Red carpets are stressful—there’s so much going on, the lights are super hot, and you’re supposed to look your best from every angle. So when Emily Amick, a makeup artist in New York City, is doing red-carpet makeup for her celebrity clients, she has one simple skin-prep step that zaps away oil and prevents moisture from seeping through makeup. And if you have your own high-pressure event, you can use it too.
“My number secret staple is this stuff called Skin Prep from Mehron,” says Amick. “Mehron makes a lot of products for people that perform on stage and things like that. And this product is basically an antiperspirant for your face.”
Mehron Makeup Skin Prep Pro ($12) is a liquid that is applied before makeup to extend makeup wear by creating a moisture barrier between your skin and your makeup.
“It’s sort of like a toner—it’s a little liquid and you can put it on a cotton pad and put it in all the areas where you normally sweat or get really shiny,” says Amick. “I’ll apply it around the hairline, under the ears, under the neck, and maybe even around someone’s boobs if they tend to sweat a lot. That stuff is heavy-duty.”
It’s so effective because it has drying ingredients like alcohol and witch hazel. “I wouldn’t recommend it for daily use, but like for something like a red carpet, a wedding—any time where longevity is really important.”
Although it’s made to work on all skin types, it’s best reserved for those who either have super-oily skin or tend to sweat a lot.
“I don’t use it on everyone,” says Amick. “I ask clients, ‘On average do you tend to sweat throughout the night?’ If someone says ‘yes’ or if they are super oily through their T-zone, I’ll use that. It just helps to strip the canvas a little bit and it also blocks moisture from coming through your makeup.”
Here’s how to create a skin-care routine for oily skin:
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