FREEZE THE MELTING POINT

No you don’t need to bid adieu to makeup just because the temperature is on the rise. What you need are some smart “melt-proof” makeup tips.

Please note that I am stressing here on “melt-proof”. There’s a reason why I use the word. It’s not enough to just buy and wear waterproof makeup to see you through the blazing summer. You need to learn how to wear makeup differently to make it last longer and weather the heat of the season.

First things first, you need to get your base correct. What I mean by that is, get your skin in ship shape. If your skin is in good health, you really won’t need much to look radiant and pretty this season. So pay very careful attention to your daily CTM and sun protection. Almost 75% of our skin problems disappear when our daily care is in place. Really. Trust me. Just follow a very simple CTM regime for two weeks – just a regular facewash, toner, moisturise and sunscreen suited for your skin type. You will notice a difference in these 14 days. The fact is, no matter how well we know, we cut corners when it comes to following a routine and that’s where problems arise. If you care for your skin on a daily basis, there is no way that you won’t have healthy skin.

So no matter how warm or humid it is before starting your makeup clean your face and massage in a moisturiser. This is a trick that I had learnt from the celebrity makeup artist Bruce Grayson. We were shooting in Kerala in May and Bruce took 5 minutes to massage the model’s face with a moisturiser before starting on the makeup. I follow this trick till date and am always happy with the result. Moisturising the skin makes it smooth and plump, and prepares it for the next step. In winters you’d reach for a foundation after this, but given the weather conditions, my dear friend and renowned makeup artist, Anu Kaushik says, “Skip foundation and use tinted moisturiser or BB cream to keep it light and healthy. L’Oreal Paris True Magic BB cream is my favourite.” You could also try Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser, The Body Shop Vitamin E Cool BB Cream or Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer.

With the base set, let’s now move on to eye makeup. I would suggest keep it non-fuss. Which, however, doesn’t mean that it has to be boring! Anu suggests waterproof eye liner in pop shades (check out the ones from Sephora, Make Up For Ever and Inglot) that look cool without much of an effort. To make the colour stand out here’s a trick that I learnt from my mother, Ruby Biswas: “Whenever you use a coloured eye pencil or liner, first draw a base line with black kohl or liner. The black pigment will highlight the colour without making it look too stark.”

If you are playing up the eyes, keep the lips low key. However, if coloured liners are not your style then go all out with a bold pout. My eternal favourite is M.A.C Ruby Woo. It’s a classic and will just never melt. However, you could also try other reds, pinks and oranges from brands like Bobbi Brown, Stila, NYX and L’Oreal Paris. For your cheeks stick to only tints and only the tints from Benefit – Benetint, Posie Tint and Cha Cha Tint. Nothing else compares to the lip and cheek tints that this brand makes.

Apart from this, Anu suggests two essentials – a makeup mist (Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray) to refresh and set your makeup, and The Body Shop Blotting Tissues to freshen up the T-zone during the hot summer days.

Armed with these tips, step into summer with a radiant look.