Style

The Weather At The Olympics Is So Cold That Makeup Is Freezing To People's Faces

by Kali Borovic
Laurent Salino/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images

The weather in PyeongChang is frightful. The ski competition has been delayed for almost a week and weather is being reported as some of the coldest in Olympic history. It's affect more than just the sports though. As Allure originally reported, the Olympics are so cold that peoples' makeup is freezing to their faces. This isn't just a beauty-lover's horror story. It is very real — but there are ways to avoid it.

It's no shockers that the Winter Olympics would be cold. It's right there in the name. But people were not ready for just how cold it would be in South Korea. U.K. Olympic skeleton champion Amy Williams tweeted about the best oil-based makeup, after hearing that broadcasters makeup was freezing to their faces. According to the tweet, there were multiple reports about it happening.

"So anyone know of good make up that is oil based??," the tweet read. "Our latest update from other presenters in Pyeongchang, Korea for #winterOlympics is that water based make up literally is freezing on your face it’s that cold!! #help#facefreeze"

Freeze face is right. That's some scary stuff right there. According to Time Magazine, Pyeongchang is on track to be one of the coldest weather in Olympic history. So it makes sense that people there might have to take some precautions.

According to Allure, Williams wasn't wrong to ask for oil-based makeup recommendations. Water has a freezing point, and so does water-based makeup. But there's something even better than oil-based.

"Water has a freezing point of zero degree, so a water-based formula can freeze up," cosmetic chemist Ginger King tells Allure. "Personally, I like silicone-based makeup as it gives the velvet feel no oil-based makeup gives. Heavier foundation for extreme weather, like in a soufflé-type formulation, will also help."

Forget about wearing a full winer ski mask while you're out and about. Just stock up on a soufflé-type foundation instead. There's always the option of skipping the makeup once and for all, but it's nice to have options.

You might already have some silicone-based foundations in your collection too. According to the Sephora website, Make Up For Ever's Ultra HD Foundation and Benefit's POREfessional Primer is silicone-based.

Make Up For Ever's Ultra HD Foundation, $49, Amazon | Benefit's POREfessional Primer, $16, Amazon

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Other athletes have taken a different approach to the colder weather. Skiers tape their face for events to help protect their faces from the cold weather. The covers look a whole lot like pore strips, but they are actually made of Kinesiology Tape.

They're not exactly the most stylish, but teams have gone above and beyond to make them patriotic. Some athletes opt to wear cold-weather strips that are the color of their home teams. Others choose to have their country name splatter across them. Basically, there are as many ways to wear tape as there are soufflé-type foundations.

Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images

Team USA was so prepared for the cold temperatures that Ralph Lauren designed heated jackets to be worn at the opening ceremony. The designer also created hats and extra thick gloves for the event. But when it comes to the individual sports, it's up to other designers to take over for the team. But, just like the Kinesiology Tape, each athlete finds a way to be warm.

Of course, there's also the third option of never going anywhere cold enough to freeze your makeup, but that is a little hard to do — especially if you live in the northern states. The freezing temperature for water is 32 degrees, so bundle up on your commute. Because that is straight up terrifying, but is a reality when it comes to cold temperatures.