How to not drip foundation into your food this monsoon

Rain-proofing hacks and products approved by celebrity makeup artists

There is dancing and then there is swimming but have you ever heard of synchronised swimming? It’s an Olympic sport, also known as artistic swimming, where world-class swimmers perform a choreographed routine to music. The athletes’ controlled, yet powerful dance moves, all performed underwater, make it hard to take your eyes off of them. When I stumbled upon a Youtube video of the Tokyo Olympics, something else caused me to pause and question: how was their elaborate makeup still shining after they’d spent over 15 minutes in a pool?

Although we don’t have to stay dunked in chlorine for the better half of our days, keeping our make-up in place is a predicament we face as soon as the monsoon hits. Even if you’ve managed to escape the pesky drizzling or a complete downpour, it’s near impossible to escape the humidity and its evil twin — sweat. How do you ensure your makeup remains intact when your sweat glands have made it their life goal to have you resembling a Diwali diya overflowing with oil? (Are you a facial sweater? Here’s how to deal with it.)

All the celebrity and bridal makeup artists we talked to agree that waterproof makeup is the way to go. Neha Parmar recommends we look for products with silicone or acrylate-based polymers. “These form a water-binding film and help makeup products stick to your skin.” She adds that it’s important to use waterproof makeup products and not water-resistant ones, as the latter will eventually smudge after a point.

If you’re sick of having your look of the day dripping into your food like glucose in an IV, here are the best waterproof makeup products and rain-proofing hacks, according to celebrity and bridal makeup artists.

Celebrity makeup artist-approved hacks and waterproof makeup products

Prep your skin properly

When the monsoon reaches full swing, even waterproof makeup struggles to win against the ever-growing monster that is humidity.

Bridal make-up artist Meera Sakhrani likes to ice her clients’ faces as “it will keep the skin temperature in control for a couple of hours.” But instead of using ice, which can be harmful for people with sensitive skin, we recommend you use a cold spoon from the freezer or invest in a cooling globe, both of which serve the same purpose sans the damage. 

Post cooling, Sakhrani advises against using any oil or cream-based skincare products and instead, going for a gel-based moisturiser or serum, followed by sunblock in the mornings.

Primer is not of prime importance

According to celebrity makeup artist Mausam Gandhi, primers are essentially for people with big pores to be used on the areas where they are visible. A primer makes your skin appear smoother and creates a barrier between your makeup and skin. This prevents your foundation from absorbing into your skin and becoming patchy. But on a daily basis, they’re more important for those who have long shoot days. “It’s totally skippable, especially during the monsoon,” she says.

Sakhrani seconds this, but for those who need a primer to help them achieve a long-lasting makeup look, she recommends using ones with a matte finish and lightweight formulation.

Build a base as strong as cement

If you want to combat your skin looking oily enough to fry a pakoda, it is important you skip cream- or oil-based products during the monsoon. Gandhi says it is because their hydration can melt your makeup off and even clog your pores, causing acne.

Stick to powder-based and oil-free formulas when it comes to choosing your foundation for the rainy season, as they will give you a matte finish, says Sakhrani. “Usually the ones that say 24+hr wear or 16-18hr wear are pretty durable,” she adds. 

If you want to use a liquid foundation, Sakhrani recommends ensuring that you set it in place with a mattifying setting powder to adequately seal the base. While setting powder is better suited for oily skin, a setting spray can be used to add an extra layer of hydration along with locking in your makeup, especially if you have dry skin.

Eye makeup that won’t melt and leave you looking like a demon

When it comes to eye makeup, all of the makeup artists agree that less is more. Especially when it comes to the sorcery of mascara, it’s imperative you stick to waterproof ones and not go overboard with layering.

If you’re a worshipper at the altar of the kajal or a fervent devotee of the eyeliner gods, Parmar advises setting it with black eyeshadow to seal it in place and be smudge-free.

Lip tints that will double-duty as blush

Parmar suggests sticking to lip tints in the monsoon that will also double up as blush. When you work a stain blush into your skin, the humidity will not immediately ruin it as it’s not just sitting on your skin like a cream-based product. A good stain lasts until you take your makeup off. If you’re using a liquid or cream lipstick, you can set it with translucent powder and then go in with another layer.

Gandhi says, “If you use your lipbalm right before applying the lipstick, your lips will get smudged. It’s better to use it at the start of your routine,” she says.

If you prefer to use lipstick, Parmar suggests going with matte ones as they are less prone to budging, like the Maybelline Superstay Matte Liquid Lipstick range, which retails at ₹650.

In no world had I ever thought I could have anything in common with the hard-working, otherwordly synchronised swimmers. Now I do, and so do you — impeccable makeup that won’t melt even if a cloud decides to burst on top of you.