Tips for not being a fat sweaty mess in the heat (abroad)

[Ribrabrob]

I’ve recently come abroad to a notoriously hot country where I will most likely be for the foreseeable future and as a minimum of the rest of the summer.

It’s great, love it, but the only thing is it is absolutely boiling hot and it’s only early July! I like the heat - when I can sunbathe and not do anything but that’s not an option all the time sadly, so I’m looking for tips to cope.

I’m basically a big sweaty mess all day everyday. I look at everyone Else and they all look stylish and cool, no sweat at all. But then there’s me - big chubby wet sweaty mess... not attractive! It doesn’t help that I’m overweight (working on that) and need to get fit, so that will help too. But even when I was slim in my younger days I’ve always A been naturally very sweaty and not looking good in the heat.

I’m naturally very pale and also pretty shy - I like to cover up as much as possible so strappy tops and shorts etc aren’t an option for me.

Any advice please?

Where are you?

I live in southern Spain and it's 41ºC today. So basically I'm staying in between about 11am and 9 pm. If I had a pool I would use that except for between about 1 and 5 probably. But otherwise it's a case of enduring rather than enjoying.

I have a problem with sweating too so I feel your pain. I don’t know whether this is suitable for you but I wear sweatshield T-shirt’s underneath my work tops so that I don’t show any sweat patches. They work really well and don’t make me feel any hotter.
I also use liquid talc which applies like a moisturiser but soon dries in the areas where my skin rubs and this really helps.

Oh and I always wear patterned tops when I’m in my casual clothes which don’t show the sweat and loose fitting trousers too.

I feel for you OP. It doesn't take much to make me look like my head is melting. I actually considered enquiring whether it was possible to have botox injected over my entire head - face and scalp.

Talc in between the thighs to help with that.
Get a very strong deodorant anti persiprant (I can't remember the name of it, but you apply it at night and it works very well)
Make sure to carry a bottle of water with you and take small sips when feeling hot
Maybe get a little electric hand held fan - that could help?
Try to stay in when the heat is at it's worst
Wear your hair up if you can? I find when I have my hair down I get warmer

My life in blisteringly hot country:
Try to stay inside for a couple of hours either side of mid day.
Wear natural fabrics - I used to live in linen blend trousers, and loose cotton teeshirts. Dont wear anything too tight. Lots of people wore maxi skirts and teeshirts. So go with what you prefer on skirt / dress/ trousers, but cover most of your skin.
Tie your hair up off the back of your neck.
Slow down.
Work out if mornings or afternoons are more humid (if applicable) and go out more in the drier heat.
Drink liquids

Good luck - if you are there fir a couple of months, you will probably adjust a bit, which helps.

I'm used to 40-50 degrees over the summer.
Advice is: stay inside whenever possible, get a car with good aircon, learn to move at a leisurely pace (sounds stupid but makes a difference!), wear loose clothes made of natural fibres, stay covered up, take multiple short, cool showers through the day, get up super-early (before dawn) if you want to exercise outside or do gardening, then have a nap in the pm. Get loads of underwear so you can wear bras once then launder.

You will probably find you acclimatize to some degree - I am currently wearing jeans & vest top + t shirt and don't feel overheated when I go outside.

When I lived in a hot climate I found that cotton blouse type tops were cooler and more comfortable than t-shirt material. Longer length shorts and sandals with a bit of a heel also improved my look.

I have recently embraced wearing shorts and they are so much cooler.