Waterproof Makeup List & Application Tips for the Longest Wear

For those of us with less than perfect skin, the thought of going swimming or getting through hot humid summer months can be quite scary! If you suffer from oily skin, this thought can be doubly scary! Over the years, I've searched and searched for fully waterproof products that would stay put all day on my oily skin. Recently there have been quite a few companies to release waterproof products such as mascara, eyeliner and lipstick. The most difficult item to find is waterproof foundation. A few companies have taken a stab at it, but not quite gotten it right - resulting in runny, sticky foundation that barely lasts half the day when exposed to water. A large percentage of the drug-store brands have failed, which is unfortunate because it sent me in search of hard to find items that are very costly! Experimenting with various products has led me to collect quite an arsenal of items, all of which I've tested for 10 hour waterproof, matte wear. Each bold-faced brand listing you'll see in this article has a direct link to their respective websites, to make shopping and searching for product info super easy!

Let's start with waterproof foundation. Hands down, the two best I've found are 1) Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Foundation - Retails for about $30.00 at department stores and 2) Colortration - Retails Online for about $39.00.

The Estee Lauder Formula is the foundation I wear every day, because it is very simple to apply. I have insanely oily skin, and have found it's one of the only foundations that stays matte without disappearing from my face. To apply, you can use either your finger tips, or a foundation sponge or brush. Since this item is fairly pricey, I prefer to use my finger tips, since the sponge and brush wastefully absorb too much product. This is one of the silkiest foundations I've ever used - it goes on smooth, covering any and all imperfections in its path. Unless you have a particularly large or colored blemish, there is no need to use concealer under this makeup. If you'd like more detailed info, I've written a product review on this item, just click here to view: Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Review.

I have two methods of application for the Estee Lauder Foundation. The first is to place a pea-sized dollop of makeup on my index finger and rub together with my other index finger, then apply all over my face quickly, as if I was applying moisturizer. This is the fastest application that provides the most even coverage. If you have dry skin, I would definitely recommend applying a moisturizer first, for ease of application. Having such oily skin, I sometimes skip moisturizer during the day and just use Proactive Benzoyl Peroxide Lotion. The second method is to apply in sections to my face. This provides a bit heavier of an application, and also increases staying power. If you're getting ready for a particularly long day in the sun or in water, I recommend this method. Think of your face as being divided into four sections, as if you were to draw a cross with one line down the center of your face, and another line horizontally across the middle. Apply makeup to these four sections, blending outward towards your hair line. If you are seeking heavy-duty oil control, try a translucent loose powder product called "Mattify!" which can be found on Ebay by typing Mattify into the search. You can apply this before and after foundation to assist in extra oil control and longer lasting makeup. Apply the rest of your cosmetics (blush, loose or pressed powder, eyeliner, lipstick) and then spray your entire face with a makeup setting spray. My favorite is called Model In a Bottle and can be purchased online for about $18.00 per bottle. This forms a protective layer over your makeup to further assist in water resistance and oil buildup for about 4 hours. The company is working on the creation of a travel size version to make this wonderful item portable so it can be used for touch-ups. Now that you've completed this process, you can look forward to a fully waterproof face that lasts between 5 and 6 hours without touchups. If you're only engaging in sporatic water-sports or exercise, or dealing with high-humidity, this will last between 6 and 8 hours.

The Colortration Foundation is a bit more heavy-duty and longer lasting. I'd suggest this if you will be swimming all day, or braving hot humid elements. The only down-side to this makeup is that you must order online - I haven't found anybody who carries it in a store, which makes color selection tricky. The good part is the company offers a trial pack of vials for 17.00 that includes six shades of your choice. The makeup is so concentrated that these vials alone will probably last you the entire summer, unless you need to waterproof yourself every day.

To apply Colortration, you must have a bit of patience, since the color dries so quickly. For those with very oily skin, I'd suggest using an extremely light-weight oil free moisturizer first, and allowing to dry for a couple of minutes. Use one pump of color and work a very small amount over the face, one section at a time. You must remember to blend quickly once it comes in contact with your skin! Blend towards your hair line with fingertips or a cosmetic sponge in short, whispy motions. Again, I've found it's more cost effective to use your fingers to blend, so you won't be wasting product when it absorbs into the sponge. The product will dry to a very matte finish that will not rub off. For additional staying power use a few spritzes of their Barrier Spray. The website says it is only for use on the body - but I called the company and found out it's perfectly fine to use on the face. They put that warning up so that people will not spray on their faces and get the product in their eyes, which I'm assuming would really sting! I've used it on my face several times and never had any irritation or breakouts from doing so. It is a bit more effective than the Model In a Bottle Spray in that the finish lasts longer - about 6 hours before you feel you need to do a refreshing re-spray. The Colortration website has a full listing of products you can use along with their foundation - including a face smoothing primer and liposome moisturizer. If you don't need much coverage, but would still like a good waterproof foundation, you can mix the Colortration with the moisturizer for a sheer finish. Colortration will stay on your skin despite water, sweat & tears for about 10-12 hours.

