What’s your go-to look for summer? Is it inspired by the heat of the season? The colors?
I opt for tinted moisturizers a lot during the summer because of the ease of application, lightweight feel, and they have some added SPF. I also love doing a sunset-themed eye–reds, pinks, oranges, and golds/yellows.
Thanks to Natalie for today’s question!
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
More browns, bronzes, and coppers; along with coral cream blush and coral lipstick/gloss.
I love using warm colors and having bronzed, glowing skin. I definitely go more lightweight during the day when the sun is out, so I either go with just moisturizer and SPF, or I will do those steps and add a TM. I’m not a fan of bronzer that doesn’t look like my skin when tan, so I always go for bronzers that are golden-brown or neutral brown. Anything too orange or red looks insane and ridiculous on me. I opt for peach or coral blushes like NARS’ Luster, Gilda, Gina, etc. I also love Taos. I either do a bright opaque lipstick in summer or I go for semi-sheer gloss that gives that popsicle stained, wet lip look. During day I tend to skip eye makeup aside from liner or mascara, but when I go out I love doing bronzed eyes or bright summery colors. Spring and Summer makeup is my favorite!
I don’t ever have a go to look but I guess I’ll lay my bright pastels and soft pastels to rest and bring out the big guns (Neons and brights) and add some warmth to my eyelids with sunset looks that are also balanced with cool purple and blues.
I still refuse to wear bronzer though xD I love my pale skin too much. I’d probably load up on SPF of anything. Base wise will stay the same, since I only wear concealer under my eyes anyways.
I also do the sunset eye theme. I also love some bronzer and highlighter with bright coral lips and gold shadow. My other look is a mixture of molten bronze, copper and gold. But generally I do brighter eye shadows in summer–lots of orange, yellow, coral, grass green and turquoise liner (not at the same time).
I go for a sheerer but still long-wearing foundation, such as the YSL Teint Resist or the Armani Lasting Silk. I’m also use a loose instead of pressed powder. I’m still trying the to see which summer foundation is my favorite; those two are frontrunners, but I haven’t gone through all my samples yet, like the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua! I have a few sample packs, but I have SO many to try, that I haven’t got to it yet. I mean, everything get its fair trial. 🙂
I never use tinted moisturizers because one, their bases are usually more emollient than I’d like. Two, they still don’t last as long as a foundation, even when set with powder. There, they never provide enough sun protection anyways, so I have to layer SPF underneath them anyways.
I don’t make any seasonal changes—with perfume OR makeup. Some people think this is a big no-no, but I’ve found what works and want to enjoy it year-round! 🙂
Sunscreen> Tinted Moisturizer > Loose powder (to absorb any oil). I love orange/peach/coral lip shades for summers. Eyes just lined with teal/ forest green/brown liner…Sometimes with a hint of coral/peach blush (Loving Bourjois Amber D’or for summers).
I tend to stick with lighter foundations and tinted moisturizers, lots of SPF underneath, gold/copper-y eye and bright coral or pink lips.
My favorite is teals and golds on the eyes with coral on the lips and cheeks.
i love a light foundation like mac face and body with a light bronzer like estee lauder liquid bronze goddess and/or a pretty blush like benefit sugarbomb. for eyes i like neutrals, but if i’m wanting some color i love oranges, teals, and golds. and my favorite favorite favorite lipsticks and glosses besides neutrals would be mac vegas volt l/s and pink lemonade or lychee luxe l/g 🙂
I live in Los Angeles, so we don’t really have seasons, only weather. If it’s hot, whether it’s January or August, I’ll opt for a mineral powder foundation over sunscreen. I also tend to wear less product overall when it is especially hot and/or humid. In cooler weather, I’ll go with a liquid foundation & powder, over sunscreen, and I’ll go a little heavier on my eye makeup because I like a more dramatic eye, but when it’s too hot, it’s just too uncomfortable to bother.
As for colors, I choose to not tan, so my pallette stays relatively the same. I will wear something a little more festive around the Holidays, but even then it’s not too different than what I wear during the rest of the year.
My go to look is “ugly”. I hate sweating, so no foundation. Eye makeup will run. Any gold or bronze color makes me look like a kidney patient. So nothing but sunscreen and serum, and clinging to the AC & praying for September. If I get crazy ambitious, maybe a sheer lipstick.
I love this comment and your sense of humor. 🙂
Too Faced Summer Eye palette, ’nuff said. ^^
Like most others, I like to keep my makeup light and easy. These days, my go-to products have been concealer, nude liner on lower waterline, MAC Lithe or Naked pigment, Brule or Ricepaper eyeshadow on inner corners and brows, bronzer (mostly gel, sometimes powder), MAC Fleur Power blush, lip balm and MAC’s See Sheer lipstick. It’s a good 5-minute look, wish I could wear it daily. I just came from the beach and it was amazing, and the color it gave to my skin is amazing. My skin looks evenly colored and I look healthier now! Too bad that’s already fading. 🙁
The makeup I wear in the summer is definitly a reflection of how hot it is. Living in the desert means there will be MANY 110 plus degree days (the joy). Because of the heat, I tend to wear very minimal makeup day to day especially on my face On my face is usually just some concealer and powder and maybe a blush or bronzer. I find my Eden UDPP holds well during the summer so I can wear pretty much any eye look I want, but I do tend to grab “naked” and “neutral” shades with a pop of color here or there and some mascara. I hardly ever wear eyeliner during the summer. For lips: I tend to reach for tinted lip balms and lipglosses more than actual lipsticks.
