How I Completely Sweatproofed My Makeup for a Music Festival

By Victoria Moorhouse, InStyle

I know the following to be true of music festivals. Alessandra Ambrosio and Vanessa Hudgens are seasoned regulars—Queens of Coachella, if you will. There’s usually an abundance of gemstone body art happening and everyone is inked with Flash Tattoos. And your makeup? Oh, that stuff is going to melt off your face.

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But never one to just accept ill-favored beauty fate without putting up a fight, I decided to attempt creating a completely sweatproof beauty look for Panorama, a music festival held in the heat box that is Manhattan in July. Here's how I did it, and how my hard work paid off. 

First, I knew since I'd be out in the sun all day, I needed to provide my skin with extra moisture and oil-free SPF protection, thanks to La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin SPF 60 ($20; bluemercury.com). While you might think to skip moisturizer on days where you'll be extra sweaty, Sephora PRO Artist Shawn Lumaban says that's his first prepping suggestion. "I always recommend prepping the skin with products that provide hydration and moisture because our skin becomes dehydrated during the summer months," he notes. 

While I usually don't apply primer on a normal day-to-day basis, I knew I'd need the backup layer to keep my concealer on my face. I reached for Laura Mercier's Oil-Free Foundation Primer ($38; nordstrom.com), while Lumaban suggests Milk Makeup Blur Stick ($36; sephora.com) to refine the appearance of pores. 

[post_ads]Next, since I was having a decent skin day, I skipped foundation completely and opted for just Bobbi Brown's Instant Full Cover Concealer ($30; sephora.com), which is resistant to water and sweat, on areas that needed to be evened out. I secured this in place thanks to a few mists of Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Setting Spray ($32; sephora.com).

If you do want to apply a full-face of complexion makeup, Lumaban suggests a formula like Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation ($35; sephora.com). 

After a little cream highlighter, locking my brows in place with NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel ($6; ulta.com), and tossing a few oil-absorbing sheets and a travel deodorant stick in my handbag, I headed to the festival. There (and after a snack on the car ride over), I finished off my look with the ultra-pigmented, super long-lasting Sephora Collection's Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in Mandarin Muse ($14; sephora.com). 

I thought a lipstick would be a better defendant to sweat, but Lumaban says you can do eyes or lips—the key is really finding water-resistant products. He recommends trying the 12-Hour Sephora Collection Colorful Shadow and Liner for the eyes ($14; sephora.com), or going for a lip tint like Yves Saint Laurent Volupté Tint-In-Oil ($32; sephora.com). "This light weight lip product enhances your natural lip color. With a blend of four essential oils such as kernel, coriander fruit, jojoba seed and possiflora oils, you will be well hydrated, while looking fresh during any summer festival."

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But the hair needed some work. I pulled my strands out of my face thanks to the pros over at the Ouai station in the Sephora x Panorama tent, who used a mixture of Jen Atkin's genius texturizing product to give my hair grit and hold before creating a fishtail.

After three hours, my concealer was still fully in-tact in my problem areas and thanks to lash extensions, I wasn't dealing with any raccoon eyes. My lipstick was a little tiny smudged, but only after downing two giant bottles of water, and the rosiness I always experience in the summer was showing up subtly on my cheeks.

All in all, I'd give my attempt a B+, and if you were going to give it a go yourself, my recommendation would be to pick one focal point of your look and leave everything else relatively simple. The key, for me at least, was prepping my skin and choosing just a few performance products instead of layering it all on.

I still think Vanessa Hudgens is the true pro, but I don't think I'm too far off her game.

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