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Ever since I moved to this new apartment complex with a nice outdoor infinity pool and a gorgeous view, my place has been the go-to place for get-togethers in summer. My friends come over and boy do they love taking selfies! Not being a very active social media user, I usually don’t care if my makeup isn’t flawless when I’m having fun by the pool. Nobody’s going to see it!
I’m in my 30s and I don’t like layering a lot of products. So I usually go for easy, breathable, lightweight, and dewy makeup, especially in summer. But it was an unpleasant feeling when I accidentally ended up on a few of my friends’ posts on Instagram. That’s when I decided to up my summer makeup game and deep-dived into my vanity.
I blew out the dust, so to speak, on those waterproof, sweat-proof, and heat-resistant makeup products. This time, I was going to be ready! Take a picture of me while I’m sipping on my iced coffee. Heck, go ahead and tag me! I don’t care because I’m going to look absolutely flawless! And I did.
Up until then, I was hesitant to put much makeup on with primer and powder and everything because I didn’t want to look heavy. The irony is that after I was done with my makeup, my sister looked at me and asked me what I had done differently because my makeup looked so fresh. Fresh!
That’s why I have this newfound (or reignited) respect for makeup that stays put where nothing creases or moves around or smears or melts. So fear not, ladies! Because I’ve rounded up the best summertime makeup products you can rely on for a flawless base that’s heat-proof and pool-proof!
On the flip side, I love a good makeup routine that doesn’t require a lot of steps and products. Hot summer weather is also when we reevaluate our glam choices and go easy on the makeup. So I also included must-have summer makeup products for easy, natural, lightweight makeup. Rest assured, you won’t leave here empty-handed.
Before diving in, make sure you do your skincare routine and apply a generous amount of SPF. Because skincare comes first! Now, whether you’re going for a pool-proof look or a natural look, or looking for a summer-friendly foundation or concealer, find below the best summer makeup products.
Best Makeup Products For Summer
1. Make Up For Ever Step 1 Shine Control Primer
For makeup to stay in place against all that heat and humidity, a primer is essential. Even better when it’s a mattifying one. Though I usually go for their pore-minimizing primer, this one is incredibly light on the skin and has never pilled. I just dab it onto the areas where I tend to get oily, which are the center of my forehead, the sides of my giant nose, and my chin. It’s going to hold your foundation in place and make sure your base looks absolutely grease-free. Whether you’re going for an airbrushed look or an easy summer makeup look, this summer-friendly makeup primer is going to make things a lot easier.
2. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation
As much as I love natural-looking makeup with a skin-like base, that’s not going to give me that flawless base I need for a whole day by the pool. For that reason, I swear by this oil-free, matte finish, streak-free, high-coverage foundation. It’s been my ride-or-die and my go-to whenever I need the most support from my foundation. I swear, not even a single drop of sweat on my face when I’m wearing this! It’s sweat-resistant, heat-resistant, and one of the absolute best foundations for summer. It just does not budge!
Quick Tip: I like to apply it with a damp sponge if I’m going to use a setting powder. Keep this in mind because too much foundation topped with too much powder is the recipe for a cakey face.
3. Bobbi Brown Nude Finish Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
Not everyone wants a spotless base. For those times, a tinted moisturizer leaves a lot of room for experimenting. So if you can afford to go easy on the coverage, you can try this summer-friendly hydrating tinted moisturizer. You can use this for low coverage, healthy-looking base in summer. Or you can enhance your coverage and apply a setting powder on top of this for a fully matte, long-lasting, but still natural-looking finish. The tinted moisturizer is super creamy and has a natural finish and also contains SPF. It’s the perfect summer skincare/makeup hybrid.
4. La Mer The Radiant Skin Tint SPF 30
As an alternative, I love this skin tint. This is what I prefer if I don’t need coverage and I’m going for very natural, light summer makeup. This skin tint is a multi-tasker that beautifies the complexion and provides SPF protection. It’s sheer coverage when you simply want to warm up your complexion. And it has a radiant finish. So this is for you if you don’t care for a completely matte base in summer. It applies super radiant at first but settles down to a more natural-looking, dewy base.
5. M.A.C Pro Longwear Concealer
Another ride-or-die for me is this high-coverage concealer. Nars Creamy Concealer and Tarte Shape Tape are among my favorites for everyday wear. But this is my go-to if I want to complete my flawless base. This concealer is high coverage with a matte finish. You can spot conceal blemishes on your face and smooth out your under eyes too. Either way, it stays all day and has a very nice, smooth finish, and one of the best concealers for summer.
6. Fenty Bright Fix Eye Brightener Concealer
This is another option if you don’t prefer heavy, full-coverage concealers. This is an under-eye brightener with very light coverage. It’s like a concealer alternative in that it just freshens up your under-eyes without concealing much. It’s very liquidy but this is the one I go for no-makeup makeup looks. Nobody can tell you’re wearing concealer under your eyes. Because it is low coverage, it’s not very helpful for spot concealing on the face. But it still helps me cover up the redness around my nose.
