As I was walking in downtown Manhattan last weekend, sporting freshly blown hair and a layer of flawless makeup, on a gorgeous 85-degree day, I had a startling realization: We’re just about to reach peak summer heat. And is there anything worse than feeling beads of sweat form on your face, knowing full well your makeup is about to disappear? I decided to make it my mission to find the best heatproof makeup products for summer that won’t slide off my face—and I had just the place to put my finds to the test: I was due for a ride on the Indy 500 racetrack in just a few days.
As a beauty editor, I go on many lavish press trips with brands, overnight excursions, and extravagant events—it’s the best part of my gig. But riding 150 mph around the most famous racetrack in the country? That was a first, thanks to e.l.f. Cosmetics, which sponsored the only female driver at the Indianapolis 500 this May, Katherine Legge.
Back to heatproof makeup for a second. These long-wear formulas tend to lean toward skincare/makeup hybrids that melt into the skin, instead of just sitting on top. Otherwise, makeup artists suggest using tacky primers and sticky setting sprays to keep your makeup in place. While packing for my trip to Indiana, I thoughtfully grabbed products that covered these categories. Because if you thought heatproof makeup was a big ask, try race car–proof makeup.
Spending a few days with the e.l.f. team inspired more than my fascination for heatproof makeup—I was captivated by the sheer ingenuity of beauty (and business) experts who have done more than make efficacious formulas. The brand shows how beauty can uplift women (one of the many reasons I got into the beauty industry in the first place)—especially in sports. This isn’t the brand’s first foray into the sports collaborations. I first became aware of e.l.f.’s work in athletics when it partnered with tennis legend Billie Jean King to shed light on gender equality in sports. So seeing the brand in action at the Indianapolis 500 was truly a special experience, and the most inspired I’ve felt on a work trip thus far.
But I left the track with more than just inspiration—I had also succeeded in finding heatproof makeup essentials for the scorching summer months ahead. Some of the products below have been in my repertoire for months, and others I discovered to be winners after suiting up, in nearly 90-degree weather, to go 150 mph around a track, helmet and all.
U Beauty The Super Tinted Hydrator
The Bazaar beauty team can’t get enough of Tina Craig’s U Beauty line—especially the brand’s coveted moisturizer, the Super Hydrator. Last year, Craig came out with a tinted version that provides the hydration of a serum, but with a slight tint. Since the formula is so thin and nourishing—courtesy of peptides, avocado oil, and calming oat extract—it instantly melts into the skin before it can even melt off, all the while imparting sheer coverage that can be set with a little powder if need be.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Bronzing Drops
This summer’s bronzing drop craze is real—and for good reason. I mean, who doesn’t love a sheer, healthy tan? Earlier this year, e.l.f. entered the chat with its version of an iridescent bronzing serum, which comes in three flattering shades. I love mixing these drops with my moisturizer, so you can barely feel it on the skin; it lasts for hours. A bonus, I add a few drops into my body moisturizer for a DIY fake tan before heading out the door. Since the drops are filled with skincare, they melt into skin and won’t transfer onto clothes.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer
This tacky primer is the unsung hero of my entire heatproof, race-proof look. The gel-based formula quite literally grips to your skin and acts as a magnet for any products applied after it. Although the formula is sticky upon application, it dries down in under a minute (the brand suggests waiting 30 seconds before applying product afterward, for a long-lasting application) and doesn’t leave any tacky residue behind.
Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint
Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain
This Milk Makeup blush may be one of my favorite summer-friendly launches thus far this year. This lip and cheek stain has a heavenly cooling effect (perfect for scorching hot days) and a unique jelly-like texture that glides onto skin, leaving the prettiest wash of color that lasts for hours. Since it’s a stain, you have to work quickly after applying it, but the formula has a surprisingly nice amount of play time before setting. I applied this bright and early in the morning before hitting the track, and the color was the exact same several hours and a race car ride later.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Brow Laminating Gel
Between putting on the racing suit and bulky helmet ahead of my experience on the track, my brows were bound to get tousled. However, this laminating gel from e.l.f. kept them in place. The formula doesn’t leave a white cast either, which I find often happens with long-wear and laminating gels, and the comb makes it easy to style brows in any shape.
Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Bang! Volumizing Mascara
Benefit BadGal Bang! Mascara in Rebel Brown
If you’re familiar with raccoon eyes after a hot day, you’re not alone. Instead of reaching for a waterproof mascara, I decided to avoid the possibility altogether, by opting for a brown mascara instead of stark black. I love brown mascara for a subtle lash lift, and this Benefit mascara in Rebel Brown tints lashes with a rich chocolate-brown tone and adds tons of volume. I can attest that after taking off my helmet, there was not a fleck of mascara out of place. This is a winner.
Refy Lip Sculpt
Lip products are the first to move around in the heat, but Refy’s Lip Sculpt has gone viral for its staying power. On one end is a perfectly pointed creamy lip liner (which comes in a bevy of beautiful nudes, pinks, and wearable red shades), and the other features a setter that keeps the line in place for up to 10 hours (or through a race car ride). I applied the Rosewood shade all over my lips to enhance my natural lip hue, before applying e.l.f.’s Glow Reviver Lip Oil in Pink Quartz for the perfect pinky nude lip.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Matte Eye Shadow
The Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks are staples for creating beautiful eye looks in seconds, but I love using them as long-lasting eyeliners because they do not budge after application. I use the Café Noir shade, which is a cool dark brown, with an angled eyeliner brush (you can’t beat the price of e.l.f.’s small angled brush) to create a slightly angled wing that lasts from morning till evening.
