Imagine this: you spend 20 minutes perfecting your makeup in front of the mirror. You take an auto or public transport to work, and by the time you reach your workplace/college… your makeup is found everywhere from your phone, to your mask, to your collar, except your face. If you, too, have experienced this, we’d like to re-affirm that it’s not your makeup skills, it’s your makeup products.
No amount of primer, powder, and repetitive rounds of setting spray can make your makeup stand against the Indian heat, sweat, and pollution. This is because makeup products, in the first place, weren’t created to withstand 38 degrees of heat and humidity. While the Indian heat, sweat, and pollution pose a challenge to us makeup lovers, we’ve discovered how to make your makeup look fresh all day long. In this blog, we will tell you how to ace summer makeup and what should be in your essential summer kit.
Why Indian Skin Needs A Different Summer Routine?
If you walk into any international brand’s aisle, you’d find forty shades of foundation, but not a shade that would match your undertone. This is because most products are built for dry, temperate weather conditions. India, being a tropical subcontinent, has extreme summer heat. Most makeup brands do not test their products under the weather conditions in Delhi and Chennai (heat) or Mumbai and Kolkata (humidity).
Indian skin displays an extraordinary range, from fair skin with cool pink undertones to deep, rich tones with warm, golden undertones. However, one thing is very common in Indian skin is that most of us share higher melanin content, a tendency toward hyperpigmentation, and an oily or combination T-zone that goes into overdrive the moment temperatures climb. Layering a heavy, full-coverage foundation on top of all that, and you're not creating a base, you're creating a problem. The formula sits on the skin instead of blending into it, oxidises within a few hours to an ashier or more orange tone than you started with, and by noon, it's collecting in every line and pore.
Pollution, hard water, and UV radiation are stacking up against your skin every single day, which means your makeup needs to work with your skin's biology, not against it. The answer isn't more product. It's a better product designed to perform under such circumstances. Specifically, a base that's lightweight enough to let your skin breathe, smart enough to even out your complexion without masking it, and built with the kind of ingredients that your skin actually benefits from wearing.
If you’re looking for something formulated on this concept, then look no further. That's exactly what a skin tint does and why, for Indian skin in summer, it changes everything.
Introducing House Of Makeup
At House Of Makeup, we are determined to provide clean beauty at affordable prices. We strongly believe that makeup should be formulated with clean ingredients, deliver exceptional performance, and be available at affordable prices. All our products are independently tested by accredited labs to ensure they are non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. Our makeup products are specifically created to suit Indian skin tones and types and perform well under Indian weather conditions without turning patchy or melting away.
Summer Makeup for Indian Skin: A Guide
Here’s how you can make sure your summer makeup stays fresh all day long without melting away.
Step 0: Prep Your Skin For The Heat and Humidity
For the summer, you must prep your skin before applying makeup. You should start with a clean face, ice roll for a soothing base, especially if you have acne-prone skin. Make sure to generously apply a lightweight moisturiser of your choice. Layer it up with a sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Top it off with a hydrating primer instead of a mattifying primer, as it helps your makeup to stay longer in this heat and humidity.
Step 1: Start With Face Anything Luminous Skin Tint
Ditch your heavyweight foundation and try the lightweight, dewy Face Anything Luminous Skin Tint this summer. This skin tint gives you an instant, juicy look, and its super breathable formula gives you a flawless glass skin look. It’s skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and goji berry extract that improve skin texture and rejuvenate and hydrate your skin. It is also enriched with SPF 25+++ that offers additional sun protection in collaboration with your regular sunscreen.
Face Anything Luminous Skin Tint is available in 11 versatile shades ranging from fair tones to deep Indian skin tones and undertones.
Application Tip: Shake the bottle well before use. Squeeze out a few drops of the skin tint on the back of your hand, and dot it evenly on your face. Use your fingertips for seamless blending and sheer coverage on your face and neck. Repeat for more coverage.
Pro Tip: If you have very oily skin, you can set the skin tint with a mattifying setting powder to make it last longer.
