How do you look presentable in this heat?

[FTBregret]

I don’t have hyperhtdrosis but feel like I’m constantly sweating and looking a mess. I don’t have high standards just want to look clean and tidy. It’s a losing battle

I take two lukewarm showers a day, one right before bed. I apply antiperspirant both times

No makeup in this heat other than brow pencil and la Roche posay uvmune face spf. Set it with translucent powder to mattify, my face still gets shiny

I can’t wear white or light coloured tops as you’ll see sweat marks. Also body sunscreen (tried loads) always tends to stain my white clothing yellow

I like wearing black tops as don’t get any sweat marks but then I tend to get some visible lint on my black tops (even new tops, and I wash clothes inside out with similar colours).

My upper lip sweats a lot so I’m regularly blotting it. I also have a history of eczema on mouth area which can flare it a bit so goes quite red

When applying sufficient amount of body spf on my arms and legs it can separate and become a bit patchy/streaky after I’ve been out and about, random bits can stick to the spf too making me look so unkempt

I ensure to rub the body spf in well (I actually think creams are better than sprays for getting initial even application), but as the day goes on it just looks bad. I am currently using high protection spf by the brand Altruist (one of the highest ppd ratings) yet I still seem to get more sunspots (and likely skin damage)

I have tried lots of diff body SPF, all still do this to me.

& finally I’m naturally a hairy person, I try hard to stay on top of body hair removal but in harsh sunlight it’s so unforgiving and I always tend to miss random spots ffs. I epilate daily but because hairs are dark I feel you can still see tiny dots of roots growing in (too short to remove)

Meanwhile so many other people still manage to look so presentable, no sweaty shininess, very flawless and hairless smooth skin - how??

I'm exactly the same as you.

Floaty cotton dresses. M&S do some good ones. As does TU.

Have a look at driclor (I might be spelling it wrong) I used it for 6 months and hardly sweat underarm now.

When the weather is cooler I have a spray tan so the floaty dresses don't wash me out as I have such pale skin.

The only sun cream I've used that doesn't make your clothes yellow is boots own brand. Since I swapped, myself and the kids have yellow free clothes!

I've also started using tinted spf for my face. Then if I'm in the sun just use a spray spf every hour to touch up.

Also don't worry about hair. We all have it. No one is noticing but you 💛

I agree with facial SPF, tubing mascara and some lip balm. That's all I find I need really and tubing mascara will not budge until you remove it with warm water.

I hope I look presentable! I know what you
mean about the light coloured tops though - so I always wear dark. For work, I currently wear long linen wide leg trousers (dark) and then a vest/tank top with an oversized linen shirt over the top. The vest tip gets a bit sweaty but the linen shirt doesn't usually.
Keep a tissue handy to dab the sweat. Sunscreen on face and lower arms and feet. Rest is covered. And I stay out of the sun as much as possible!

I dont wear any sun lotion, I dont wear make up. Ive lost half my body weight so I dont sweat quite as much as I did on my face but can feel the back of my hair wet sometimes. I always use anti perspirant all year round but do get sweaty in the hot weather even using this, always put a swipe under my bra as well, doent seem to make any difference.

As Ive come into peri my feet no longer sweat and smell, quite remarkable.

What's the brand id the cooling foot and leg gel please?

I make sure I am wearing cotton.

https://www.apricotonline.co.uk/ric-rac-trim-cotton-midaxi-dress/D519425-Navy.html

I swear by this dress, hair up and a good deodorant.

Mitchum, no foundation just a tiny bit of tinted moisturiser, eye makeup and blush, shed load of frizease, light and airy dresses.

Where’s the gel from?

cold shower
wild deodorant
Floaty linen dresses
Birkies
sunglasses
hair up
Spf50 with a tint
lip gloss
pixi on the glow blush
good pedi/ mani

BOSH

Any recs for the cooling gel and the tubing mascara?

OP, applying SPF to legs under thin dresses sounds excessive. Do you have a skin condition that requires it?

I find the heat very challenging these days and sweat profusely so I commisserate! I did not mind so much in the past, but think that my discomfort may be down to having put on a lot of weight over the past few years and taking an SSRI (heat intolerance is a well-known side effect, though I did not know that when I started taking the meds; weight gain also is).

