As the summer temperatures reach scorching levels, our makeup tends to melt away instantly. Our favorite makeup items and beauty products always seem to lose the battle against Mother Nature. The constant fight against the heat and humidity leads to sliding eyeliner, sticky lip gloss and cakey, streaky foundation.

So what’s a girl to do when the sun is shining and her makeup is melting?

1. One of the most important steps to maintain the life of your foundation and keep your face looking healthy is to moisturize and add primer. Before you apply foundation or concealer, add a lightweight moisturizer (with SPF!) and a pea-sized amount of primer to your skin. This will help create a base for a flawless face, while keeping your blush and foundation in place.

2. While we all have those days when blemishes seem to cover our whole face, using full coverage or heavy foundation is just asking for serious problems. Instead, choose a tinted moisturizer that is sheer and less likely to look cakey on your face. If that is not enough coverage for you, try a light coverage foundation, such as MAC Face and Body, which offers better coverage then a tinted moisturizer, but is buildable for a full face of makeup

3. To prevent creased eye shadow and melting mascara, apply a lid primer, such as Urban Decay’s Primer Potion, to the top of your eyes and bring it underneath, right under your lash line. Next, apply a cream or liquid eye shadow; these formulas are less likely to smudge and crease, but also have strong staying power.

4. Waterproof mascaras and eyeliners are clearly the best choice for these hot summer months. Waterproof products can withstand long hours at work, a night out, the gym, and even if you get wet or go swimming. Also, skip the kohl eye pencils, which can smudge and slide, leaving you with raccoon eyes. Instead, use gel or liquid liners, which won’t budge once applied.

5. Lastly, skip the gloss, which can get extremely runny and sticky in the heat; not to mention melt all over the inside of your purse! Instead, go for sheer or tinted lip balms, which won’t turn into a melted mess. Lip stains are also a great substitute for lip glosses because they offer staying power, without the worry of sticky lips or having to constantly reapply.

By: Ariana Philips | Image: Source