Summer is finally here and with summer comes sweat. The makeup you so diligently apply before you head to work in the morning will probably not last the day. So, if constant reapplication isn’t something you have time for, your best bet at staying put together and composed is by following the less is more rule. Abandon your 10-step glamorous makeup routine and follow a simple ritual so that your skin does not sweat a bucket and your makeup stays intact during the hot summer days. To give you an idea of how to go minimal this summer, we talked to model Malika Mahat who guided us through her minimal everyday makeup routine. She says it is this makeup ritual that keeps her looking fresh throughout the day despite the soaring temperature. 

A strong start
Mahat likes to put on a lot of moisturizer on her face before she starts putting on anything else. She, apparently, has incredibly dry skin so a good moisturizer is a must for her. Putting on moisturizer first thing on a summer day sounds like a recipe for disaster but Mahat insists that, even during those excessively hot days, your skin needs to be moisturized. So a good moisturizer is a must for her even during hot summer days. Her personal favorites are the Lotus and Ziid moisturizer and she is constantly switching between using the two. 

Sun protection
Mahat names this as the most important step in her routine. After applying moisturizer, she moves on to a sunscreen. Sun cream, sunscreen or a sunblock is a must for the skin throughout the year but it is important especially during the summer months as your skin is more susceptible to sun damage. Sunscreen prevents your skin from premature aging, sunburn and other skin problems and can apparently even go a long way in preventing skin cancer. But consulting a dermatologist before you start using one is a good idea because a dermatologist will be able to recommend a sunscreen that suits your skin type and one that is ideal for the weather or climatic conditions you are exposed to. Mahat uses a Lotus sunscreen.

Matte it up
Previously, Mahat used a CC cream to finish up her skin perfecting ritual but she says that it’s a bit too heavy to use during summer. So she skips this step altogether. Instead she uses powder because, by this time, her skin is a bit too shiny for her liking. She takes some Johnson’s baby powder on her palm and, with the help of a cotton swab, dabs it lightly all over her face to keep shine at bay. Dusting her face with powder mattes up her face and prevents her makeup from melting off. She sometimes has to reapply loose powder depending on her schedule. 

Naturally rosy
Lightly applying a pale pink colored blush on her cheeks is Mahat’s take on creating a naturally rosy cheek illusion. She claims that this results in that healthy, fresh and youthful look that has become her signature in the recent years. This also defines the apples of the cheeks and gives that refined high cheekbones look. Mahat emphasizes on lightly dusting on the blush on her skin and avoids going overboard with it as applying a ton of blush makes you look incredibly flushed out and that is not the correct use of a blush. Apply it lightly and blend it in properly.

Refining the eyes
A pumpkin orange color is Mahat’s pick as her eye shadow. Although she ventures into other colors every now and then, her preferred shades are those close to the orange tone. She uses it liberally over her lids and blends it in with a brush. Mahat then fills in her eyebrows and, as eyebrows frame your face, she considers this a really important step for anyone who wants to look put together. She then moves onto defining her eyes. She likes using a winged angled brush to create subtle wings at the outer corners of her eyes. She believes this really frames her eyes and gives her a sultry look and creates a flattering shape around her eyes as well. However, Mahat confesses that she does not always apply mascara to her lashes. “I think this is a personal choice. I would also do it but most of the times I don’t have the time or the patience for it,” she explains. 

Lastly, a dash of color  
Mahat finishes up her look by dabbing some red lipstick on her lips. She does it just enough for her lips to look plump and rosy and suggests that its better to avoid heavily smearing on lipstick. You just need a little bit of color and, for that, lightly dabbing on your favorite lipstick usually does the trick. But for the color to stay on your lips for longer, try applying lipstick with a brush. And those with dry, flaky lips, should gently exfoliate their lips with a toothbrush before putting on lipstick. 

 
• minimal
 
• makeup