It’s an all-too-familiar summertime scenario: You’ve just spent valuable time applying your favorite foundation only for it to melt, separate and smudge the second you step out into the heat and humidity. We tapped professional makeup artists for their expertise, and learned that the best solution lies in your choice of foundation along with a few helpful application tips.
Celebrity makeup artist Elizabeth Seropian suggested rotating out your thicker winter foundations for more breathable formulations that are water- or gel-based and claim to be long-wearing.
Much like when you’re shopping for foundationsyear-round, celebrity makeup artist Emily Gray, an ambassador for Catrice Cosmetics, told HuffPost that you’ll want to cater your summer foundation to your specific skin type.
“For drier skin, look for a formula [that’s] more dewy and hydrating. You won’t have the same issues as someone who has really oily skin with makeup staying on your face,” Gray said.
Both artists stressed that skin prep and application play a critical role in whether your foundation can stand up to the summer elements, no matter your skin type.
“It is key to start with clean and moisturized skin [and] to keep things minimal. Avoid any heavy layering for a fresh, long-lasting look,” Seropian said.
Seropian and Gray also suggested incorporating a mattifying makeup primer as the last step before foundation. It can help hold on to product for longer and absorb oil or sweat.
“One Size Beauty has a really great primer called Secure the Sweat,” Gray said. “Pat this primer in the areas where you sweat: upper lip, forehead, cheeks and chin.”
Finishing off with a setting spray or a face powder for oil control can also help keep your foundation summer-proof, they said.
To find out the exact foundations these makeup artists like best for summer and why, keep reading. You’ll find winners like blurring skin tints that last all day and a cult-favorite CC cream infused with sun protection.
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
A color-correcting CC cream with SPF
This popular, fuller-coverage foundation offers a nearly imperceptible, your-skin-but-better finish and helps cover acne scarring, rosacea and hyper-pigmentation. It contains hero ingredients including niacinamide to brighten and reduce redness, skin-plumping peptides and hyaluronic acid for improved elasticity and hydration.
Available in 12 versatile shades, you can also grab a mattifying version of this formula if you have more acne-prone or oily skin.
A blurring skin tint
This ultra hydrating foundation delivers a blurred, second-skin effect and contains plant-derived amino acids for smoother, plumper-looking skin, along with peach flower extract to help protect against the environmental stressors responsible for premature skin aging.
"The color range is incredibly beautiful and the undertones are perfect," she said.
A long-wearing full-coverage foundation
This cult-favorite foundation features an oil-free composition, a matte finish and good, lasting coverage that works even in humid months. The silicone-in-water formula is buffered with hydrating ingredients, making this compatible for all skin types, and anyone can appreciate its extensive 56-shade range.
A soft matte foundation
An oil-absorbing powder foundation
This foundation features an oil-absorbing kaolin clay base and has a mousse-like matte texture, ideal for those with acne- and oil-prone complexions. The full-coverage formula, which comes in 12 long-wearing shades, also contains ruby powder and skin-brightening tourmaline.
A natural-finish foundation with SPF
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, broad-spectrum sunscreen with and SPF 30 or higher is recommended, so other forms of sun protection should be used alongside this foundation.