7. Benefit Roller Liner Matte Liquid Eyeliner
OK, it doesn’t matter if you’re going for full glam or soft glam, a smudge-proof eyeliner is a summer must-have makeup product. And this is unrivaled in that department. It’s pigmented and has a matte finish, glides on easily even if you have hooded eyes, and completes any makeup look. If you want your eyeliner to stay in place and look as good in the evening as it was in the morning, this is it.
8. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Pencil
A budget-friendly waterproof eyeliner you can find at the drugstore is this gem here. This is a pencil eyeliner that’s super pigmented. It tints the eyelids without needing any pressure from your hands. It glides. Remember that because the pencil is very creamy and too much pressure easily breaks it. With all the sharpening, you’re going to run out very quickly. But other than that, it’s sweat-proof and pool-proof. You can also use it on your waterline for a more dramatic look.
9. Benefit BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara
Similarly, you can choose to go bare face, but nobody wants their mascara to create a mess all over and under the eyelids. And this waterproof mascara is a summer essential if you want your eye makeup to stay clean. The brush itself is super convenient for volumizing and lengthening every single eyelash. It separates the lashes and gives perfect volume. If you want to be able to go back and forth between swimming in the pool and lying on the sunlounger, this is the mascara you want to be wearing. They have this in waterproof too but I swear you don’t even need it!
10. Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder
Whether you’re wearing a full coverage foundation or a light coverage tinted moisturizer, a setting powder is going to give you the staying power you need from your base makeup in summer. It’s so versatile. Because even if you’re not wearing a high coverage base, a setting powder helps you mattify your complexion during the day with touch-ups and reduce oiliness all over. It’s also amazing when you want incredibly smooth under-eyes. This one is slightly illuminating too. I set my concealer with this and also use it to emphasize my bronzer. The loose powder is very fine so it doesn’t make my under-eyes look cakey, messy, or heavy.
11. Dior Forever Natural Bronze Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder
For a flawless base, I prefer going for a powder bronzer in summer. Because I don’t want to take any chances of moving my foundation with cream bronzer. And this is such a pigmented bronzer that the whole pan is going to last you forever! Contouring becomes tricky in summer with contour sticks. So having a pigmented bronzer like this is perfect for subtly sculpting your face too. It’s matte and comes in beautiful shades to bring summer to your cheeks no matter your skin tone. It gives you a streak-free application with its velvety texture.
Quick Tip: For a wholesome summer look, do a few swipes of this bronzer on the eyelids too. You don’t need an eyeshadow. This will color up the eyelids nicely and complete that bronze vibe. It also keeps the eyelids from getting oily.
12. Nars Mini Blush/Bronzer Duo
If matte isn’t your thing, you can try this blush and bronzer duo. Both of these are subtly shimmery for adding a bit of a highlighter effect on the cheeks. You can choose to wear either one or you can go for a complete look by using the two. They complement each other and the shades are literally among Nars’ best sellers. The bronzer is not too pigmented but the shimmer blush definitely is! So you may need a few touch-ups here and there but you can also sort that out by using a setting spray. Either way, the two shades are perfect for that glowy, bronzy, summer look. It’s conveniently sized for on-the-go.
13. Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer-Proof Lipstick
Lipstick is highly personal. Our favorite colors, finish, and texture vary. But for fully matte lips, you can’t go wrong with these liquid lipsticks. They look elegant, come in a variety of colors, and are incredibly long-wearing. If you have thin lips, try defining them with a lip liner first to really get that full, velvety pout. On a side note, everybody loves a bold lip in summer. It might get tricky to pull it off with a full-face glam but it looks absolutely stunning on a light base topped with glowy bronzer and refreshing mascara. So if you’re looking for a statement, satin finish bold lip, pick your shade from Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color.
14. Sephora Collection Makeup Setting Spray
A makeup setting spray is the cherry on top for a look that stays in place. And I love this over-achieving one. Up until now, if you’ve been with me on waterproof and summer-proof makeup products, you probably won’t even need a setting spray. However, I still use it mostly for my lips. Waterproof lipsticks can dehydrate the lips and give you that chapped look. But you can always use regular lipstick and set your makeup with this spray to maintain the color of your lips.
So these are some of the best makeup products for summer. Remember, it’s okay to go bare face or very light with makeup if you don’t like the feel of any kind of product on your face in warm weather. At the same time, perfect makeup that stays put is achievable as long as you use the right makeup products resistant to the summer weather. You don’t have to go through the season with a runny, melting foundation, an always greasy complexion, oily eyelids, smudgy eyeliner, and mascara.
