Summer makeup is my least favourite type of makeup. It’s just no fun!
And that’s because summer is primarily about skin protection. It’s summer here in Australia right now, and the one skincare product in my cabinet that gets the most use is the sunscreen. If you’re a heavy user of sunscreen yourself, you’d know that there’s not much you can do in terms of makeup if you have to religiously apply sunscreen every two hours.
The easy way is to skip makeup entirely. I don’t mind that but with just sunscreen on one does look a bit… weird. Greasy or washed up. Something doesn’t sit right with that look.
However, the good news is you don’t need to spend a lot of time on summer makeup. Minimal works best. Just use the right products.
My Current Minimalistic Summer Makeup Routine
My morning getting-ready routine is now quick and hassle-free. I’ve arrived at the following combination which is quick to apply, stays on well, and is appropriate for most occasions. Feel free to steal it, just switch up the products with what you’d like to use.
- I wash my face with Salicylic Acid Cleanser by The Inkey List
- Tone my skin with Paula’s Choice Pore-Reducing Toner (a summer staple)
- I skip the moisturizer during the day (because the sunscreen is greasy enough on its own)
- Go straight to sunscreen. I’m using Cetaphil Sun SPF 50+ at the moment. It’s plenty greasy on my skin despite being ‘ultra light’.
- Let the sunscreen absorb for a few minutes
- Follow with Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation (NC25). This product is the key to my light but long-lasting summer makeup. It’s quite pigmented so you only need a little bit. It imparts colour but is also a powder so absorbs oil effectively.
The sunscreen acts as a wonderful primer, its greasiness holding on to the Studio Fix powder. I don’t wet my sponge for this application; the dry powder settles in well on my skin. I apply this powder plus foundation lightly all over my face and neck.
You could, however, switch this product with a pressed translucent powder if you don’t want colour. For days that I don’t want to use makeup, I use the bareMinerals Original Mineral Veil powder on top of my sunscreen. - Sometimes I follow up with light strokes of my new favourite blush – Berry Adore, a blush trio by Anastasia Beverly Hills. I mix up the colours and apply lightly on the cheeks and the middle of the nose bridge. I also swipe this brush on the eyelids. The colours are gorgeous and the formula is luxurious.
- Define the eyebrows with Brow Wiz by Anastasia Beverly Hills (yes, I love this brand) in the shade Dark Brown.
- Line the eyes with Sephora 12H Retractable Eyeliner in the shade matte brown.
- A touch of bright lipstick and I’m all done!
