Waterproof makeup is the best way to look your very best no matter what summer throws at you! Discover some of these must-have products to add to your beauty kit this season or any season.
Why use waterproof makeup?
Sure, it’s water-resistant, but waterproof makeup is also great at camouflaging imperfections and highlighting specific areas of your face, even at the most extreme times of the day. Better still, this type of highly resilient makeup often contains volatile oils (also known as essential oils), plus vegetable, animal or mineral waxes, and other special ingredients that offer the benefits of long-lasting makeup.
How to apply waterproof makeup
We recommend applying waterproof makeup to your skin when its completely dry. So, allow your skin to fully absorb your moisturizer before applying any other makeup. And make sure you use your waterproof makeup subtly, to avoid unsightly surprises, because the final results of your makeup only become visible after about two minutes, once the volatile oils have evaporated.
Don’t forget to use a foundation for your face and eyelids if you're going to use blush!
A few waterproof makeup brands to try
Mascaras, foundation, lipsticks, setting sprays or makeup removers: here are a few good waterproof choices for you to try.
Waterproof foundation
Try these waterproof/sweatproof foundations and concealers offering a natural finish, with adjustable coverage and long-lasting hold.
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SuperStay Full Coverage Liquid Foundation from Maybelline New York:With a matte finish that’s comfortable and light as air, this oil-free, dermatologically tested foundation is ideal for all skin types and offers up to 30 hours of hold.
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Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Matte Finish Powder Foundation (L'Oréal Paris):This powder foundation has a light, creamy texture that blends into your skin from the very first application, offering great coverage, a natural-looking matte finish and up to 24 hours of hold, for a smooth, even skin-tone all day long.
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Double Wear Long-Lasting Transfer-Proof Foundation (Estée Lauder): Oil- and fragrance-free, this 24H foundation is so comfortable, natural-feeling and light, you'll almost forget you're wearing it! Better still, it never changes colour, resists smudging, and won't stain your clothes.
Before choosing a product that’s labelled “long-lasting,” make sure it's actually water-resistant or waterproof, which isn't always the case! When a foundation is truly waterproof, it usually says so clearly on the front label.
Waterproof mascara
Waterproof mascaras and eyeshadows can sometimes irritate your eyes, so some people prefer to use their favourite mascara first, before applying a nude mascara to waterproof their lashes.
Several brands offer highly effective, waterproof mascaras:
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Hypnôse Mascara (Lancôme): ideal for sensitive eyes and for people who wear contact lenses, this ophthalmologically tested, waterproof mascara leaves your lashes soft and supple, curled and lengthened, and up to 8X thicker, while ensuring complete separation and no clumping.
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Mascara Vamp! (Pupa Milano): featuring a rich, creamy, comfortable texture, this long-lasting waterproof mascara creates thick lashes that are both dense and incredibly full. Plus, its paraben-, allergen- and alcohol-free formula makes it ideal for sensitive eyes and for people who wear contact lenses.
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Lash Blast Clean Waterproof Mascara (Covergirl): this product features a healthy, vegan, water-repellent and volumizing formula that’s free of parabens, sulfates, talc and mineral oils. It’s also enriched with argan and marula oils to create thicker, revitalized lashes all day long, without smudging or clumping.
How do you apply and remove waterproof mascara without damaging your lashes? Here's a little guide to help!
Waterproof lipstick
No surprise here, but liner pencils are still a must-have for keeping your lips in shape every day of the year.
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Lip Pencil (Personnelle Cosmetics): Featuring natural antioxidants and a creamy texture that's easy to apply and blend, this waterproof, coloured pencil is perfect for shaping your lip lines in a single confident stroke!
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Waterproof Lip Contour Pencil (Marcelle): Resistant to water, humidity and heat, this hypoallergenic, fragrance-free pencil has a creamy, silky smooth lead for correcting imperfections and creating fine lines that are easy to blend.
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Made to Last Lip Duo Lipstick (Pupa Milano): Looking for a more classic lipstick? This rich, intensely coloured liquid lipstick features a water-repellent, smudge-free, comfortable, non-sticky formula that gives you extreme hold, full coverage and a lacquered-looking finish.
Nude shades blend perfectly with any lipstick colour and they also prevent runs!
Makeup Setting Spray
Spray-on makeup fixers are more popular than ever, and no wonder! They create a barrier between your skin and external aggression, like pollution, heat and humidity.
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Lasting Fix Matte Finish Makeup Setting Mist (Maybelline New York): This makeup setting spray mist offers the ultimate matte finish to keep your makeup looking great. It also offers soft, breathable hold and shine control for up to 16 hours.
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Magnifix 4-in-1 Setting Mist (Watier): Rich in antioxidants and free of alcohol, oils, talc and parabens, this vegan setting mist reinforces your skin's natural moisture barrier, leaving it smooth and radiant, while protecting it from blue light and other external harm.
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Long-Lasting, Matte-Finish Setting Spray (NYX Professional Makeup): Enjoy fresh-feeling, breathable, long-lasting makeup with this lightweight, matte-finish setting mist offering all-day/all-evening hold.
Makeup Removers
To remove even the most stubborn waterproof makeup, you need a dual-phase cleanser that uses both water and oil.
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Deep Cleansing Oil (Watier): Featuring a complex blend of sweet almond, avocado, coconut, babassu and macadamia oils, this ultra-sensual makeup remover dissolves impurities and any type of makeup (including waterproof makeup) gently, instantly and effectively.
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Sensibio H2O Eye biphase micellar waterproof makeup remover (Bioderma): This non-greasy, unscented biphase micellar makeup remover features hyaluronic acid to help remove waterproof and long-lasting makeup from your eyes and lips. It also soothes, moisturizes and strengthens eyelids and lashes.
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Biocils Eye Care Eye Makeup Remover (Biotherm): This high-performance, dual-phase eye makeup removal product removes all traces of waterproof makeup perfectly and is ideal for even highly sensitive eyes.