How to keep your face grease-free under the heat throughout Raya
Oil-free
Beat the heat this Hari Raya with our tried and tested tips for totally grease-free skin.
We’ve all been there—it’s the first day of Raya and, while you’re ecstatic to don your best baju and celebrate with family and friends, there’s no denying that the sweltering heat of Malaysia often leaves you rushing back indoors to the sweet, sweet aircon as soon as the photo ops are over.
Unfortunately, even with your swift moves, five minutes out in the elements is already five minutes too long—the sweat is already beginning to pool in your pits, you’ve got a tragic case of SULA (Sweaty Upper Lip Alert), and your foundation is already melting off.
Now, the solution to the damp pits situation is nothing that a little antiperspirant and a moisture-wicking underlayer can’t fix. The makeup situation, however, is a little more complex. Luckily, the road to a sweat-proof base is well-paved, and these makeup musts are a revelation.
Ahead, find our guide to your grease-free base routine for Raya 2024:
TIP #1: Always start off with an SPF like Supergoop!’s Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40
You know the drill—under our tropical sun, SPF is non-negotiable. That said, using the wrong SPF can leave you looking like a greasy mess. So, to save you the heartache, we’re sharing our ride-or-die base essential.
Supergoop!’s Mineral Matte Screen is for those who prefer to use mineral SPFs. It has a neutral tint that offers slight coverage (perfect for those who favour a more natural finish) and doubles as a makeup-gripping primer that smooths, blurs, and mattifies your complexion all day long.
TIP #2: Use the Smashbox Original Photo Finish Smooth and Blur Primer
So, maybe you’ve already got an SPF favourite that works for you. In that case, an oil-control primer is your best friend for a resilient base. Smashbox’s iconic primer blurs and smoothes the skin for an airbrushed finish while offering all-day oil control. It has a nice, lightweight gel texture that feels very comfortable on the skin, creating the ideal base for foundation and concealer to glide over seamlessly.
Alternatively, if you need a more heavy-duty oil absorber, you can try layering with Glow Recipe’s Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops. The all-in-one pore treatment and primer contains a pore-blurring and oil-absorbing blend of tapioca, rice, and oil-absorbing strawberry leaf extract. TIP: Use it under makeup and throughout the day over makeup for an easy shine-free finish!
TIP #3: Use a matte foundation like the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation
When you’ve got oily skin (or you’re just out and about in Malaysia’s humidity for long enough), the last thing you’ll want to use is a dewy formulation. Rather, your best bet is to opt for a matte or semi-matte finish. You see, under the heat, your natural oils are bound to come through by midday, so you’ll have your dewy glow one way or another.
Lancome’s Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation offers buildable, medium to full coverage for normal, combination, and oily skin with a natural matte finish. Better yet, it’s infused with skincare to improve your skin with time and it is also extremely long-wearing, so you can rest assured that your full face stays put no matter the weather.
TIP #4: Set it all in place with Chanel’s Poudre Universelle Libre
Setting your makeup is a must for a long-lasting base, and the best, most natural-looking way to do so is with a loose setting powder. Our pick is none other than Chanel’s Natural Finish Loose Powder. Now, pressed powders do work well to set your base, but they can leave your skin looking cakey. With this cult-favourite powder, a little goes a long way—the smallest amount dusted onto the skin with a fluffy blush is enough to visibly blur the complexion and absorb excess oil, setting your base for hours on end.
Better yet, no matter how much you layer throughout the day, it won’t look cakey or dusty. Moreover, it comes in four different shades to suit a range of skin tones so you’re never at risk of flashback.
TIP #5: Blot away throughout the day with some Hermès Plein Air Blotting Papers
By far, the easiest way to keep oil at bay is to keep the blotting papers on tap. The Plein Air Blotting Papers from Hermès do a wonderful job of absorbing excess oil without disturbing your carefully crafted base layers.
Find more makeup tips and tricks like this here.
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