Is your make-up melting in the heat? If your mascaras are smudgy and your liners clammy, Ruchira Bose has a few solutions

The sweltering heat of summer can make keeping your face in place a challenge. When mascara melts and foundation fails, what’s a girl to do? The solution is simple: Lighten up! It’s just as important to change your make-up to suit the season, as it is to change your wardrobe. Try these tips to help your make-up keep its cool this summer.

Show Some Skin
Summer is all about showing skin, so trade your foundation for tinted moisturiser this season, preferably one with SPF 15 or higher. This hydrating make-up helps even out your skin tone and keeps you looking fresh. If you need extra coverage on problem areas, use your concealer for spot touch-ups.

Pass on powder blush and opt for gel or liquid colour instead. Sheer, sexy colour like this stains your cheeks with a healthy glow that stays put and looks natural in sunlight.

Hold The Powder
In an attempt to outsmart dreaded summer shine, women can get carried away with pressed powder. Too much powder looks heavy and unnatural in sunlight and can create a paste-like residue when combined with perspiration. Try using an oil-free tinted moisturiser and a dusting of loose powder in the morning and carry oil-absorbing powder papers to control shine during the day.

Instead of brow powders or eyebrow pencils to define your brows, try a clear or lightly tinted brow gel. The colour in powders and pencils is actually applied to the skin, so when you perspire, they easily wash away. Gels, however, adhere to the hairs in the brow, giving them extra staying power.

Eye and Dry
When it comes to defining your eyes, pack away the pencils. Eyeliner pencils contain wax and we all know what wax does when exposed to heat. Try wetting your favourite powder eye shadow to use as your liner. This technique creates a soft, sexy look that stays put.

Escape mascara meltdown by switching to a waterproof formula, which is usually longer wearing and resists running and flaking. Or have your lashes tinted (by a professional, of course), use an eyelash curler and apply a coat of clear mascara to lengthen and hold the curl all day.

You may love the look of high-shine lips, but when it’s hot outside, your favourite gloss can get gooey. When gloss gets hot, it tends to melt and move outside the lip line. Trade your lacquer for a tinted balm to keep your mouth soft and shimmering without the stickiness.

Smooch-Proof Your Lipcolour
Cream and matte lipsticks often melt when exposed to heat. Keep your lips cool and collected by using your favourite lip liner to outline and fill in your entire lip. Blend well with a lip brush. Apply a very light layer of sheer lipstick or balm for moisture and shine. This gives your lips long-lasting definition that’s light and fresh.