Step 2: Targeted Coverage With Spot On Anti-Crease Smoothing Colour Corrector
This color corrector is your secret weapon to neutralize dark undereyes, any skin discoloration, or hyperpigmentation. This creamy corrector is made for Indian skin and is richly pigmented. It comes in 3 shade variants to suit skin tones from fair to deep. Made with ingredients like tomato juice extract and jojoba oil, this corrector helps in keeping your under-eye supple and hydrated, and lightens skin over time.
Shade Suggestions
For Fair to Light Skin Tone: Light Peach
For Light to Medium Skin Tone: Peach
For Deep Skin Tone: Orange
Application Tip: Dab a tiny amount on the areas you want to correct. Blend with your fingers. Layer with a concealer and/or skin tint/foundation for a smooth base.
Pro Tip: For a smooth base, apply it before your skin tint or concealer. Once you blend it well, you can top it off with Zoom In Crease-Free Concealer for an even base.
Step 3: Add A Flush Of Colour With Dab N Glow Easy Blend Lip+Cheek Tint
What’s a summer makeup look without a pop of playful colors across your cheeks and lips? Looking for products to sport a monochrome look this summer? Dab N Glow Easy Blend Lip+Cheek Tint is exactly the product for that!
This multi-use tint can triple function as a creamy blush, lip tint, and eyeshadow. Formulated with skincare ingredients like ginseng extracts and vitamin E, this creamy blush helps in brightening skin, reducing inflammation, promoting collagen production, and moisturising the skin.
Shade Suggestion
-
Fair to Light: Peach Cobbler, Brown Sugar
-
Light to Medium: Burnt Rose
-
Medium to Dark: Fiery Red, Beet
Application Tip:
-
For Cheeks: Apply it directly to your cheek, or wherever you want to add a pop of color, and blend well with your fingers.
-
For Lips: Take a small amount of the tint on your finger. Apply it on your lips and gently massage for a few seconds to get that soft tinted look.
-
For Eyelids: Take some product on your fingertips and gently dot it over your eyelids. Dab and blend.
Pro Tip: In the summer, skip the blush brush. Dab your lip and cheek tint directly with your ring finger and tap it into the skin. This is because body heat helps in blending this cream blush seamlessly, leaving a flush that looks like it came from within, not from a compact.
Step 4: Eyes That Serve A Statement Look With Liquid Luck Silky Eyeliner
Whether you are a fan of bold, dramatic eyes or just a simple winged eyeliner look, House Of Makeup’s Liquid Luck Silky Eyeliner is here to ace your summer looks. The eyeliner has a power-packed formula that contains the goodness of sweet almond oil, rapeseed oil, and vitamin E that soothe and protect your eyes. The transfer-proof, smudge-proof, and waterproof formulation is perfect for days when you need bold eyes in peak Indian summers.
Liquid Luck is formulated with a rich, high-impact pigment that glides on smoothly and sets to a deep matte velvet finish that makes you look sharp, striking, and effortlessly chic. The formulation is dermatologist-tested as it has been thoughtfully formulated with hypoallergenic ingredients that are kind to sensitive eyes, so your liner stays comfortable all day.
Application Tip: Glide the liquid eyeliner along your lash line. Experiment to create different eyeliner looks based on your preference. Let it dry for a few seconds.
Step 5: Finish with Hot Glossip
This summer, throw out your tacky lip gloss that attracts your hair to your lips. It is the perfect reason to try House Of Makeup’s Hot Glossip, a non-sticky, high-shine gloss for the ultimate juicy pout. Hot Glossip wraps your lips in a glossy blanket of color, shine, and hydration, without the annoying hair-sticking-to-your-mouth situation. It’s the perfect answer to pigmented lips as it ensures a thick coat of rich color in one smooth swipe.
Packed with skincare heroes like hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and nourishing natural oils, Hot Glossip looks great and works doubly hard to keep your lips soft, juicy, and oh-so-kissable. You can sport Hot Glossip solo as it is richly pigmented; however, you can also top it over Dab N Glow Lip+Cheek Tint or Dawn To Dawn Super Stay Liquid Matte Lipstick.
Available in Shades
Pinky Swear
What The Tea
Juicy Secrets
Berry Discreet
Naked Truth
Application Tip: Take the gloss applicator and place it at the cupid's bow, pressing gently as you drag it to the outer corners of the upper lip. Repeat on the lower lip.
