It’s not a question of if you’ll be caught in a springtime shower; it’s a question of when.
The key to looking your best when it does rain is taking a relaxed attitude, experts say. On those days, don’t try a complicated hairstyle or a dramatic smoky eye.
“Enjoy the moment to be simple,” says Melissa Silver, Maybelline New York makeup artist. “Why fight it?”
The important thing — no matter how your look turns out — is to make it seem purposeful, not like you were caught off-guard, says Linda Wells, editor-in-chief of Allure magazine. It’s better to start with, say, tousled hair than try to undo or redo a manicured, sleek style on a day that the weather will win.
Some pre-emptive steps — and quick easy fixes:
Hair
Know your hair type, says Ammon Carver, artistic director for Matrix.
—Surprisingly, curly or wavy hair is going to be easier to deal with, he says. Use a defrizzing gel on wet hair and then let it air dry. Then you can use a curling iron to seal natural waves and curls and limit frizz.
—For straight hair, you need to control the roots and the ends, he says, suggesting a product with at least a bit of oil, which will repel water.
— If you have fine hair, Wells recommends dry shampoo at the roots to add volume, but you’ll want to keep it dry outside to keep the texture right. Keep running your fingers through your hair throughout the day for bounce.
Makeup
Revisit waterproof products, which have been modernized with smoother textures and creamier formulas, says Maybelline’s Silver. A bonus, she says: Waterproof mascara holds curl better.
—Simplify the color palette and avoid powders. One application of a single shade of a long-wear, cream-gel eye shadow that’s highly pigmented will take you much farther than mixing and matching powders in humid weather, Silver says.
—For cheeks, she likes a silicone-fortified, oil-free gel blush (such as Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush).
—Silver steers clear of lip gloss on rainy days because with the rain often comes wind, and hair will get stuck in the gloss and then create whiskers when they’re freed. Wells says a lip stain doesn’t run the same risk of smudging as lipstick.
—Take the pens at the bottom of your purse and replace them with cotton swabs, maybe even the kind with preloaded makeup remover. They’ll remove a smudge without taking off too much.
If you get soaked
—Go to the restroom that has a hand dryer. “You hate them when you have to dry your hands, but you’ll love them for your hair — and they’ll reactivate your styling product,” Wells says.
—When all else fails, carry a headband and ponytail holder in your bag, says Matrix’s Carver, and make sure they have a more Bohemian than refined vibe so they’ll better match the less controlled condition of your hair.
