Alabama game days mean heat, humidity, tailgating, walking around campus, and hours in Bryant-Denny. Obviously, we want our makeup to survive all of it.
The catch? Sophie has oily skin and Mackenzie has dry skin. Even though we use a lot of the same types of makeup, the way we prep, apply, and set everything looks pretty different. Here’s how we each make our routine work for our skin while still making it last through a hot Alabama game day.
It All Starts With Skin Prep
We both prep our skin before makeup, but this is where our routines immediately start to look different.
Mackenzie’s dry skin needs hydration, so she gravitates toward moisturizing and glowy products. Starting with that extra hydration helps her makeup stay fresh instead of becoming dry or cakey later in the day.
Sophie’s oily skin still needs hydration too, but she is more careful about adding too much glow before her makeup even goes on. Her prep is more about creating a good base without adding extra shine that she’ll have to fight later—especially once the Alabama heat gets involved.
Cream vs. Powder: We Layer Differently
We both love cream products, but Sophie adds an extra step to help hers stay put.
After applying cream products like bronzer and blush, Sophie goes back over them with their powder versions. Layering powder over cream helps set everything in place and gives her makeup some extra staying power.
Mackenzie doesn’t need to set every cream product with powder. Since her skin is dry, she wants to keep more of the natural glow from her cream products rather than covering it with too much powder.
Pressed Powder vs. Loose Powder
Even when it comes to powder, we reach for different products.
Mackenzie uses pressed powder so she can target the areas that actually need setting without taking away all of the glow she worked to create.
Sophie uses loose powder for a stronger set. With oily skin and hours outside ahead, she wants to make sure the areas that tend to get shiny are locked in.
Sophie’s Setting Spray Trick
One of the biggest differences in our routines is when Sophie uses setting spray.
Instead of waiting until the very end, Sophie sprays her face after applying her cream products and before going in with loose powder. She then sets everything on top.
For her oily skin, that extra setting step helps keep the makeup from moving around once the heat and humidity hit.
Mackenzie doesn’t need as many setting layers because too much powder and mattifying product could make her dry skin look even drier.
Brush Girl vs. Beauty Blender Girl
We don’t even apply our makeup with the same tools.
Sophie is definitely the brush girl. She uses brushes for almost every step of her routine, besides applying her loose powder. They give her more control over where she places and layers each product.
Mackenzie reaches for her beauty blender much more often. She uses it to blend several of her products into her skin, helping everything melt together while keeping the softer, glowy finish she likes.
Same Game Day, Two Completely Different Routines
At the end of the day, we’re both using bronzer, blush, powder, setting spray, and many of the same basic makeup steps. The difference is how we use them.
Mackenzie’s routine is all about keeping her dry skin hydrated and glowy without letting her makeup become cakey throughout the day. Sophie’s routine is about controlling oil, layering products, and making sure everything stays exactly where she put it.
And when you’re spending hours outside for an Alabama game day, those little differences matter.
The biggest thing we’ve learned is that you don’t necessarily need to copy someone else’s exact makeup routine. You just need to figure out how to make each step work for your skin. Whether you’re a Sophie or a Mackenzie, the goal is the same: makeup that still looks good by kickoff.. and hopefully long after.