Pro Tip: For an extra dimension, top it up with a second layer just to the centre. This catches light and creates the illusion of fuller lips without any liner or overdrawn edges.
The Full 5 Minute Routine in a Glance
Step 0: Prep · Cleanse → ice roll → moisturiser → sunscreen → hydrating primer
Step 1: Base · 2–3 drops of Face Anything Luminous Skin Tint → dot, blend with fingertips, build only where needed → SPF 25+++ already in
Step 2: Correct · Spot On Colour Corrector on dark circles or spots only → tap with ring finger · top with concealer if needed
Step 3: Blush· Dab N Glow Lip & Cheek Tint on cheeks, lips, and lids → one product, three places → blend with fingertips using body heat
Step 4: Eyes · One stroke of Liquid Luck Silky Eyeliner along the lash line → let dry for a few seconds → done
Step 5: Lips · One swipe of Hot Glossip from cupid's bow outward → second layer at the centre for dimension → non-sticky, all-day shine
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to avoid so that your makeup stays put throughout your day.
-
Not prepping your skin: Your base makeup performs the best when your skin is well hydrated and moisturised. Skipping moisturiser can make your skin look patchy.
-
Using too much product: In the summer, less is more. You do not need a lot of products on your face. Make sure to use a small amount of product on your face, and layer it up as required.
-
Applying the colour corrector all over: Colour corrector should be used for targeted coverage only. Apply a small amount of product on dark spots or under the eye and blend it out for even product application.
-
Pulling the eyeliner, instead of gliding: This is one of the most common application mistakes when it comes to eye makeup. Rest your elbow on a flat surface, look downward into a mirror, and glide in one smooth stroke rather than dragging or pressing.
-
Apply lip products on dry, unexfoliated lips: Lips are prone to becoming dry and flaky in the summer. Always make sure to exfoliate and apply a thin layer of lip balm to keep your lips hydrated.
FAQ
Q1. Can I wear a skin tint instead of foundation every day in summer?
A. Absolutely, in fact, for Indian summers, a skin tint is the better choice. Unlike foundation, a skin tint is lightweight, breathable, and lets your skin function naturally even in heat and humidity. The Face Anything Luminous Skin Tint also carries SPF 25+++, which means you're getting coverage, skincare benefits, and sun protection in one step. For days when you need more coverage, simply build up an extra layer only where needed rather than switching to a heavier formula.
Q2. What colour corrector should I use for dark circles on Indian skin?
A. It depends on your skin tone. For fair to light skin, a light peach corrector neutralises mild dark circles effectively. For light to medium skin, a peach shade works best. For medium-deep to deep Indian skin tones, go with orange as it has stronger pigment and cancels the blue-grey and brown tones that appear darker on richer complexions. The Spot On Colour Corrector comes in all three shades, specifically formulated for Indian skin.
Q3. How do I stop my makeup from melting in Indian summer heat?
A. Start with a hydrating primer on well-moisturised skin, as this gives your skin tint something to grip onto. Swap heavy foundation for a lightweight skin tint, use cream products like lip and cheek tints instead of powder blush, and blot excess oil mid-day rather than layering more powder. If you have oily skin, a light dusting of setting powder on just the T-zone adds hours to your wear without disturbing the finish elsewhere.
Q4. Is the Dab N Glow Lip & Cheek Tint suitable for all Indian skin tones?
A. Yes, the shade range is designed with Indian skin tones in mind. Peach Cobbler and Brown Sugar work beautifully on fair to light skin, Burnt Rose suits light to medium tones, and Fiery Red and Beet complement medium to deep complexions. Since the tint is buildable, you can keep it sheer for a natural daytime flush or layer it up for a more intense monochrome look.
Q5. Can I wear Hot Glossip over my liquid matte lipstick?
A. Yes, and it's actually one of the best combinations for a long-lasting lip look in summer. Apply Dawn To Dawn Liquid Matte Lipstick first and let it set fully for at least 60 seconds. Then layer Hot Glossip on top for shine and dimension. The matte lipstick underneath acts as an anchor, extending the wear of both products significantly so your lip colour stays true even through meals, heat, and long days.