The Best Sweatproof Makeup, According to Experts

Tatcha’s primer smooths texture, helps makeup last longer, and is made with skin-barrier-supporting ingredients. Beauty writer and consultantKristina Rodulfoand celebrity makeup artistMarz Collinsboth say it’s essential for makeup prep. Collins, who likes how easy to layer it is, used it on her client Lainey Wilson for her recent music video for the song “Out of Oklahoma.”

Makeup artist Deanna Mellusorecently discovered REFY’s oil-control face primer while on set on a 90-degree day. After five hours in direct sunlight, the foundation on the models she was working with didn’t budge.

For more mature skin, Collins prefers this oil-free Lancôme primer. It smooths out fine lines and wrinkles before applying foundation, and it mattifies skin without dehydrating it.

“This actually physically stops sweating,” says Rae, who notes that Alcone supplies makeup for big productions like operas andSNL. Stop the Sweat isn’t technically a primer, but Rae applies the tonerlike liquid product with a cotton pad or sponge and makes sure it sets before adding makeup. Because it’s so effective at stopping sweat, Rae doesn’t recommend it for everyday use, but for special occasions that are especially sweaty.

“Products that are recommended for sweaty skin are usually matte, and I really believe that there are some luminous-finish foundation products that are as amazing,” says makeup artistIsabel Rosado. Her favorite for natural looks is M.A.C Studio Radiant Face and Body because it’s sheer and long-wearing, comes in over 30 shades, and is good for sensitive skin. Collins has had it in her kit for 20 years. “I swear by it. Even if a client’s skin does get a little sweaty, the makeup — the bronzer, powder, everything — is still there because I started with this as a base,” she says.

For medium coverage that’s buildable, reach for Haus Labs’s foundation. Melluso says it has natural-looking coverage, doesn’t move (especially when applied with primer underneath), and has some skincare ingredients. Plus it comes in a wide range of 51 shades.

For a full-coverage matte finish, makeup artistTara Laurenturns to Cover FX. “I have used this foundation along with the brand’sconcealerfor clients in the unforgiving summer heat of New Orleans with no worry at all,” she says. Both products are transferproof and come in a wide variety of shades.

Rodulfo recommends Covergirl’s Outlast Extreme Wear for a more affordable full-coverage foundation. “It’s truly full coverage, dries down matte, and once it sets, it’s not goinganywhere,” she says. “I have to cleanse three times — micellar water, cleansing balm, cream cleanser — to really get it off.” Plus, the formula has SPF 18 for sunny days. “I wouldn’t use it on its own, but it’s always great to have additional protection.”

“Concealers as foundations are already designed to be richer, more concentrated, self-setting formulas, as they tend to be used in areas that crease,” explainsBritty Whitfield, one of the many makeup artists who recommended concealers rather than foundations for full-face sweatproof looks. She fell in love with M.A.C’s formula after using it for a client’s bridal look — and for another client’s red-carpet look the next day. She says it kept her clients’ skin “perfect and polished but without looking like pancake batter — and there was no need for me to touch up two hours later.”

Both makeup artistAmy Zdunowski-Roederand Collins like IT Cosmetics waterproof concealer because it’s buildable, waterproof, and moisturizing. A little goes a long way, so Zdunowski-Roeder recommends starting with a tiny dab and working up from there. And most of the time, Collins says she doesn’t need to apply powder on top of it, since it stays in place on its own.

Makeup artist and host of the podcastThe Life of a Makeup ArtistJaleesa Jaikaranput UOMA’s concealer to the “ultimate wet test” when she wore it in New Orleans recently. “NOLA in the summer is no joke,” she says, and she reports that the concealer held up in the heat. “Of course, I made sure that I stayed out all day and danced my life away to really see what its longevity was. At the end of the night, I was still perfect.”

Layering cream and powder blush is a popular technique for long-lasting blush. Houston-based makeup artistLisa Pelayo’sgo-to all-in-one palette is Patrick Ta’s Crème & Powder Blush Duo. The cream offers for more sheer coverage, and the powder does a couple of things: it sets the cream formula, helps it last longer, and adds more pigment without being too cakey or heavy. “The product stands out better in picture, but doesn’t look too strong in person,” she says.

Rosado prefers liquid blush over cream formulas, because they work like a stain. Both her and Adenuga’s favorite is Nars’s liquid blush. Adenuga says it’s incredibly pigmented but still easy to sheer out or build up. It dies down to a skinlike finish without any tackiness, and it blends seamlessly over foundation or bare skin. To make sure it’s even more sweatproof and long-lasting, Rosado recommends dusting a translucent powder on top.

Melluso likes this gel-like blush stick for the same reason as above: It’s lightweight, buildable, and has a stainlike effect. She adds that it’s slightly dewy and hydrating, which can help if you have dry skin or are out in the sun all day. “This one stays on without looking cakey,” she says. “And if it fades a little, it leaves you with a natural flush.” On top of that, if you need to reapply, the stick format makes it especially easy to do.

