A makeup artist reveals exactly how to keep foundation from dripping off your face this summer

This morning, I was all excited to try out a new foundation that had landed on my desk earlier this week. I put it on as usual, and walked out the door feeling fly. Ten blocks and 90 degrees later, though, it was completely dripped off of my face, à la Ronald McDonald. And though we at Well+Good love to take workout inpso from clowns (if you think I’m kidding, please click the link), they are not our first choice for makeup tips. And while drippy foundation is kind of par for the course in summer weather, there are actually things you can do to keep it in tact.

To find out how, I tapped celeb makeup artist Neil Scibelli, who had some A+ tips to share.  First up? Start with a mattifying primer before your makeup to help keep it in place. I’m personally loving BeautyBlender Selfie Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 38 Dry Oil Primer ($38), because in addition to offering a solid hold it also protects your skin from sun damage.

Next, you’ll need to choose the right foundation formulation in order to ensure your look doesn’t get grimy or cakey halfway through the day thanks to all the sweat you’ll inevitably be dealing with. “Switch to powder-based products on the hot days, especially if you’re oily,” says Scibelli. Bareminerals Original Loose Powder Mineral Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 ($31) is a forever favorite because it goes on easily (try applying with a large setting powder brush) and has great staying power. If you are going to go with a liquid or cream foundation, Scibelli suggests setting it with a translucent powder, like Laura Mercier’s version.

While following these steps should keep you photo-ready no matter how high the temperatures climb, if you do find things looking greasy and oily, there’s an easy fix to get things get back to flawless. “You can use a drop of mattifying primer mid-day, applied with a beauty blender or sponge, to absorb shine in the t-zone,” says Scibelli. Melty makeup, see ya never. 

If you want to stay away from foundation, try this sweat-friendly facial oil instead. Plus, here’s the weird way humidity might be affecting your skin.