5 Makeup Essentials for Dry Weather

With the summer heat coming strong, it’s about time to make some changes to my makeup routine to deal with the dry weather. I’ve combatted dry weather a lot, whether it’s the blistering cold or the desert heat waves. As someone who gets dry skin easily, I have to be careful to think about the makeup products I’m using when it comes to doing makeup for dry weather.

I’m sharing with you five of my favorite types of products for dry weather. You can also check out my 5 recommended makeup products for humid weather, too.

If you are going anywhere with lots of sun (or snow) exposure, you need to pack at least 30 SPF sunscreen lotion. Sunscreen is a given when you’re in the desert, but I get sunburnt skiing during the winter, too. A good sunscreen should protect against UVA and UVB rays. Look for lotions and not sprays because they will help keep your skin hydrated in the dry weather. I use CeraVe’s AM Daily Facial Moisturizing Lotion for the face because it’s less oily than most generic sunscreens and leaves no residue.

Tip: Apply sunscreen before any other makeup and let it soak in for at least five minutes before applying the rest of your makeup.

A heavy-duty lotion is also essential for the end of the day to combat the effects of dry weather. Dry weather plus heat or wind takes a toll on your skin, so you should add as much moisture back as you can. My favorite heavy-duty moisturizing lotion is the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, which is also one of my favorite drugstore products. When I was having really dry, flaky skin in the winter, it was the only drugstore moisturizer that truly helped keep the moisture in my skin especially overnight.

Mascara is one of those makeup products that I bring wherever I go. I tend to use a waterproof mascara because cold and dry days can be windy, which makes my eyes water. However, feel free to pull out your favorite non-waterproof mascara if you are going somewhere with dry and hot weather—just make sure not to use it on beach days.

Tip: My favorite waterproof mascara when I’m on a budget has to be Maybelline The Rocket because it stays on (almost) no matter what.

The part I hate most about dry weather is chapped lips, so I pack chapstick wherever I go. I picked up my favorite chapstick by far when I was down in Arizona called Arizona Sun Lipkist Lip Balm. It was super moisturizing even in the Arizona heat and the SPF protection protected me from chapped lips. When I can’t find that one, my drugstore go-to is Nivea’s Milk and Honey Chapstick.

Most lipsticks, especially liquid formulas, make my lips even drier leaving them cracked and painful the next day. If I want to add a pop of color, I opt for a tinted balm or chapstick, instead. My favorite balm is Revlon’s Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain because the color lasts all day without reapplying and the formula is incredibly moisturizing. They make new lines of this product that are matte or shiny, but I hear these new formulas don’t work as well.

Since I’m a blush lover, I usually wear blush about every day. But if I need to pack makeup for dry weather, I usually leave my powder blushes and highlighters behind. Because the dry weather dries out my skin, I bring cream or liquid blush that will moisturize and add color. For an all-in-one blush and highlighter, I love the Beauty For Real Blush + Glo. I originally got this product in Boxycharm, a makeup subscription service, but I fell in love with it because the color payoff is great and easily blendable.

These are my choices of makeup for dry weather that keeps my skin and face healthy. Whether I’m going to the desert or to the snow, it’s important to use hydrating makeup when it’s dry. It’s much easier to prevent dry skin than to fix it.

Let me know in the comments what your best makeup tips are when you travel somewhere dry. Don’t forget to check out my 5 Makeup Essentials for Humid Weather, too!

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