Build Your Face Base with SOLA Beauty

If you’ve ever stepped outside with a flawless face beat—only to find it slipping, sliding, or vanishing entirely by lunch—you’re not imagining things. Heat, humidity, and midday oil production are real threats to base makeup in tropical climates like ours. But here’s the truth: long wear doesn’t require heavy layering. It requires smart layering.

We asked two professional makeup artists to break down what actually works: how to prep skin, what to layer (and where), and why even oily skin still needs hydration. Their go-to products? Tinted primers and matte cushions that multitask with skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide, squalane, and SPF.

Meet the experts:

Nicole Ceballos is a New York- and Seoul-trained Filipina makeup artist known for natural, skin-first finishes.

Booya is a celebrity makeup artist based in Manila celebrated for her creative yet performance-driven approach to beauty.

How do I keep my makeup from melting off midday?

“Staying fresh for longer than one to two hours is a very common struggle with base makeup here in the Philippines,” says Seoul and New York-trained makeup artist Nicole Ceballos. “A lot of people experience their makeup slipping and sliding across their skin. Some experience their base makeup transferring—especially when they answer phone calls, or when they blot off sweat.”

But the solution isn’t more product—it’s smarter prep.

Booya emphasizes the importance of distinguishing skin care from skin prep. “Not all products you use in your skin care routine will be beneficial in making your makeup hold longer, because some skin care products are high in hydration—like heavy creams—that can weigh makeup down.”

Instead, think context. “How long are you going to be out? How warm or cool will it be where you’re headed?” She adds, “That should help you determine what techniques you should implement and what products to use to make makeup last longer.

Can oily skin still use hydrating products?

Yes—and it should. “Oily skin can still be dehydrated,” says Ceballos. That tight, uncomfortable feeling? That’s dehydration, not dryness.

Her advice: opt for oil-free, lightweight moisturizers and give them a few minutes to absorb before applying makeup. Then target oil control only where you need it.

For combination-oily skin, she recommends starting with a hydrator. “Oil-free products would be best all over the face. Then add a very thin layer of primer or mattifying product only on the parts of the face that get oily—usually the T-zone.”

What’s the best way to apply lightweight products in humid weather?

“Layer, layer, layer!” Ceballos emphasizes. “When you layer products thinly, you are able to control the amount of coverage. Only add extra layers in areas that need it, so that you allow the rest of the skin to still shine through.”

Booya adds: “Apply a thin layer of foundation throughout your face. Layer it slowly until you reach a point where you are satisfied with the coverage and feel on the face. If you see that there are some blemishes that are still peeking through, spot conceal them with a smaller brush.”

For combination skin: SOLA Foundation Primer SPF 50+ PA+++

SOLA Foundation Primer SPF 50+ PA+++ shades from top to bottom:
Sand Beige, Ivory Beige, Natural Beige, Caramel Beige, and Light Beige. Photo courtesy of SOLA Beauty

A lightweight, tinted primer formulated to smoothen uneven texture, minimize the look of pores, and help control oil in targeted areas. With SPF 50+ PA+++, it also functions as a skin tint and sun screen. The SOLA Foundation Primer’s watery cream texture is also formulated to blend easily onto the skin and is infused with Korean Black Ginseng to hydrate and brighten over time.

Key ingredients: Korean Black Ginseng, centella asiatica extract, titanium dioxide, Vitamin E, and silica | Finish: Light | Shades: 5

Nicole before applying the SOLA Foundation Primer SPF 50+ PA+++ in Caramel Beige. Photo courtesy of Nicole Ceballos

Nicole after applying the SOLA Foundation Primer SPF 50+ PA+++ in Caramel Beige. Photo courtesy of Nicole Ceballos

Ceballos tested it herself: “The product provides nice coverage. It actually feels like a true complexion product, unlike a lot of other skin tints, tinted moisturizers and sunscreens I’ve tried in the past that just disappear if you blend them too much,” Ceballos says.

Despite it being very watery, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it had good coverage that really stuck and stayed on the skin well. I can’t say much for the 18-hour long wear as I only kept it on for six hours without powder, and it started to shine after an hour and a half. After six hours indoors, it had a tolerable amount of shine—nothing too greasy and uncomfortable.”

For oily skin: SOLA Cushion Ultra Matte SPF 50+ PA+++

SOLA Cushion Ultra Matte SPF 50+ PA+++ shades from front to back: Sand Beige and Light Beige. Photo courtesy of SOLA Beauty

This liquid air cushion foundation is designed to help control excess oil, while offering buildable medium coverage. The SOLA Cushion Ultra Matte SPF 50+ PA+++ has a soft-matte finish that helps reduce shine and the appearance of blemishes without a heavy or cakey feel.

It’s formulated with four types of seaweed that reduce inflammation, supports hydration, and delivers broad-spectrum SPF 50+ PA+++ for daily sun protection.

Key ingredients: Seaweed extracts (enteromorpha compressa, gelidium cartilagineum, hizikia fusiforme, and undaria pinnatifida), silica, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide | Finish: Soft matte | Shades: 2

Booya before applying the SOLA Cushion Ultra Matte SPF 50+ PA+++ in Light Beige. Photo courtesy of Booya

Booya after applying the SOLA Cushion Ultra Matte SPF 50+ PA+++ in Light Beige after six hours. Photo courtesy of Booya

Booya’s feedback: “The SOLA Cushion Ultra Matte Foundation SPF 50+ PA+++ has a soft powder matte finish that instantly balances out oily appearance from the face,” Booya says. “I didn’t even use powder to set the face for the ‘before and after’ photo, so that you can see the actual soft matte finish. If you have oily-combination skin, this foundation will suit your skin well because its velvet feature helps lessen the appearance of oil on your face, especially when set with a powder.

Another great thing about this is it’s light on the skin and has SPF 50+ PA+++ that will protect your skin while looking all dolled up.”

Final thoughts

Humidity-proof makeup isn’t about resisting the weather—it’s about working with it. Understanding how your skin behaves, prepping with intention, and layering with purpose can make all the difference. Products like SOLA’s Cushion Ultra Matte SPF 50+ PA+++ and Foundation Primer SPF 50+ PA+++ help you achieve skin that looks real, feels fresh, and lasts longer—even when the weather doesn’t cooperate.