When you’re running around in the summer heat, there’s one thing you don’t want to have to worry about: your perfectly applied makeup running down your face. Your best bet to look amazing in the summer sun? Go for a natural look with minimal makeup! HC is here with a guide of the best products to use for a natural summer glow that won’t melt away in the summer heat.
Foundation
Kendra Richards, celebrity makeup artist and creator of Heir Atelier Ultimate Make Up Prep www.HeirAtelier.com, says humidity can make it difficult to keep foundation on unless it’s waterproof. If you’re going out for a brief period of time, a light powder foundation like Laura Mercier Foundation Powder ($40 at Macy’s) is great because while it may feel like you don’t have much on, it gives full coverage.
However, if you’re looking for all-day coverage, Richards warns, “to get a foundation to last, it needs to be a bit of a serious foundation. ‘Light and long-lasting’ doesn’t really exist.” She suggests trying a heavier foundation put on sparingly, such as Lancome Teint Idole 24 hour ($45.50 at Sephora) because it’s “a long-lasting foundation that, if you apply with a makeup brush, will look most natural and blend well.”
For oily skin, try using an oil-free foundation, such as Clinique Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup ($23 at Stage Stores), or a tinted moisturizer with SPF, like Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($17.49 at Ulta).
No matter what makeup you wear this summer, it’s important that you protect your skin from the sun. A light foundation such as Maybelline Wonder Finish Clean Powder Finish Foundation ($9.99 at Buy Me Beauty) is not only oil free, but also has SPF 15 to make sure your skin always looks great and stays healthy.
Concealer
When blemishes, dark circles or sunspots appear, concealer can be a collegiette’s best friend. While we know makeup tends to fade quickly in the summer heat, that doesn’t mean you have to give up on concealer.
“NYX makes an affordable stick concealer that is waterproof [$5]… you can use that sparingly under eyes or to cover redness or discolorations, and it will hold up better than a regular concealer,” Richards says.
Blush
While powdery blush feels light on the skin, it probably won’t last long against the sun and sweat that come with long summer days. If you want to add a pop of color to your cheeks without piling on a creamy blush, Richards recommends using a cheek tint like this one by Benefit. ($30)
Mascara
With extreme moisture in the air or hot days causing you to break a sweat, wearing mascara in the summer can feel like you’re inviting it to run down your face. To avoid this dilemma, Richards recommends using Blinc Kiss Me Mascara ($26) because “it forms tubes around the lashes and comes off easily with water and pressure, not just one or the other.” This waterproof mascara forms tiny “tubes” that bind to your lashes instead of the typical mascara that paints lashes. The tubes allow you to go through your daily summer activities with no fear of smudges, clumps or flakes.
Lip Color
Whether you’re spending your days eating at a barbeque or working long hours in the office, a heavy lipstick isn’t likely to survive. Instead of a creamy lipstick or sticky gloss, opt for a long-lasting lip stain in the summer color of your choice. Try brands such as CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain ($7.84 at drugstores) or e.l.f Studio Lip Stain ($3) for strong color that won’t fade no matter what you do this summer.
Eyeliner
You spent time perfectly defining your eyes with your favorite eyeliner, leave the house feeling your best and return only to discover that the lines that sat so perfectly on your eyes in the morning are now smudged and all over the place. We’ve all been there, but that doesn’t mean you have to be this summer!
If you love liquid eyeliner but worry that it can’t stand against the summer humidity, go for a waterproof product such as Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($20 at Zappos).
Don’t want to break the bank keeping your eyes perfectly defined? Try Maybelline Unstoppable Smudge-Proof Waterproof Eyeliner ($4.99 at Buy Me Beauty) for an eyeliner that stays in place all day and won’t fade in color.
Eye Shadow
With a variety of color and textures, eye shadow is a great go-to product for perfecting any look. Making it last in the summer can be tricky, but it’s definitely possible.
If you want to wear your favorite shadow this summer without worrying about it fading, use a primer such as Urban Decay Primer Potion ($12 at Sephora) to hold your shadow in place without any creasing.
If you want an eye shadow that will have lasting power on its own, try a brand with a whipped gel texture, such as e.l.f. Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow ($3).
Stay gorgeous this summer, collegiettes!