Suzanne Karioki

It’s getting hotter and you still want to keep your face ready for those special occasions (or maybe you just want to stunt at the grocery store). But you also don’t want your entire face to melt off the second you step outside — how are you going to enjoy summer when you’re worried about disintegrating at any moment? Don’t panic! — we’ve got the hottest tips to keep you cool this summer:

Moisturize Me
Remember that skin care routine you ditched when you were running late/just wanted to go to bed, and never picked back up? Now’s the time to revive it. You might love the sun, but she doesn’t necessarily love you back, especially after a few hours. For your daily routine, use a facial cleanser, follow up with toner and finish it off with a moisturizer that includes at least SPF 30. You can go higher if you’re especially prone to lobster-ish mishaps.

Prime Time
If you aren’t already using a primer, it’s going to be your best friend this summer. But what’s the point, you ask; you just told me to moisturize! Yes — but while you’ve given your skin the moisture it loves, primer preps your skin for the rest of your routine and keeps you looking flawless for longer. It can also just be worn on its own to give you a quick, polished no-makeup look. Primer will also mattify oily skin, minimize pores and reduce the appearance of fine lines. It’s definitely a makeup bag staple. Once you start using it, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t started sooner.

Waterproof It
Nothing brings a look together quite like eyeliner and mascara, but summer heat can put even your sharpest wing to the test. A solid waterproof eyeliner and mascara will stick with you through thick and thin, no matter what the day throws at you.

Go Light
Opt for tinted moisturizer, using concealer on dark spots and blemishes instead of your heavy foundation. If you can’t quite let go of your favorite foundation, make sure you’re using a long wear formula. Just don’t cake it on — no matter how lightweight it is, clogged pores are unhappy, sweaty pores.

Get Set
Setting powder and spray does wonders for keeping your makeup in place and is a godsend for you oily-faced people out there. Use setting powder to complete your look and absorb any oil that tries to peek through during the day, and lock it in with setting spray. You’ll notice that your face isn’t a glowing oil slick after a few hours.

Blot Away
A major reason why you get all oily after a few hours is because you forgot to hydrate; your skin produces excess oil to try and trap moisture in. You should already be best buds with your water bottle, but for the problems that water just won’t fix, bring a pack of blotting paper too. These small sheets are a lot more effective than dabbing with a paper towel: they soak up more oil and mattify your skin so it looks just as fresh as it did that morning.