Marz and makeup artistBrielle Pollarause this waterproof Maybelline mascara on most clients. “They can literally cry or sweat, and this doesn’t come off,” Marz says. She also likes how deep the black pigment is and the precise brush. The one downside, she notes, is that it’s difficult to get off, even with oil cleansers.

Here’s another drugstore pick that can last through sweat. Beauty influencerDaus Mendozawore L’Oréal’s mascara at this past Coachella, and it lasted through the entire day and into the next morning. “My lashes were still up and going,” he says.

For a formula that’s gentler on the lashes, Collins recommends Chanel’s Inimitable Waterproof Mascara. It’s just as budgeproof as the Maybelline, but it comes off easily with a cleanser.

Melluso, who’s tested many waterproof mascaras, always comes back to M.A.C.’s Extended Play mascara. Recently, she worked on a shoot in Jamaica that required the model to go fully underwater. “I was like, Okay, let’s see if this product really works,” she says. “I’m telling you, it did not budge. It did not smear or go down her face. My mouth actually dropped.”

For anyone with long lashes, Rosado suggests applying a setting powder (more on those later) or an eye base like this M.A.C one, even if you’re wearing waterproof mascara. She explains that if your eyelashes touch your eyelids, the natural oils from your skin can break down the formula and cause smudging. “I find this step really important,” she says, adding that the M.A.C eye base goes on invisible, keeps your eyelids matte, and creates a long-lasting barrier between lashes and sweaty skin. And since it’s a primer, it will help your eyeshadow stay on longer and last through sweat.

For a liquid eyeliner that won’t budge, Rodulfo recommends Pat McGrath’s formula. In fact, she wore it while running the New York City Marathon, and her winged-liner look was intact after 11 sweaty hours. “I applied at 4:30 a.m., and it did not smudge or fade when I crossed the finish line at 3:30 p.m.,” she says. “In 26.2 miles, there was a lot of sweat and tears — and this PMG liner lasted through it all.”

Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencils are mainstays in both Pelayo and Whitfield’s kits. “They’re very soft and very pigmented when you apply it, and it sets after a couple seconds,” says Pelayo. Plus, it comes in over 30 different colors and finishes, including matte, satin, glitter, metallic, and shimmer.

Whitfield likes Inglot’s AMC gel eyeliners for tear-duct lining with minimal to no transfer. Rosado calls out its black liner (No. 77) for being bold and super matte, and recommends mixing it with a drop of Inglot’s liquidDuralinesolution to make it even more waterproof and longer-lasting. The eyeliner comes in 27 other colors.

Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer was brought up by both Melluso and Adenuga. It has an invisible finish and works beautifully under all types of shadows (matte, shimmer, or glitter). Adenuga says it’s her personal go-to for summer events. “I’ve worn it under smoky eyes in sweaty situations, on red carpets, and in humid climates,” she says. “It never lets me down.”

A setting spray or powder helps keep everything in place. Three experts brought up Urban Decay’s All Nighter Spray. Pelayo likes using it on drier clients because it doesn’t bring out texture the way powders can. Jaikaran and Rosado both complete most looks with it. “Anytime I have clients that are going to events, I always make sure I have this with me,” says Rosado of this setting spray. On multiple occasions, she’s had clients come back to her saying their makeup lasted all night — through tears or dancing — and in some cases until the next day if they fell asleep with their makeup on. An added benefit is that the spray “picks up the pigment of eye shadow” and enhances the color, she says. It also comes in apowder form, recommended by Zdunowski-Roeder for being lightweight, blurring, and long-lasting.

One/Size’s waterproof setting spray was called out by multiple makeup artists as well, including Melluso. She says it performed so well on a sweaty shoot in Florida that she ended up buying it for herself. Adenuga adds that it locks everything in beautifully. Her tip, if you want truly budge-free makeup, is to layer this before and after foundation or blush.

Laura Mercier’s setting powder was also recommended by three experts. Rosado likes the universal translucent powder for very oily skin. Beauty copywriter Ruby Buddemeyer uses it herself year round on her acne-prone, sensitive skin. “I especially love it for sweaty summer days.” Buddemeyer says of the lightweight, non-drying product. “All I do is sweep it over my face after foundation and concealer, before blush and bronzer with a fluffy brush. It helps create a smooth, matte finish that keeps my makeup in place all day — even through an NYC commute, which honestly, says a lot.” Melluso, who’s typically not a fan of powders, says this is the only one she’d recommend because of how lightweight it is. She recommends using it only on your T-zone to combat sweat and relying on setting spray to lock your makeup in.

“Sometimes sweat is inevitable, which is why I always keep a pack of these blotting sheets in my bag,” says Buddemeyer of Tatcha’s blotting papers. She likes that the natural abaca leaf and gold flakes gently remove excess oil and shine without messing up makeup. She recommends lightly patting your skin—not rubbing or wiping—whenever you need a quick touch-up.