5 Ways To Survive The Heat & Still Look Half Decent

From a British Beauty Editor living In Florida: real-world tips for face sweat, humidity-proof hair and melting makeup.

The Beauty Ed®’s Note: This is not not a paid advertisement but this article contains affiliate links.

As per, I’m writing to you today from hot and humid St. Pete Beach, Florida, where I’ve lived for almost 5 years. But I know, from all the messages that I’ve received from family and friends back in London, that the weather is boiling there too - in fact, I just checked and it’s 4 degrees hotter in London right now than it is here!

I used to love London in the sunshine - there really is no place better. But when it gets past a certain temperature, things kind of come to a standstill. The tube breaks down (any extreme weather affects London Transport right?). And with no air-con, sea breeze or pool to cool you down, there really is nothing more to do than to strip off - bra included - and just wallow. Or, just grab your bikini, and pop to the beach - if you’re lucky enough to live by one like me (sorry, not sorry 😆)

But the problem is, not many of us can do that. We have jobs to go to!

I remember being pregnant with my first son, Oliver, having to commute into London’s Soho every day in early summer. I was working for Hearst back then in 2005, as the beauty editor for a teenage magazine called CosmoGIRL! As it was a monthly, with three-month lead times (meaning you have to write your articles a full quarter before it hits the press) I’d already written the obligatory How to Sweatproof Your Makeup feature.

I’ve written dozens of them over my 25+ years as a beauty editor writing for various titles, but if I’m being completely honest, the headlines are always the same, and the copy is usually just a variation of the same generic textbook advice like (and I quote) “keep shine at bay by switching to powder formulas” or “swap your regular mascara for a waterproof one to avoid smudging.” Are those tips actually helpful, though? Or just regurgitated clichés?

Living in Florida, where the humidity is relentless - even with air conditioning blasting in almost every building - I’ve had to abandon the standard ‘textbook’ beauty advice. Out here, every single day is a masterclass on how to survive the sweat - and humidity.

A couple of years ago, when Florida was hit by 2 devastating hurricanes - Helene and then Milton - we had zero air con and zero running water for a couple of weeks. So trust me, I understand what the real pain points are when you’re hot as hell. The chub rub. The constant upper lip sweat. The Monica from Friends frizz that takes over the second you step out the door…

To make sure I’m addressing what is actually bothering you beauty-wise in the heat, I asked my lovely Instagram community to share their real heatwave pain points. And that they did. Thanks guys!

So here are my tried-and-tested tips for what actually works when it’s hotter than the Devil’s armpit lol…

🥵 Real Hot Weather Issue #1: “I’m not even bothered trying to look decent!”

“The sweating on my face is unreal 🥵 not bothered trying to look half decent 🤣🤣”

Fair! I get it. There is nothing you can really do to totally stop the sweats, and it does get to a point where you just want to give up and sit in front of a fan, naked, with an ice coffee. But what I will say, is that you don’t have to completely give up!

Instead of wearing a heavy base, try using a ‘glowy’ gel or a face bronzer. It’s often all you need to make you feel human again. Plus, they are so lightweight, you won’t have to worry about your base melting off.

The Weightless Glow: I love the Saie Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Multipurpose Illuminator. It’s really lightweight and gives the skin such a lovely natural glow that you can skip foundation and just pop on a bit of blush or bronzer on top.

The Sheer Tint: I’m also loving the Victoria Beckham Colour Wash Bronze Water Tints. I like the Tanline shade. They are watery and really sheer so build them up by layering if you want more warmth.

The Suits-All Blush: For cheeks, Merit Flush Balm in Stockholm is my absolute fav and one I recommend to all my friends no matter their skin tone.

One to Watch: They have just been launched and I can’t wait to try them: the Jones Road Beauty Bright Skin Illuminating Drops. They have just been launched and I will be reviewing them soon.

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🫠 Real Hot Weather Issue #2: Melting Makeup & Constant Face Sweat

If you have bothered with makeup, and find it’s sliding away by lunchtime, you need to look at your SPF. Anything too thick and creamy will just ball up and ‘pill’ into tiny pieces either the second you apply your base over the top, or a few hours later when the heat kicks in.

• The All-in-One: Try a base that already has built-in protection like IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream which has SPF 40 or SPF 50 depending if you buy it in the UK or US.

