We are deep in the throes of summer. Hot, sticky, miserable summer. Looking fresh is not only becoming a battle, it’s maybe one that we have just given in to. You walk down the street and see women waving the white flag surrender. Fear not, women! There is a weapon you have not yet acquired and deployed.
When I was in my teens, one of my dad’s girlfriends gave me this packet of little scented sheets of paper, telling me they were for dabbing the shiny bits on my face. They has a thin coat of powder and smelled of some kind of flower. I felt like I was a proper lady just by carrying them around in my little Liz Claiborne handbag. I would occasionally use one, but mostly the little packet stayed in my purse, becoming worn from being shifted around as I dug for my lip gloss. 
Looking back on it now, it feels like something one of the ladies of Downton Abbey would use (and smell like). However, living on the surface of the sun, one MUST address the shiny face that appears mid-morning and stays throughout the day. For many years, that involved blotting my face with a tissue – not ideal. Neither is the idea of putting on more powdered make-up, which would only make me end up looking like I was mixing cement on my forehead.
Even with the fear of looking like this, you still need a moisturizer and/or sunscreen. In the summer, I keep the application to around the eye area, under my chin, and the front of my neck (do not ignore the neck, young ones). I put it on immediately after getting out of the shower so that it has time to soak in before I start applying make-up. I like Lancome’s Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 Sunscreen Cream because I got it as a gift with purchase. It goes on somewhat oily, but then my skin drinks it up.
I forgo any type of liquid foundation which can slide down your face, leaving to look like a cake left out in the rain. Instead, I apply a light layer of powder with a nice fluffy brush so as to avoid the “local morning news anchor” look. The MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush is a great all around brush that is not so large that you can’t carry with you when you need to reapply for a night out. I wear MAC Powder Blush in Harmony. Yes, blush. I preferred the color and texture to the face powder. Use a matte finish to further minimize le shine. Frost and shimmer powder is intended to pick up light, which is not what you need when not trying to look like the bayou after a BP oil spill.
Now for your silver bullet: Clean & Clear Instant Oil-Absorbing Sheets. These little wonders come in a 3 1/2 x 2 1/4, super thin package (which means they will fit in the tiniest of clutch handbags), and have 50 sheets. Most importantly, they will run you about FIVE BUCKS! Whenever your looking like you’ve stuck your face in a vat of EVOO, just grab one of these sheets and dab it on the problem areas. You will be amazed at how much oil these little guys suck up.
GO FORTH AND CONQUER THE SUMMER!
Thank you to commenter CtrlAltDelightful for the topic suggestion! If you have an idea you would like us to write about, please email me at [email protected] or the lovely Cunning_Linguist at [email protected].