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Shopping for sweat-proof make-up in the UK may seem hopeful given our luck with the weather but lo and behold an Indian summer heatwave is upon us, and temperatures are due to exceed 20C. As such, I’ve been scouting out the best concealers, eyeliners and all the products in between to ensure your make-up stays put as blue skies and high UV ratings leave everything at risk of melting, slipping and sliding.

What does that mean, exactly? It means foundations that don’t go patchy; concealer that doesn’t disappear into fine lines; bronzer and blush that doesn’t disappear altogether; and mascara that doesn’t end up on your cheekbones – to name but a few examples.

I’ve combed the high-end and budget brands – think L’Oréal to Nars – and tested the products over a full eight-hour period on a boiling summer’s day to give you the lowdown on the formulas worth your time and money. Keep reading to discover the items that made the cut, plus one that didn’t.

How I tested

I tested the products over the course of a full eight-hour work day (with time-stamped proof), applying them in one of the sweatiest locations: a London commuter train.

Some of the products I’ve used for years, some were tested independently for separate features and some were tried for the first time in this instance; regardless, I did make sure to review all 12 products within the same face of make-up in order to measure their full, combined staying power. As well as texture, feel, shade range (where appropriate), formula and the like.

It’s worth noting that I tested a wider range of products than the ones listed below, with a few not making the cut. I experienced a bad bout of bronzer separation after a day’s wear in one testing instance and, as such, that bronzer (revealed in my verdict below) didn’t end up in the final edit.