I find that staying well hydrated as well as wearing a hat helps a lot, and if the sun is intense I will use an umbrella as well. I take a refillable water bottle everywhere and force myself to drink. I also use a simple Japanese fan (those battery-operated or electric ones are useless and are contributing to landfill). When I lived in London and had to go to the office more or less every day, I used to get up very early when my apartment was cool and get the tube before the rush hour. My skin tends to break out in the heat (I have a patch of eczema, and get acne-like eruptions), and I don't use foundation in the heat, but use La Roche Posay factor 50 sunscreen,. If I'm spending the day in a cool environment, or have to teach or give a presentation, I'll put on tinted moisturizer, some eye shadow, mascara and brow colour when I get to my destination as it will have washed off if I have to walk through hot streets or go on public transport. I also keep damp cotton washcloths in Ziploc bags in the freezer, and will carry one around with me to mop my face when I'm out and about. I have some cute ones from Japan, where wiping your face with a cloth in the summer heat is common practice.

Regarding clothes, it depends on whether one goes to work and, if so, the dress code. I now wear only natural fibres, cotton and linen, and have a somewhat dull but very functional wardrobe of linen and cotton dresses (mainly bought on sale from Boden - they use very good quality fabrics), inexpensive white and indigo-coloured linen trousers from M & S, and simple T shirts from Uniqlo, Cos, John Lewis and M & S in white and black. I have a couple of linen jackets to wear for meetings or in environments with fierce air-conditioning., and one viscose jersey dress if I need to look a bit more polished. I only wear cotton knickers, huge Sloggi ones, bras usually synthetics as I need structure and 100% cotton ones don't work for me. No heels or sandals and usually comfortable ballet flats or Mary Janes. I now mainly work at home and am wearing running shorts, T-shirts, and Birkenstocks.

Hope that this helps a bit.

Losing weight has definitely helped with overheating.

I go with viewing myself as "glowing" rather than worrying about being shiny. Hair up generally.

I don't wear SPF on arms and legs unless I am going to be out in the sun for a substantial chunk of time.

For tubing mascara I use Elf Xtender and it's great.

Reading this has made me realise I probably sweat much more than the average woman. 😕 My armpits sweat straight through antiperspirant in this heat. My eyebrows sweat. My underboobs sweat. Everything is sweating. Luckily my job involves wearing Lycra most of the day and doing exercises so sweating is acceptable. (Even in the 16° air conditioned studios I work in). But I still sweat profusely in hot weather even when not exercising. It’s just the way I’ve always been.

I dont think you're unusual, I get up and the backs of my trousers are wet, knickers wet, back wet, armpits wet despite anti perspirant.

I see others with wet heads and wet armpits, we're office based so we're all the same really.

If I get overheated/stressed it makes my rosacea flare up and I go from having my normal very pale skin to looking like someone has taken a blowtorch to my nose and cheeks within 5 minutes, my nose is currently the colour of beetroot ( not kidding) and if I cover it with make up I then suffer for up to a week with pustules followed by scaly patches. Nothing works, I’ve tried everything.
I’m going to Paris for my Birthday at the end of the month and I’m dreading it tbh, I want to wear ‘nice’ things but if the heat continues I know I’ll just be a red faced, miserable sweaty and bloated mess ( heat also affects my IBS)
It’s too hot to wear a hat so I’ll have to have un umbrella to keep my face out of the sun.

That's a lovely dress but polyester and elastane would boil me alive

Setting spray for.make up.It doesn't budge.

@Waitingfordoggo tell me about it! I've just had to shell out a fortune buying a couple of extra bras as I can't even get two days out of them and therefore don't have enough time to wash them!
I can't wear anything polyester like or I stink within a few hours. Linen, cotton or a lightweight merino are what I look for now.

Thanks @likelysuspect, that’s good to know and reassuring.

That sunscreen does stain clothes quite yellow.

I have a good skincare routine so need next to no make up in the weather. I get my brows tattooed and then keep them shaped so they are always done. Lashes I have lvl lashes so that again I always look done.

dresses I wear roman dresses tshirt style on top with floaty skirt type on the bottom and I’ve ordered a couple floaty tshirt style maxi ones from tik tok shop to try. I have had laser hair removal on my legs so they are always done.

i use ultra violette sun cream. Apply to body when I have got just underwear on and leave to dry. Do my skincare whilst leaving time for the layers to dry and then apply suncream to face last.

I’ve also taken to having a fan on me. I throw my hair up in a claw clip and that’s it.

This.

I am so hot I haven't noticed what anyone else is wearing. Do you have a cooling fan that you can carry?

I have this and it's completely brilliant, both as a handheld and as a 'static' fan (it stands up by itself), Very powerful and effective.

Deyhoc Handheld Fan Rechargeable with LED Display & Clip, 1-199 Speed Adjustable, 3-in-1 Hand Neck & Desk Fan, Powerful Portable Mini Hand Held Fans for Travel Camping Office Home, Black : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen