Small guide to sweat-proof beauty products
Skincare, make-up and bodycare tips to face summer fresh as a daisy
G-Club
June 6th, 2025
June 6th, 2025
Summer arrives like a slightly overbearing friend: it brings joy, long days, and a zest for life, but also sweat, humidity, and shiny skin. The result? That carefully applied make-up from 8 AM looks like abstract art by 10. And no, it’s not modern art. If, like me, you find yourself battling clogged pores, melting foundation, and marathon-worthy chafing, you're not alone. This guide doesn’t promise miracles, but it offers a drama-free strategy to face summer with dignity and a healthy glow. From skincare to bodycare, including invisible yet powerful allies, here’s what you need to stay fresh, put-together, and gorgeous: like you just stepped out of a beauty fridge.
Skincare: the first step to avoiding make-up and sweat disasters
The base of everything? A smart, lightweight, season-appropriate skincare routine. When sweat glands are working overtime, the goal isn’t to hydrate less but to hydrate smarter, creating a firm surface on which makeup can cling without slipping off at the first blast of heat. Choose gel textures, oil-free moisturizers, and serums with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, that help regulate sebum production and minimize enlarged pores (spoiler: they don't close, they camouflage). Ever tried Laneige's Bouncy & Firm Serum, which, thanks to its combination of collagen and the latest peptides, hydrates, plumps, smooths and firms the skin? Don't neglect cleansing: morning and night, with foaming or gel formulas to keep impurities, SPF and urban pollution in check. And finally, don't forget SPF: even if it's hot and you think “I sweat everything anyway,” sunscreen is a daily must. Prefer one in gel or spray form, which absorbs in a flash and leaves no residue. A good option is Laneige's Hydro UV Sunscreen SPF50, which, enriched with Centella asiatica and Hydro Ionized Mineral Water, acts as a protective treatment that moisturizes, soothes and strengthens the skin barrier. The lightweight, non-greasy texture is absorbed quickly, leaving an invisible finish perfect for daily use. Opt for gel or spray sunscreens like Laneige Hydro UV Sunscreen SPF50. Need refreshment after-sun? Try Face+ Crackling After Sun, with coconut and mint for a cool, lasting sensation. Result? Happy, fresh, tight skin ready to make make-up last longer, even if it's 38 degrees outside.
Sweat-proof make-up base: primer, foundation, BB cream, and CC cream
Your summer base needs balance: even out the complexion without creating layers that turn into shiny messes in the middle of the day. The secret? Layer little and well. Start with primer, an often-overlooked step but game changer in the fight against sweat. The most effective are the mattifying or blurring ones, to be applied only in critical areas (T-zone, chin, sides of the nose). One to try is Prada Refine Blurring Extending Primer, which, with its ultra-light green texture, promises to minimize redness while the mix of silicone polymers, salicylic acid, mandelic acid and silica reduces pores and shine. A good, cheaper idea? Power Grip face primer from e.l.f., which combines ultra-long wear, mattifying effect, gel texture and velvety finish, thanks to a formula with niacinamide, glycerin and Australian myrtle. Foundation? Avoid the full coverage ones and choose long-lasting, breathable and water-resistant textures. One name: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, a no-transfer foundation that is sweat, water and moisture resistant, so perfect for your summer routine. Also great are mineral powder foundations, perfect for combination and oily skin. If the word "foundation" already makes you sweat, choose BB or CC creams with SPF and sebum-regulating formula. A must are the ones by Erborian. Finish with an ultra-thin translucent powder for a set-but-weightless feel. The base will be so light you'll forget you're wearing it, yet so long-lasting it will make it to the 7 p.m. cocktail hour unscathed.
Eye and lip make-up, plus long-lasting blush and no transfer formulas
Your eyes and lips need to pass extreme tests: heat, wind, sunglasses, AC, sweat, and emotional beach nights. Start with eyelid primer. Use cream or stick eyeshadows, gel eyeliners, and waterproof mascara (like Dolce&Gabbana’s Sleek Kohl Glider or Rougj’s Sun Effect). That way you'll avoid the post-midday panda effect. Lips? Go for no transfer tints, pigmented balms, or lip stains that leave color even after ice cream. For blush, choose creamy or liquid textures with water-based pigments, which blends into the skin and stays in place without a mask effect. Also use them on eyes and lips for an effortless fresh&dewy monochromatic look. For those who like contouring and bronzer, the rule is the same: less is more, and the choice should fall on light but long-lasting textures.
Other anti-sweat hacks: refreshing face sprays, blotting papers, and setting sprays
In summer, your beauty bag should become a micro beauty battle spa. The essentials? A facial spray or face mist made with thermal water or aloe, to be sprayed on to lower skin temperature and reduce redness without compromising make-up. Blotting papers are an urban blessing: they absorb sebum and sweat without removing make-up (and only make you glow in your own light). And the setting spray? Crucial. Not only does it fix everything, it creates an invisible barrier against heat, humidity and summer social life. Choose hydrating or mattifying formulas depending on your skin type, and even spray it several times a day as if it were a magic potion against progressive melting.
Don’t forget your body: deodorants, cleansers, and anti-chafing products
Body needs love too. Choose deodorants with no alcohol and antibacterial ingredients like zinc or baking soda. Sensitive skin? Try cream or roll-on formulas like The Sweat Breaker by FIT.FE BY FEDE or Estrid’s Weightless, the world’s first bottom-refillable liquid deodorant. It is available in both deodorant and antiperspirant versions and in three different scents: Petal, bright and floral; Leaf, green and woody; and Wave, fresh and marine. Worried about chafing? Use anti-chafing sticks, absorbent powders, or clear barrier gels. In the shower, go for refreshing, soothing cleansers with mint, eucalyptus, or cucumber. You will leave not only clean, but also rejuvenated. And ready to start your anti-sweat beauty routine all over again, on repeat until September. Bonus tip: store your body products in the fridge for an ice-spa effect that gets you ready for anything, even when it’s 95°F outside.
