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Dermadry® BLOG

How Do I Make My Makeup Sweat-Proof?

By Sam Nardi 2022 Jul 6th
Dermadry Team

As if dealing with excessive sweating wasn't hard enough, one of the side-effects of a sweaty face is trouble maintaining your hair and makeup look.


Sweaty skin and makeup don't mix. Sweating can completely destroy the look that you've worked so hard to achieve! You start the day put together and individualistic; by the end of the day your face is splotchy and a mess. That said, there are plenty of ways to keep your look going while keeping sweat at bay!


If you wear makeup and products such as sunscreen and moisturizer, you’re probably battling to keep it on all day, and hoping it doesn’t melt off mid-day. It's not a fun experience and one that can get embarrassing especially when you’re out in public or at the office. You especially don’t want to get makeup running down into your eyes or leaving streaks behind! But don't fret! I've done some extensive research and come up with some solutions to help you sweat-proof your makeup this summer. These tips are tried and tested!


Tips for sweat-proofing your makeup look


  1. Always start with a mattifying moisturizer
  • Priming your face with a good mattifying moisturizer will help you keep your face feeling drier and less sticky and oily. Look for a moisturizer with SPF to shield your skin from the sun and so you can wear one product instead of two! 
  1. Use a primer formulated for oily skin
  • Primer is key, especially if you sweat a lot, as it provides a good base for your makeup to cling to. Additionally, pore perfecting primers will also give the illusion of a smoother face so your makeup, such as foundation, won’t settle in your pores or lines on your face, where it can cause accumulation with sweat and oil and ruin your look
  • Be sure to also wear an eye primer so that your eye makeup stays put all day. Even if you’re not wearing any eyeshadow, we’d still recommend one if you have oily eyelids, to prevent creasing of any other products that may be applied near the eye region.
  1. Opt for powder-based makeup instead of liquid or cream.
  • If you struggle with sweaty and/or oily skin, opt for an oil-free, water-resistant foundation with a mattifying finish. Powder foundations are best, but liquid and cream ones work too as long as you set them with powder.
  • If you can spare the foundation, swap it out for something lighter on the face, such as a color-correcting (CC) cream or tinted moisturizer which will provide a lighter coverage and finish and not feel as heavy and cakey on the skin.
  1. Set your makeup with a long-wearing translucent powder
  • Setting your makeup is key if you want it to last through the heat! This is especially true if you’ve used any liquid or cream products on your face. Set your makeup with a translucent mattifying powder to make it last longer. 
  1. Use water-resistant or waterproof mascara and eyeliner
  • Use gel or pencil eyeliner rather than liquid. Liquid eyeliner tends to run much faster than powder and gel pencils when in contact with water or sweat. Look for a waterproof mascara and eyeliner if you struggle with sweating on your scalp that runs on your forehead down to your eyebrows. If you’re often struggling with leaky mascara and eyeliner, try to only use it on the top lashes and eyelids, and not the lower lashes to minimize running.
  1. . Set your brows with a fixing gel
  • Brows keep sweat and debris from getting into your eyes, which is particularly important if you’re struggling with a really sweaty forehead! A lot of sweat that drips down from your sweat will get trapped in your brows and prevent it from getting in your eyes. If you’re wearing makeup in your eyebrows, be sure to set them with a gel to make sure your eyebrow makeup doesn’t leak! It will also reinforce your brows, keep them in place, and hopefully help keep sweat away from your eyes!
  1. Skip the highlighter
  • If a shiny face is one of your concerns, stay away from products meant to give you either a dewy or glowy finish, and just avoid shimmer and sparkly products. Any type of highlighter as this will just enhance that sweaty glow. Embrace the fact that some people have to work hard and use products to achieve that much-wanted dewy glow, when it comes natural to you!
  1. Use cooling ingredients and products in your skincare routine.
  • Cleansing and moisturizing products infused with cooling ingredients such as menthol (mint), cucumber, peppermint, aloe vera, and yogurt all have a cooling effect on the skin. You can create some DIY masks using some of these ingredients, and a lot of these ingredients are included in skin care products. Use in the morning for a burst of freshness on the skin and at night for a refreshing Beware that some of these products may be irritating to some, and may cause discomfort, which can lead to redness or even sweating.
  1. . Set your makeup with a fixing spray.
  • Ensure your makeup will last all day by setting it with a setting spray. These types of sprays are applied once the entire makeup look is finished as a way to set the makeup to last longer on the face. I will help makeup stick on the face and prevent transfer. 
  1. Use powder sunscreen on your face and scalp for touch-ups
  • If you’re going to be outdoors, and need sunscreen reapplication, we suggest a powder sunscreen, which you can apply to both your face and scalp with ease! It will feel less greasy than typical cream sunscreen and even help you blot away excess sweat oil where it’s applied.
  1. Keep a towel and mattifying blotting papers on you.
  • Sweat starting to drip down? Carry a little absorbent towel with you to absorb any sweat around your scalp and hairline to prevent it dripping down. It’s easier to deal with swe Blotting papers are great if you also struggle with an oily face!
  1. Hats and scarves are a go-to!
  • A great way to keep sweating away from your face and makeup is to accessorize! If you sweat heavily from your scalp, a great way to keep the sweat from running down your face and even hiding excessively sweaty hair. Check out hairstyles you can do with scarves and hats. Caps and visors are also a great way to absorb excess moisture near the hairline, if that’s more your style!

How to wear makeup when your face is always sweaty


The most important thing is to find something that works for you and your lifestyle. If you suffer from craniofacial hyperhidrosis (the medical term for those of us who sweat excessively from our face, head, and scalp), then sweating is a year-long problem. However, if you live in an area of high heat and humidity, it can be even worse in the summer, particularly on your head and face. 


When and where possible, we suggest keeping makeup to a minimum as a sweaty face and makeup don’t mix well, and keeping it from sliding off your face can be a challenge. However, summer is a time when there are a lot of weddings and other special events and occasions where you want to be looking and feeling your best, and for a lot of people that includes wearing makeup. 


Whether you want to wear makeup for a special summer occasion or you want to wear it every day, follow our steps outlined above to ensure a sweat-proof makeup look that lasts. A little extra preparation can make all the difference when you suffer from hyperhidrosis!


Looking to sweat proof your wardrobe as well?


Read our guide to sweat-proofing your wardrobe, and what treatments you can do to eliminate excessive sweating from your hands, feet, and underarms. If you want a summer free of underarm sweat stains and the freedom to wear any sandals you want (yes, even those plastic jelly ones!) then there are steps you can take and treatments, such as iontophoresis using Dermadry’s at-home device, you can do to keep yourself dry and your sense of style in check all summer long!

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