This Summer’s Favorite Water-Resistant Makeup Products
When the temperatures rise and humidity sets in, one of the biggest challenges is keeping your makeup flawless from morning to night. Our favorite water-resistant makeup products deserve a permanent place in your summer beauty bag, ensuring that your look stays fresh, polished, and smudge-proof —even on the hottest days.
On sweltering summer days, makeup applied in the morning rarely lasts until evening. Heat, humidity, and sweat cause products to break down, settle into fine lines, or even vanish altogether. The solution isn’t endless touch-ups —it’s creating a routine that supports long wear from the start. A good primer tailored to your skin type enhances the staying power of everything layered on top. A light sweep of powder sets your base without adding heaviness, keeping skin comfortable and makeup looking freshly applied for hours.
Of course, when it comes to long-lasting wear, water- and sweat-resistant formulas are at the very top. These products lock makeup in place, preventing it from smudging or melting—whether you’re out in the sticky summer air, lounging by the pool, or caught in an unexpected rain shower. From mascara to eyeliner, from skin-perfecting bases to lip colors, today’s wide range of formulas combine durability with advanced textures, making them essential for effortless summer beauty. Let’s take a closer look at this season’s favorites.
Mascara is the first product that comes to mind when we think of waterproof makeup, and we have two standout picks. The waterproof version of YSL Beauty’s Lash Clash delivers flexible, feather-light lashes with up to four times more volume. Another cult classic is Too Faced’s Better Than Sex Mascara—a must-have for its ability to separate, curl, volumize, and create a dramatic false-lash effect without weighing lashes down.
When it comes to eye makeup, self-adhesive products are a summer essential. Our highlight here is the Armani Beauty Eye Tint, particularly the matte formulas. With its lightweight texture and effortless blendability, it never feels heavy—perfect even for beginners. Recently, Make Up By Mario introduced foam cream eyeshadows that quickly gained attention for their strong staying power, rich pigmentation, and formula that smooths and evens out eyelid texture. But of course, cream shadow isn’t your only option. Powder eyeshadows can also last beautifully when paired with a primer, or with a setting medium like Inglot Duraline.
Eyeliner is another key category, and one of this season’s surprises comes from Prada Beauty. Their gel eyeliners glide on like silk, offer striking pigmentation, and stay put impressively well. For liquid liner, Tom Ford’s dual-tip eyelinerstands out—the two applicators (one standard, one fine) make it easy to achieve any look with precision. For gel lovers, Inglot’s iconic jar eyeliner remains a favorite, even among professional water ballerinas, thanks to its unmatched longevity. Pairing it with Inglot Duraline only amplifies its already excellent staying power.
Brows deserve just as much attention. Bobbi Brown’s waterproof eyebrow pencil, with its ultra-thin tip, allows effortless shaping and definition. Benefit’s multi-tip pencil is ideal for creating realistic, hair-like strokes, while Anastasia Beverly Hills’ brow gel keeps everything locked in place, maintaining shape and fullness all day.
When it comes to foundations, two powerful options shine. Make Up For Ever HD Skin Waterproof Natural Matte Foundation uses micro-skin technology to blur imperfections, delivering a long-lasting natural matte finish. Meanwhile, the iconic Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation is a summer must-have, offering medium-to-full coverage with an oil-free formula that resists sweat, heat, and humidity—keeping your complexion flawless for hours without smudging. If you prefer something lighter, try Urban Decay’s Face Bond Self-Setting Waterproof Foundation, a serum-foundation hybrid with a breathable matte finish.
Concealer naturally follows foundation, and here’s a tip: pairing your concealer and foundation from the same range ensures maximum compatibility. Estée Lauder’s revamped Double Wear Concealer impresses with its creamy texture and strong pigmentation. Make Up For Ever’s HD Skin Concealer offers 36-hour wear, powerful coverage, and texture-smoothing benefits. And don’t overlook Huda Beauty’s #FauxFilter Concealer—enriched with vitamin E and sweet almond oil, it provides medium-to-high coverage while caring for the delicate under-eye area.
In the cheek category, we’re spoiled for choice. Benefit’s legendary Hoola bronzer is now available in a cream formula—perfect for both bronzing and contouring. Make Up For Ever’s new multi-use sticks, available in contour shades and hybrid blush tones, are versatile additions to any makeup kit. For a true blush, Rare Beauty’s unique cream-powder formula not only delivers fresh color but also leaves a flattering, filtered-skin effect. When it comes to highlighter, Benefit’s glow-enhancing formulas give skin a radiant, wet-look finish while still lasting impressively long.
Lip products are notoriously tricky in hot weather—but not anymore. Starting with lip liners, Fenty Beauty’s Trace’d Out Lip Liner and Maybelline’s Lifter Liner stand out for their buttery smoothness, strong staying power, and thoughtful color ranges. For unmatched durability, Huda Beauty’s felt-tip liquid lip liner is unbeatable. While liquid matte lipsticks are an option for long-lasting wear, they can feel heavy in summer heat. Instead, lip stains are the season’s best bet. Clarins’ stain colors lips without drying them out, Tarte’s cushion applicator smooths lip texture beautifully, and Nyx’s extensive stain palette offers a fresh twist with unexpected shades and a comfortable wet finish—making them perfect for summer wear.
Finally, no long-wear routine is complete without a setting spray. L’Oreal’s new setting spray is quickly becoming a favorite, earning praise for its impressive performance. The iconic Urban Decay All Nighter remains a staple for good reason, locking makeup in place for hours. And One/Size Beauty’s setting spray, another viral sensation, has also proven to be a game-changer—an essential final step for long-lasting, melt-proof makeup.