Colortration can also be used as a spot concealer for particularly stubborn blemishes and for extra staying power, underneath the Estee Lauder Foundation. In preparation for a 12 hour day at the beach, I used this method and my foundation was all still perfectly in place at the end of the day, with very minimal touchups. A small miracle for someone with skin as oily and breakout-prone as mine! Although this item is very pricey, a little goes a long way and the fact that it stays put all day long is priceless!

Now that we've looked at foundations, it's time to discuss other waterproof makeup to complete your look.

Quite a few waterproof eyeliners have hit the market lately, some with better quality than others. Cover Girl makes the most inexpensive one, but the product only stays put for about 5 hours and tends to streak if you accidentally touch or rub your eyes. Here are my two favorites: Mark Cosmetics Liquid Waterproof Eyeliner which can be purchased online for around $6.00. My second favorite is a drug-store brand called Styli-Style 24who has both pencil and liquid liners that cost around 7.00. The Mark liner is a liquid that goes on smooth using a very skinny brush which can be used to create a thin line or turned at a 45 degree angle to create a wider line. This formula stays on all day and doesn't budge when it comes into contact with water. The same goes for the Styli-Style liquid liner, my favorite of which is in the form of a felt-tip pen. Once you put this stuff on, it stays until you remove it with makeup remover. One of the best makeup removers is by Cover Girl Clean Eyes and costs about 5 bucks. There's no need to spend a lot on fancy makeup remover, this one is a gentle creamy formula that removes even the most stubborn cosmetics.

I've only found one blush that is waterproof, called Illuminaire Ultimate All Day Blush available online for about $18.00. It lasts as long as the foundation because it seems to bind with the makeup, especially when set in place with one of the makeup setting sprays listed above. Apply a very small amount with your fingertips on the apples of cheeks and blend outward towards hairline. For extra staying power dust with the Mattify! Powder.

Waterproof mascara is the easiest item to find of all the products in this article. Almost every drugstore and high-end company has come out with a waterproof formula, and most of them are up to the task. I can tell you of two NOT to try - they are absolutely horrendous! The first is Clinique Lash Power and the second is L'Oreal 2 Step Volume Shocking. The Clinique mascara claims to be water resistant but it flaked off when I was just sitting in a movie theater! I must've rubbed my eyes a couple of times, because after the movie was over, little tubes of mascara littered my cheeks. The L'Oreal formula does stay put in water, but the mascara brush is awful. The bristles on the actual mascara side don't extend more than 1/10^th of an inch from the brush, making for gloppy undefined lashes with blobs of mascara sticking to them. The brush on the clear base coat side is one of the best brushes I've ever used. Too bad they didn't make the actual mascara brush the same way!

Ok, enough of the brands that don't work, here are some that do. My absolute favorite is Cover Girl Lash Blast - one you've probably seen before, in the bright orange tube. At only 6 bucks, and conveniently found at any Walmart or Drugstore, this tops my list as the most accessible and lowest price waterproof cosmetic. Apply two coats of this after curling your lashes and the result is lengthy voluminous lashes that survive any type of water activity or humidity. Not only does the mascara itself stay put, it also holds your curl all day long and far into the night. If you feel that you simply must spend a lot on mascara, try Christian Dior Diorshow Mascara, which retails for about $25.00. This wears just as well as the Lash Blast, but also provides a little bit better lash separation.

Lipstick is another easy find - there are now several on the market that provide all-day waterproof, food-proof wear. If you want to go with a less expensive brand, I'd recommend Cover Girl Outlast or Maybelline Superstay Lipstick. These come in a wide variety of colors and stay put for at least 10 hours. If you're more prone to a quality name-brand, go for MACPro Longwear Lipcolor which costs around 20.00 at department stores. It has a super-glossy, non sticky top coat and stays put for about 12 hours.

Tips to make your waterproof makeup last longer:

DON'T use heavy, thick moisturizer before application.

DON'T rub face with a towel when you're drying off.

DON'T pile on heavy colored powders to absorb moisture - you'll have a cakey mess!

DON'T apply waterproof lipstick after applying moisturizer or Chapstick. The color will not stick. Apply to clean, dry lips.

DO use a very light oil-free moisturizer if you feel the need to moisturize.

DO gently blot water or sweat from your face so you don't disturb or smear your makeup.

DO use blotting papers to absorb excess oil or sweat without disturbing makeup.

DO use a translucent oil absorbing powder like Mattify! (after blotting excess moisture) to re-mattify your face.

DO carry makeup-removing cloths with you in case you need to remove old foundation & apply new.

DO carry your foundation with you, in case you're in need of touchups.

I hope my product discoveries will help you have maximum fun in the sun and water this summer - without having to stop for a minute to think about your makeup!