I'm a beauty writer and swear by this £9 buy to stop make-up melting off in hot weather
As a magazine writer, I've tried just about every primer going: glowy ones, matte ones, ones that promise to iron out every wrinkle or blemish on your skin (they never quite seem to manage it, in my experience). But when it comes to surviving a British heatwave – sweaty tube rides, office air con that just whirrs around lukewarm air and makeup-melting humidity – there's one product I've come to rely on.
Despite trying out primers that top £35, my pick of the bunch isn't an overpriced designer buy you have to hunt down in a niche beauty boutique. It's the e.l.f. Power Grip Primer – and it's just £10. I swear by it for keeping my makeup looking fresh and avoiding that gross greasy effect around my nose, even when the rest of me feels like it's melting.
Don't be fooled by the price – this stuff packs a punch. It has a slightly sticky, gel-like texture that grips your foundation (and anything else you layer on top) like a dream. That tackiness which, granted, feels a bit cloying at first, dries into a lightweight layer that holds your face in place for at least 12 hours.
I've been duly applying it at 8am each morning through this week's heatwave, and I've remained glowy and, most importantly, sweatless through a full working day, exercise classes, two sticky train commutes, and drinks in a crowded 30C pub garden. If I ever do feel SULA (Sweaty Upper Lip Alert), I simply blot the area with a tissue and my foundation doesn't rub off because the primer locks it in place.
It's not only effective, but also good for your skin. e.l.f.'s primer includes hyaluronic acid, so rather than drying your skin out (as some long-wear primers are guilty of), it gives you a fresh, dewy base that keeps you looking glowy (not oily, there's a difference) rather than cakey and heavy.
If you've got a wedding, garden party, or any reason to wear makeup when it's 25°C and up, I can't recommend this product enough. Even if you don't usually bother with primer (I didn't until last summer, and now look back at my greasy face of yesteryear with disdain), it's one of those low-effort, high-payoff steps that really makes a difference. And at £10 for a huge tube, I'd happily call it the best budget beauty buy on my bathroom shelf.
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