oily skin, try Dermalogica oil Free matte SPF30 (£39.30, dermalogica.co.uk), a moisturiser to keep shine at bay.

Stick to a lightweight foundation, such as Clinique moisture Surge CC Cream (£28, Boots). Finish with a fixing spray, such as Clarins Fix make-up Spray (£23, clarins.

co.uk), to ensure makeup stays fresh and in place all day.