The weather is fine; you can wear what you want. Your sandals are out and your pedicure is fresh. You’ve shaved all those places the light never hit in winter. Your bikini body is… as good as it’s gonna get. You’re off to the beach! Your skin already has that beachy, flawless, sunkissed goddess glow right? Uhhmmmm…. Maybe not so much.
Thing is, when you look in the mirror, what you see looks nothing like the fantastical creatures crawling out of every magazine, every TV advert and every Instagram post this summer. So what do you do? After all, you can’t wear makeup to the beach, right?
If you’re a guy, reading this post, we ladies have a message for you: You’re not funny. Let’s take YOU to the pool on the first date and see how you smell once your cologne washes off.
Moving on…
As a Caribbean woman, if it’s one thing I know it’s that warm weather and water will NOT automatically melt all your makeup. As a frugal woman, I can tell you that you don’t have to buy the most expensive brands of waterproof everything just to make sure your face will stay put. I’ve worn makeup to beach parties, pool parties and everything in between. Here’s how I do it.
Start with a good base
Pluck those brows. Cleanse. Exfoliate. Tone. Moisturise. For some of the tips below to work, you need to start with your smoothest possible base. Start off by knowing you look fabulous WITHOUT any makeup on.
Prime Everything
Primers can minimise pores and fine lines. They can create a matte finish, or a dewy one, depending on the primer. Still, their primary function (look at me! so punny!) is to make your makeup STICK. They create a base for smooth, easy makeup application – giving you a more uniform result and better colour payoff.
You’ll need the smooth, makeup-friendly base and the improved colour payoff if you’re using my next tip!
Use a VERY light hand
This can be hard if you’re used to full-glam and full-coverage but, on the bright side, you’ll be saving product so this tip will also save you some pennies!
If your skin can’t breathe, you’ll sweat more. Then the thick layer of makeup on your face will begin to emulsify, oxidise and… well… melt.
Use cream or wax products
From concealer to eyeliner and even blushes and eyeshadows, almost everything is available in cream form. Most cream-based products won’t come off with a simple washing. You’ll need friction (rubbing against the skin) at the very least and oil (beyond what your skin naturally produces) at most to completely remove them. These products tend to be pool-friendly, even if they don’t explicitly say ‘waterproof’.
In fact, most products that come in pencil form (be they for your brows, lips or eyes) are cream or wax-based and will also tend to stay put!
Best of all, popular drugstore brands such as Maybelline have a variety of affordable cream products that are perfect for beach season. Just try not to rub your face once it’s wet!
Avoid Falsies
I stay away from these completely. Don’t get me wrong, many women do wear these to the pool. Some women wear falsies to the beach, even with high humidity and strong winds. And they’re fine.
I asked one such stunner her secret and it was much simpler than what I’d imagined; Weave glue. Rather than regular eyelash adhesive, she used something stronger (but still made for skin and hair!) to make sure her strip lashes stayed put. I loved the idea because it was so simple and affordable!
Unless you’re a falsie addict and you happen to have some weave glue hanging around, a couple coats of waterproof mascara and some cream eyeliner are your safest bet…
Ready, Set, Slay!
I know I just said to use cream products, but it doesn’t mean you should bypass your setting powders. Use your regular setting powder to set the cream base well. Also, use setting sprays liberally. You’ve only applied a thin layer of product, but you want it to have all the help it needs to stay put!
That’s it!
Hope my tips are helpful. Comment below if you have any others! Sharing is caring 😉
Also, if you want to see me apply these tips and PROVE that they work, check out the video linked below!
How I do my makeup for the beach!
xo
J
[EDIT: After speaking to a professional esthetician, I can no longer recommend using weave glue on your eyelashes – you run the risk of losing lashes when you try to remove it! So stick to waterproof mascara or DUO Waterproof Eyelash Adhesive if you REALLY need that extra oomph!]
Refreshingly good!
Sent from my iPad
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Wow very very informative information Hun!! I just open up my mind to learn new ways of applying and what products to use best, that works forme Great tips, one of them I needed to know was putting on PRIMER and how it helps to make your makeup stick and it minise pores and fine line woooooaaaa that helps me a lot in that area of fine lines..lol thank you so much for sharing your insight & tips!!
Awww Thank you so much Julie! I am so glad to know that this helped someone… Your comment made my day! xo