While the rest of the world prepares for an icy winter full of nights snuggled up in front of a fire, we here in the Middle East are gearing up for more of the same hot, hot heat. My ‘winter wardrobe’ goes about as far as switching from flip-flops to closed-toe crocs for a trip to the beach, and my makeup routine remains – dare I admit – somewhat unchanged as July races through to December. With this in mind, here are my Beauty Editor-approved, tried-and-tested, can’t-live-without formulas for a glowy, yet melt-proof, makeup look that won’t budge under our warm winter temps.

Begin with a stellar SPF

Acne, eczema, a compromised skin barrier – you name it, I’ve had it. My face seldom listens to my wishes, and, after a long and tedious search for the perfect sunscreen (gentle, long-lasting, easily-absorbable with no white cast – the list of demands is extensive) I have finally found it: the Holy Grail. Also known as The EVY Technology Daily Defense Face Mousse SPF50, its moussey, cloud-like formula is recommended by dermatologists and The Vitiligo Association alike. It perfectly preps skin for makeup; it doesn’t feel thick or greasy; and it even strengthens your skin barrier, protects against blue light, brightens, hydrates and plumps. But the real pièce de resistance is this: EVY Technology formulas use patented technology to spread through the top layer of your skin rather than sitting on the surface, which means you’re protected while swimming, sweating, or drying off with a towel for up to six hours. I know, I know, I didn’t believe it at first either.

Always use a primer

 “Wait, so you really don’t use a setting powder?”, my friend asked the other day, after I’d returned from a long day of bridesmaid duties under Dubai’s scorching sun. I, with genuine fear in my voice, responded with a: “No – why, do I look cakey?”.

I did not. She was, in fact, simply marvelling at the fact that my makeup hadn’t moved. She thought such a feat was only made possible via industrial strength setting powders. Though a must-have for anyone without dryer-than-dry skin like mine, powders just aren’t for me. Instead, my secret lies within Milk Makeup’s lauded arsenal. Their Hydro Grip primers (there’s one for your face and one for your eyes) are out-of-this-world good. They’re packed with aloe, vitamins and hyaluronic acid to soothe and hydrate, and they work “like Velcro for your skin” – gripping tightly onto makeup for all-day hold.

Finish with a setting spray

Seal in your hard work with Charlotte Tilbury’s lightweight and hydrating Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, which promises to set makeup for up to 16 hours. While doing everything you would want a setting spray to do (i.e., smooth, blur and set) it does this without changing the look of your makeup or splitting it so that it looks “bitty” by lunchtime, which is something I found would happen with other setting sprays. It really just does what it says on the tin: it makes me look flawless.