It’s still dead of winter here in SoCal (I know, right? It’s like Bizarro World, with the rest of the country having heat waves!), so I won’t know what I’ll do with face makeup until the weather actually warms up, but I’m so into color. Anything that’s not neutral/brown.
CORAL,CORAL,CORAL!!!
As a woman of color (MAC NC50), I am obsessed with coral makeup during the spring and summer! I feel that it just makes my skin glow so much more beautifully than any other colors in my collection. I specifically like coral cheeks and lips! So usually when I wear makeup during warmer seasons, it consists of foundation (MUFE Face & Body), powder (Cover Girl Queen Collection Powder in Brown Bronze 1), brows filled in with a matte black eyeshadow, black eyeliner along the top lashline and waterline, and a coral cheek and lip. My favorite coral blush is La Femme Blush on Rouge in Coral, and my favorite coral lipsticks are MAC’s Funshine Slimshine and Vegas Volt, as well as my favorite gloss which is Revlon’s Coral Reef. Because I am usually rocking a bold lip and/or cheek, I hardly ever bother with eye makeup.
The past couple of summers I have switched from my usual MUFE HD Foundation in 117 to Bare Minerals. However, I purchased Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Foundation in 010 this past weekend, and it provides such excellent coverage while still feeling super lightweight and hydrating that I’m planning on using it through the summer. I live in Michigan (near Detroit) and vacation during the summer at my parent’s house in northern Wisconsin so the weather isn’t too hot (mid to upper 70’s to low 90’s), but it is quite humid. As far as eye makeup, if it is extremely humid, I’ll go for waterproof liner and mascara, along with powder shadows with a good primer to keep everything in place. I don’t tend to do the bronze/copper shades (they do absolutely NOTHING for my pale, cool skin tone and light blue eyes) and just stick to whatever I’m in the mood for. As you can see from my foundation shades I am pretty fair/pale and if I am out in the sun, I apply SPF 100+ to my face, so I have had a hard time finding a bronzer that doesn’t look ridiculous on me. However, I purchased a Sephora Brand bronzer two weeks ago (after MUCH convincing from the sales associate—I haven’t had much luck with Sephora Brand products in the past), and it actually looks good. Unfortunately I cannot recall the shade right now, but it is the lightest shade they make for their powder bronzer.
For summer base I like MUFE Face and Body or BB Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer-both very lightweight. For really humid weather I LOVE the F&B; it holds up really well. I keep the rest of the makeup pretty light. I’ll wear a coral or pink cheek. Then if it’s a weekend I’ll wear a bright lip with just mascara. Or if for work, a neutral MUFE Aqua creme (14) or MAC Paint pot (Bare study or Indianwood) with a soft lip.
I also like to do a bright eye sometimes. My favorites are green or gold. But I recently bought some new aqua creams that I can’t wait to try out.
No foundation or face color in the summer – I’d just sweat it off and I hate the feeling. Yuck. I use a moisturizer with SPF 30, a smidge of concealer where needed, light translucent powder and some eye makeup. Summer is usually when I bust out brighter shadows because it feels more tropical
No foundation or face color in the summer – I’d just sweat it off and I hate the feeling. Yuck. I use a moisturizer with SPF 30, a smidge of concealer where needed, light translucent powder and some eye makeup. Summer is usually when I bust out brighter shadows because it feels more tropical
Color, shorts, dresses, and more dresses!!
Minimal makeup fresh faced maybe a bright lip but usually minimal on the eyes if any makeup at all, something with SPF for sure though. As far as clothing, I opt for more color although I wear a lot of color year round. The summer here doesn’t last long and rarely gets really hot so I wear shorts or dresses when I get the chance but I’m often still in jeans or leggings.
Tinted moisturizer since I’m more tan in the summer and my foundation colors don’t match/are too heavy anyway. This summer I’m definitely going to be loving the new NARS tinted moisturizer. Then either a light powder or BE mineral veil, cream eyeshadow or shadow sticks (thinking I may have to invest in a couple from UD or MUFE), eyeliner, mascara, lip balm, and maybe some light bronzer. Simple and quick!
I agree about the tinted moisturizer. I like a golden, glowing look during summer and when I say golden I mean golden shimmer not tan skin. I am very fair and I like my pale skin just the way it is but with some body shimmer and the Urban Decay Naked palettes I can come up with endless variations that are simple, lightweight, and quick.