Today at the entrance of my children’s summer camp, I spotted a woman wearing a crisp cotton dress, stylish straw bolero hat and get this; a full face of makeup! In New Orleans. In the summer. Now this might not be so unusual if she were hopping back into her car afterwards, but she wasn’t'! She was walking home, and pushing a stroller to boot. The first thing I felt after the initial shock was pity. “Oh no,” I thought, “the poor thing must be from out of town.” You can’t walk more than a few feet outside in June with makeup on, unless of course you plan to hop directly into your car afterwards and glue your body to the AC vents for at least 15 minutes. So, what was happening here? Was she some sort of zero-sweat-producing unicorn? Clearly, she knew something I didn’t. So, I started asking questions. I called upon several beauty experts around town to help me uncover the mystery. It turns out, it just takes a little education!
Melanie Kirby, a manager at Blue Mercury on Magazine Street, giggled when I questioned whether I had actually seen the desert-like mirage of a woman with non-melted make up. And then she assured me, the look was indeed possible. You just need the right products. First, she recommended using a mattifying primer. Primer! These got a lot of buzz a few years back, but I’d totally forgotten about them. They are the gold standard for smoothing out the skin ahead of your makeup application. She’d follow the primer with a tinted sunscreen like the Just Skin by Chantecaille. Another option is to use a multitasking CC cream like Lune & Aster, which blurs imperfections and already contains SPF 50. Win win! Whichever base layer you start with, she suggests using a setting spray like Jane Irredale or Hourglass to seal it all in. Pro tip: Instead of spraying it directly at your face, tilt your head back and spray from a few inches above, letting the mist naturally fall onto your face.
Local and passionate Beauty Counter rep, Caroline Milling advises using the brand’s Glow First priming serum to prep the skin. She’d follow that with the Dew Skin tinted moisturizer and then apply both Cheeky Clean blush and Lid Glow cream eyeshadow. All are decidedly water resistant, non-greasy and free of harmful chemicals.
At the Metairie-based About Face make up studio there are plenty of products to choose from. Proprietor Lindsey Benoit recommends Bare Minerals 16-hour perfecting powder foundation for a strong base layer. She also swears by the Colorscience Brush on Sunscreen Powder to absorb excess oil and provide touch ups throughout the day. The brush and powder are in one small brush that fits right into your makeup bag. Convenience is key!
In conclusion, it sounds like the world is stacked full of products to help combat the ‘melting face’ phenomenon, you just have to be willing to follow a few steps to get it done. And if you decide you don’t want to figure it all out on your own, book an appointment with event make-up artist extraordinaire Sarah Walsh for a custom makeup lesson! Knowledge is power!
(L to R)
Coconut Primer, Ashley Sievert Beauty (bonus: local brand)
Ultra Sun Primer, Blue Mercury
Super Serum Tint, Ilia
Youngblood Stay Put Eye Primer at H20 Salon & Spa
RMS locking primer, at Goop
(L to R)
Colorscience SPF Powder, About Face
Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer, Blue Mercury
Lune + Aster CC Cream, Blue Mercury
Double Day Wear by Estee Lauder, Blue Mercury
(L to R)
Kosas Sport Lip Fuel, Pied Nu
Cheeky Clean Cream Blush, Beauty Counter
Hourglass Setting Spray, Blue Mercury
Powder Coated Blotting Paper, Shiseido
Lid Glow Cream Shadow, Beauty Counter
