Check Out Waterproof Makeup That Works As Hard As You Do

Swimmers are some of the hardest working athletes on the planet. Grinding away both in the water and in the gym, aquatic aspirers keep it moving through sweat, exhaustion, and sometimes tears.

But, that doesn’t mean they can’t still look good while doing it. For some, that means maintaining their signature out of water ‘look’ from the pool deck to the pool bottom.

For example, a certain SwimSwam writer-slash-Masters swimmer, ahem, is known for her bold lipstick choices that instantly make her stand out from the capped heads on-deck.

Whatever your appearance product of choice is, we swimmers are faced with an extra challenge of not going through all the effort of looking good during the day for school or work, only to have it literally go down the pool drain by the time our pool workouts are over.

Luckily, the beauty world has caught on to the fact that their customers live very active lifestyles, which has broadened the range of water-resistant, waterproof, and long-wearing products available.

If you’ve ever thought about experimenting with products that claim to hold up to the chlorinated conditions, here are a few that may just work for you, broken into price tiers for everyone’s lifestyle.

Face

Too Faced Born This Way Matte Foundation – $40.00

• Marketed as ‘life proof’, this is one product that may very well live up to the hype. The formula, which comes in 35 shades, is waterproof, but also oil-free, so you won’t feel like your face slides off along with your goggles at the end of a hard workout.

Morphe Fluidity Full-Coverage Foundation – $18.00

• This particular foundation comes in 60 shades, meaning you’d be hard-pressed to not find one that blends beautifully. This oil-free, fragrance-free, and paraben-free formula is great for all skin types and is sweat-proof, transfer-resistant, and water-resistant.

Cover Girl Outlast Active Foundation – $8.99

• There’s not much to love about this affordable Cover Girl offering, as it is sweat-proof, transfer-proof, and humidity-proof for 24-hour wear. Plus, this formula offers SP 20, which is a terrific bonus for the outdoor swimmers out there.

Lashes

Lancome Monsieur Big Waterproof Mascara – $25.00

• Seriously big volume here, people, so you may find yourself reaching for this on non-swim days (if those even exist!). Lancome delivers a large, fluffy brush for smudge-proof waterproof wear with 12 times the volume of natural lashes. That’s why it’s called Mr. Big.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara Mini – $13.00

• This is my go-to mascara for any occasion. Goggles, towel wipes, showers – this stuff doesn’t budge but looks just-applied throughout. ‘BTS waterproof’ comes in a mini size as well, which is perfect for on-the-go in your swim locker or backpack.

Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara – $4.99

• At just $4.99, you can stock one of these babies at home, at school, and in your car to make sure your lashes are on-point at all times. Volume and sculpted length abound with this lightweight formula that is easy to apply on its own or to complete an entire look that lasts.

Lips

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick – $22.00

• Where you’re a matte, sheer, or shimmer lipstick lover, Stila has got you covered with 40 shades of this stay-put potion. Full-coverage color makes your lips pop, but the weightless formula will make you forget you even have it on lap after lap. It’s also enriched with Vitamin E and Avocado Oil to help hydrate a chlorinated pout.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick – $19.00

• A formula that doesn’t even brag about how long-wearing it is, but that’s just what you get from the myriad formulas and shades from Urban Decay. My personal favorites are ’69’ and ‘Gash’, both of which are red-based and last through lactate and beyond.

Maybelline Color Sensational – $7.99

• Supersaturated color infused with Shea Butter offers a creamy finish for smooth and moisturized lips. I’ve worn ‘Red Revolution’ through an entire Masters meet, still looking put together for photos after at the end of the day.

Other Products

Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Setting Powder – $34.00

• A setting powder that extends the life of your makeup, even in super hot climates. Urban Decay challenges you to cry, sweat and get wet, stating that this powder will stay with you for up to 11 hours.

Milani Make It Last Sunscreen Setting Spray – $13.99

• Lock your look in place while also protecting it from the sun with Milani’s unique setting spray containing SPF 30. Spritz the micro-mist to protect your skin from sun exposure and environmental aggressors while also keeping your make-up looking fresh for 16 hours (please don’t say you’re swimming that long!) with no sticky residue.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner – $22.00

• As with its lip color, Stila’s line of ‘stay all day’ eyeliners do what they say they do – stay all day. This liner in a pen form is flexible at the tip for precise application and its all-in-one design enables you to easily throw it into your purse, bag, or locker for post-practice touch-ups.