What is this demonic weather? And it’s ONLY April! All this dhool, mitti, paseena (dust, grime, sweat) has me weeping and the makeup sweating off my face in a matter of a few hours. Which reminds me of last week when I got super dehydrated from all the chardonnay I drank at brunch and tried to laugh at something but my top lip got stuck to my gums and I had to peel it off with my fingers… Not attractive. Lesson: hydrate. By the way, is anyone else sweating?
Let’s start this conversation with SPF and practicing safe sun, because that’s the Holy Grail. Remember that the SPF number tells you how long you can stay under the sun without getting burned. So if you’re planning on being outside for hours, a higher SPF may be required. Sunscreens are only effective for about 80 minutes, so reapply generously,and often!
Shop for products which are ‘non-comedogenic’, as they are designed not to clog your pores. Go the oil-free route to avoid a zit fest. I cannot stress this enough but AVOID powdering your face to hide the sweat through the day. All the sweat and oil from your skin can also separate the pigments in your foundation, making you look patchy. Solve this by using a primer, which will hold your face together and blur your open pores out for a smooth base.
Cream-based eye shadow and blush will change your life and you can thank me for it later. These are usually water-resistant and last longer compared to the powder formulae, which move along with the sweat and end up in areas you never intended for them. Also, buy a peachy pink or a shade lighter than your tone and it can double up as a highlighter, voila!
Does your matte lipstick feel disgusting and drying when its 40 degrees outside? Trust me, even a lipstick devotee like me gets this. Here’s what I do…dab a shade on as a stain and then blot it a few times on a tissue. You’ll see the colour and barely feel it. Invest in lip balm with SPF in it…you’ll be surprised at the difference it makes.
Don’t make the mistake of wearing a too-pale foundation on your tanned face. Make room to accommodate the seasonal shade changes. And for the life of me, learn how to use bronzer correctly. If I could tell you just one thing, it would be that bronzer is NOT a second foundation and you shouldn’t wear it all over your face.Keep a cooling spritz (rose or cucumber water works wonders. More on how I make my own later) in your bag, get a hand fan, suck it up and make it work. And if there is any lesson to be learnt from my dehydration-at-brunch incident, it’s that you should drink more water than usual this season. All the beauty tips in the world can’t help you if you’re not drinking enough water. Here’s hoping your summer isn’t a struggle and the best parts of it don’t escape the minute you leave your air-conditioned apartment.
(The writer’s interest include oversharing, wine and period dramas)