Make-up and Heat; Does it mix?

In New York City this week, the temperature has been rising. It's as if the heat of hell had risen through the Earth and came back up within the parameter of New York City. Mother Earth has truly skipped past spring and went straight to the heat of summer. So it is no surprise that I am noticing many of my New York City comrades sweating their well-placed make-up off. You can't stop sweating, but you can make your face look like you never did. What do I suggest they do you ask?
Well they could never step outside the confines of the air-conditioned buildings they live and work in. They could constantly carry their make-up around with them and never stop putting it on. Or the worse option of all... not put any make-up on at all. Now that last option does sound promising if you are going to follow through with the skincare portion, and you happen to have beautiful flawless skin. Most of us are not that lucky. If you care about your appearance and you don't have that naturally perfect skin then I am here to help.
As a Midwestern girl originally I was use to the humidity that came with summer. Growing up I always wondered what it took to stay looking good. It wasn't until I came to New York City that I found the way to keep my make-up looking fresh through out the hot summer days. I started working at a certain luxury cosmetic store and discovered not only many ways to mix and blend make-up, but tips that changed my cosmetic life and my many clients.
First; if you are wishing for that "natural" flawless glow during the summer, but want the make-up to go with it, then you are going to need primer. If you don't know what primer is, then let me tell you that it will be one of the single most important tools in keeping your make-up on. It basically is a light cream or gel that goes directly on to the surface of the skin after moisturizer. It keeps the moisturizer from evaporating and the make-up from soaking into your skin to be forever gone. Plus, you get the added bonus of the primer filling in areas of the face that aren't so flattering, like enlarged pores and scaring. Primers come in many varieties and textures, so go to any of your local cosmetic retailers to check out which one is the best for you. Oh, and ladies.... please use this product lightly. Over use of a primer can result in your make-up rolling right off of your face. No heavy handedness is needed for to apply this tool.
Second; get a foundation that is oil-free or has a small oil content. You can find these foundations anywhere and with almost any cosmetic company. Now it just depend what kind of coverage you like. I suggest Revlon Color Stay or Make-up Forever Matte Velvet as options for foundation. Both foundations are very flexible with the amount of coverage and are guaranteed to stay matte all day long. There is no shine involved and really no need for powder.
Third; if you have followed the first two steps then you are pretty much set. However, there are always exceptions, like when it feels that we are on top of the sun, and no amount of foundation and powder can keep you looking like the princess you are. So with that I say, make sure you take care of your skin! If you take care of the skin your in, then you won't need to worry about foundations later on. Ladies, I shouldn't have to say it, but I will... make sure SUNSCREEN is applied every single day. If you don't have one, then get one! There are many options on the market that can even act as your foundation product. My personal favorite is Peter Thomas Roth Spf 30 Sunscreen Powder with brush. It's an amazing mineral sunscreen kept in a ready filled brush. All you have to do is brush it on and keep going. Other companies like Bare Essentials and Philosophy make products like it as well. Also, these products can be applied on top of foundation. So you not only get to re-matify your face, but you are resetting the button on protection for your skin. You should reapply sunscreen every hour and a half to two hours, depending on how much you are in the sun (or under florescent lighting and computers. They emit UV rays too.)
I will keep mentioning the importance of skincare through out any blog I will write, because this is the only skin you are going to be born with. Once you have done something to your skin or damaged it in so many ways, face it... you can't go back! As for foundation, keep trying out your options. If you follow my basic rules for staying matte and beautiful on a daily basis, you shouldn't have any problems. Please feel free to write to me if you have any other great tips for summer beauty. Thanks for reading!