In this article, I will share with you some tips and suggesting some products that will do a good job for you while you're staying in a humid place, such as some Southeast Asian countries (Vietnam, Malaysia, Philipines...)
1. FOUNDATION vs. POWDER:
- A lot of time, liquid foundation won't be your best fit under hot/humid weather. If you have very dry skin, then it's still okay to do a light layer of your favorite foundation with a sponge, then use loose powder to set it. If you have oily or combination skin like mine, you can skip liquid foundation altogether. Your skin will feel sticky and oily quite fast with liquid foundation. Instead, use a light creamy foundation like Motives Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation or Revlon ColorStay Mineral Mouse (see images below), then set it with powder after. I find this is to be less messy to do compared to liquid foundation, and I can use my fingers to blend this creamy-texture foundation over my face (use a non-latex sponge if you prefer).
Or you can skip the liquid/cream foundation altogether and just use powder after sunscreen (SPF 30-45). It's quicker to apply, looks more natural, and doesn't look shiny or feel sticky after a few hours being outdoor. It's best to apply powder with a full, fluffy brush. Here's my 2 favorite face/powder brush: Sephora Powder Brush (round) and Lancome Powder brush #7 (flat). What I love about the flat brush is that you have to kinda press it into your skin in circles when you apply the powder, not just twirls around lightly like with the round brush. Therefore, your product isn't going to just sit on the skin but actually blending in nicer. This is good for people with big pores.
I see a lot of women using the sponge (that came with the powder compact) to apply & reapply powder over & over, even when the skin is oily. That is not a good habit, especially if your skin can break-out easily. If you don't wash/dry the sponge after every few days, your sponge will become dirty & bacterias got trapped in it. For sanitary reason & to endure the life of your product, do wash & dry your brush or sponge at least once a week.
3. EYE MAKEUP:
PRIMER is a must if you're going to wear eyeshadows. I heart Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. If you love makeup and wear it often, you know how great this product is. For myself, I skip eye shadow altogether, or use a very light shade like pale pink or light shimmery brown, just 1 color, do water-proof liquid eyeliner, curl my lashes, done! The more eye makeup you do, the more chances it gets smeared after a while.
3. BLUSH and BRONZER:
Forget your bronzer. Most of the time, you'll get naturally tan in Asia. Under humid & hot weather, bronzer seems to be too much on the skin. Keep your skin as simple as possible. A light layer of powder & a nice pinkish or peachy shade of blush is your best bet if you have light complexion. Try Benefit blushes like "Dandelion" (pale pink) or "Georgia" (light peach). If you have a medium complexion, you may like Benefit bronzer "Dallas" (not shimmery).
4. LIPSTICK - LIPGLOSS:
Under hot weather, you often get dehydrated within the first 1-2 weeks of your stay & your lips tend to feel dry or chapped. Therefore, creamy lipstick won't work too well. I find that Japanese lipsticks like Kanebo, Testimo, or Beaute de Kose, etc... will work best because they're more translucent, smooth texture, light weight, & often has a little bit of a shimmery effect - just enough to make your lips look fuller. These cosmetic lines have a lot of beautiful shades that suit Asian skin tone. When I use these kinds of lipsticks, I can forget about using gloss over it. They're half lipstick/half lipgloss for me.
I hope the tips/techniques above can help you pack the right products if you know you'll be traveling to a hot & humid place. You can't bring all your favorite makeup products with you, so choose only the right ones for your need. Wish you a fun trip & looking good even if it's above 90ºF there!