• The Invisible SPF: Alternatively, try a lighter makeup primer with added SPF. The new No7 Prime Forever Broad Spectrum SPF50 Primer Sunscreen is gorgeous.

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The Pro Secret For Face Sweat: On this episode of Smiling Gives You Wrinkles®, my makeup artist friend Donna May shared how she manages to keep BBC TV presenters looking flawless when they are filming in the heat for 15-hour days at the Chelsea Flower Show:

“Try not to add more powder. Normally it’s round the sides of the nose and around the top lip, so just take that little bit of extra shine off with oil-absorbing sheets or a tissue, then use a powder puff and just pat it in, dampening it down a little bit.”

The Refresh: Donna swears by the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Anti-Shine SPF 50 Over-Makeup Mist for extra over-makeup protection and a bit of a cooling refreshment.

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🩹 Real Hot Weather Issue #3: Chub Rub & Boob Sweat

This came up many times in my DMs.

“The boob sweat 🤦🏼‍♀️ never had a problem pre-baby, now it’s real! 🥵🫠”

Thankfully, there are actually sticks designed especially for this issue and to be fair, they’re mostly pretty good.

The Lifesaver: I personally rate the Megababe Thigh Rescue Anti-Friction Stick. I tried it after interviewing the brilliant founder, Kate Sturino, for this article in HELLO!. It goes on smooth like a regular stick deodorant, doesn’t stain your clothes and really does the job the whole day.

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👁️ Real Hot Weather Issue #4: Sore, Dry Eyes

I feel your pain here. I have suffered with dry eyes since I was a teenager - apparently I don’t fully close them when I sleep (😳) which causes them to dry out.

When your eyes feel scratchy and sore, I’d suggest skipping mascara entirely to avoid irritating them further. 100% avoid tubing formulas as the tiny tubes that flake off when your remove them might trap in your eyes. But if you can’t bear to go entirely bare:

The Gentle Volume: Use a formula like Clinique High Impact™ Mascara which is opthalmogically tested, won’t irritate sensitive eyes and gives a lovely, natural volume.

The Quick-Set Liner: For definition, choose a gel liner like Ilia Clean Gel Eyeliner which ‘sets’ really quickly and behaves itself on sensitive eyes.

The Beauty Editor Mascara-Free Face Hack: Personally, I don’t wear mascara during the day when it’s this hot. If I want to lift my face and give it structure, I’ll just wear a brighter lipstick instead. I’m loving the e.l.f Glow Reviver Slipsticks that are like a lipstick/lipgloss hybrid. My fav shade is Loveslick - a warm pink.

Frame the Face: If you feel ‘naked’ without eye makeup, add definition to your eyebrows instead to open up your face. I love the Refy Clear Brow Sculpt Gel, brushing it upward through my brows to give them a lifted, naturally ‘laminated’ finish.

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🦁 Real Hot Weather Issue #5: Hair Frizz!

As one of my followers put it:

“My hair is naturally curly and I [normally] blow dry it straight but with this weather I wash it every morning and rub in products and let it dry naturally and I just scope it up, but I caught a reflection today of myself and I look bloody awful XXX”

Same same. But you can get your hair looking more than half decent if you follow this ‘air dry’ method that I’ve nailed down to a tee. No frizz allowed:

1. Ditch the Silicones: Use a silicone and sulphate-free shampoo. Silicones actually dry the hair out over time, and the drier your hair is, the more moisture it will suck out of the humid air, causing it to poof! I love the Chāmpo shampoos, and the Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo is great.

2. Swap Rinse-Out For Leave-In Conditioners: You want your hair to be as smooth as possible to trap the moisture in so go straight for high-performance leave-ins to trap moisture deep inside the hair shaft. My absolute fav (and probably one of my most recommended products) is the K18 Leave-In Molecular Hair Mask - I’ve written about it loads - read more about why I (and loads of you too) love it here.

3. The Multi-Tasker: I also love the Michael Van Clark Lifesaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment. It’s a phenomenal multi-tasker that treats, styles, and protects hair against UV rays all at once. I slather it on damp hair and let it air-dry. If you have wavy hair like mine, it defines your natural texture without the crunch.

   

🌟 The Ultimate K18 Air-Dry Power-Combo

You all know how much I absolutely love the original K18 Molecular Repair Hair Mask, but the K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil is the real secret weapon for toning down the frizz in between shampoos. Just make sure you use it quite sparingly.

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