Cady’s question…Recently I was involved in a conversation with two women discussing ways to make foundation last longer. One said to use hairspray to set foundation, and the other said use antiperspirant on the face to stop sweat from ruining your makeup. They assured me this was safe. I don’t see how it could be, but what do I know? What do you think? (I was mildly horrified but did not want to expose the extent of my ignorance.)
The Right Brain replies:
In general we get nervous when we hear people recommend using a product on a part of the body it wasn’t designed for, so we share your horror.
Hairspray heresy
Using hairspray in this context doesn’t really make sense to us. Hairspray works by spraying tiny droplets that make little “weld” spots that hold hair in place. The formula is not designed to form a uniform layer on skin. Aerosol hairsprays would blast way too much product; nonaerosol sprays can be controlled better but they contain water which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid! The bottom line is: It would very difficult to apply a thin coating of hairspray to your face that would dry uniformly and leave a protective cover over your makeup. Plus, as Purple Rules pointed out in our Forum, why would you want to spray hairspray directly at your face? Not a recommended practice for sure!
Antiperspirant angst
In theory a facial antiperspirant could help reduce sweat that could cause makeup to smear. But in reality, the waxy antiperspirant base would interfere with the makeup’s ability to adhere to the skin. This would give you a much heavier coating than primers. And while it may not be a serious issue, it’s not a good idea to use antiperspirants anyplace other that your pits. The aluminum salts can cause irritation on face especially on the thinner skin around the eyes.
Monistat magic
The only unconventional makeup “trick’ we’ve seen that makes sense from a technical point of view is using Monistat Bikini Chafing Gel as a primer. It contains a silicone that spreads easily on your skin to give your makeup a smooth “canvas.” Read our original post on Monistat if you want to learn more.
And yes, today’s picture is a car steering wheel with a makeup kit built in. How cool is that?!?
What do YOU think? Does anyone else have makeup tips to share? Leave a comment for the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
The hairspray trick is suppose to mimic “Model in a Bottle”. I have tried the hairspray thing before and it did work. Still I stopped after one use because of the fear of the unknown. So I wouldn’t be a reliable source on it’s effectiveness. Maybe you could look up the ingredients in Model in a Bottle and tell us what it’s all about. Possibly a cheaper alternative?
I’m really not crazy about the makeup in the car steering wheel. I know it’s supposed to be used when the car is stopped, but women have high rates of distracted-driving accidents–i.e. driving while texting, eating, putting on makeup. I think that’s pretty dangerous.
Model In a Bottle is friggin awesome. I obviously don’t use it every day, but it’s great for going out for a night on the town. I first picked up a bottle after Oprah raved about it.
PS:
The Ingredients are: SD Alcohol 40B, Purified Water, Isopentildyal, Acrylates / Octocrylamide, Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Biosaccharide Gum, Propylaparden, Methylaparaben, Diazoilinyl, and light Fragrance
There’s a product out there called Model in a Bottle that does feel a little like hairspray on your face, but it really works. Nothing moves.
I would be too afraid to put anything on my face other than a traditional primer.
And the makeup in the steering wheel? So so so unsafe.
I can see doing makeup in the car… last thing before work, while it’s parked. All that natural lighting would be great.