Arizona's triple-digit weather is frustrating to say the least. As a woman, finding heat-friendly makeup and application techniques can be even more irritating. I love the personal expression that comes with wearing makeup, but in the summer, I'd prefer to keep it minimal or not wear any at all.
After living in Arizona for 21 years, I’m still not acclimated to the heat and neither is my beauty regime. As a senior at ASU, my makeup routine has changed drastically since my freshman year. Overall, my attitude towards makeup has transitioned from believing it's a necessity to viewing it as a luxury.
My shift in opinion stems mostly from the resolution of skin issues I battled for years. Now that I love my skin, I’m much more positive about my appearance and confident enough to skip wearing makeup. Before now, I used makeup as a way to hide my skin issues, not to enhance my features. After living through the repercussions of clogged pores, I am an advocate for not wearing makeup in the heat.
Luckily, there are a lot of makeup brands that have realized heat is a condition that can affect how makeup adheres and stays on the skin. In turn, several brands have created long-wear, sweat-proof makeup.
As I look around campus, I realize that many female students have kicked makeup all together. Recently, even in the celebrity world, the no-makeup movement has been a trending topic. Women like Alicia Keys and Nicole Richie have attended important events bare-faced, and other celebrities are using the #NoMakeup and #FreshfaceFriday hashtags on social media.
In a study conducted in 2015 at Hanover College, research found that women’s makeup routines change depending on what they anticipate doing throughout the day.
For makeup to be worth wearing in the heat, I think it’s important to use quality products. Local makeup artist Allison Pynn recommends women use a high-quality primer and long-wear liquid foundation to achieve a long-lasting, heat-proof makeup look.
“My favorite is the Image Skincare primer," Pynn said. "The texture is almost gel-like, and it kind of blurs the skin. My favorite is the Chanel perfection Lumiére foundation. It’s their long-wear one, and it is a bit on the pricey side for sure, but I always say: If you’re gonna chuck money at anything, it should be something that’s covering the majority of your face.”
Pynn said the primer and foundation combination can give up to 18 hour wear.
“The two products combined are what keep your makeup on that long," she said. "It’s incredible.”
In addition to using certain makeup techniques in the summer, it’s important to have a consistent skincare routine to ensure all the makeup is removed for healthy skin.
Depending on your spending habits and makeup preferences, brands like Make Up For Ever or Smashbox can be expensive (especially for college students on a tight budget). More affordable brand, such as E.L.F. Cosmetic, are sold at ASU Bookstores.
If you aren’t in the mood to wear makeup you can try a few other products that still take care of your skin while not clogging your pores. For example, an alternative to wearing makeup would be to wear a tinted moisturizer with SPF that protects your skin from the sun but still has a little color. Instead of wearing lipstick, you can try a tinted lip balm like Burt’s Bees.
An important aspect to realize about makeup is its ability to instill confidence. It can also be liberating to not wear makeup and feel just as beautiful.
A woman’s choice to wear makeup or not is her decision. While I choose to limit the amount of makeup I wear in the stifling Arizona heat, there are many women who choose to wear makeup. I’m a fan of a red lip as much as the next girl, but I’ve found it can be physically freeing and mentally cleansing to not wear makeup and feel just as confident. When deciding your look, makeup only has as much of an influence over you as you let it.
Reach the columnist at atufts1@asu.edu or follow @ArdentAlyssa on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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