Archived Post

Best Foundation for Summer

What's the Best Foundation for Summer that you've tried?

So far, Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea has done quite well in higher heat conditions and wears well without even setting powder! I’m rather impressed.

— Christine

35 Comments

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!

Comments on this post are closed.
GK Avatar

I tried to get this a few months ago-the lightest color was too dark/yellow for me. I’m going to try again when I faux tan, usually easier to match.

Tammy Avatar

Right now I am loving Guerlain’s BB cream. If I want more coverage, MAC’s Studio Fix wears very well, even surviving through my heavy sweating in RPM classes after work. By the time I finish at the gym, Studio Fix has been on for 12 hours. Good stuff.

Patsyann Avatar

I recently had very good results with it cosmetics Your Skin but Better CC cream spf 50 while visiting Hawai’i. It held up well to the heat and humidity even during physical activity.

Rox Avatar

Oh, of course Revlon’s Colorstay (liquid version) for me!
I live in a hot and humid city in Brazil (plus, I sweat a LOT) and this is my favorite foundation! It stays forever and looks so natural, amazing!

Rachel R. Avatar

I have oily skin. I like bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20 or BareMinerals Complexion RescueTinted Hydrating Gel Cream for when the temperatures aren’t too hot. They’re not too heavy and don’t melt. When the temperatures reach the upper 80s F and higher, I prefer bareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 or Everyday Minerals Matte Base. They don’t melt and hold up against increased oil and sweat.

Liesbeth Avatar

Last Summer I loved MAC’s Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof foundation (how long is that name!!!). I finished my tube a while ago, I’ll probably repurchase it when it finally gets warmer here, but there’s no summer weather yet in Belgium…

Mariella Avatar

I am so eager to try Rainforest of the Sea but Sephora is sold out of the 2 colours that are closest to what I would likely wear. I need to go in when they’re not busy to at least have them get the counter testers from the back so I can be matched and maybe even get a sample. My go to is IT Cosmetics CC Cream. It wears really well, has SPF 50, doesn’t feel heavy…just all good. Or I’ll use a mineral powder – also IT Cosmetics or Laura Mercier or the old formula of PUR Minerals (I had stocked up when they “reformulated; the SPF in them has expired but I get ’round that by wearing a separate sunscreen underneath)

LMM Avatar

I’m really impressed with Urban Decay’s One and Done right now – it stays on all day and doesn’t break up (my skin is not as oily as it once was, but I’d still classify it as such).

I also am loving the L’Oreal Lumi Cushion foundation if I’m going out – I don’t think it lasts through a workday as well as the One and Done, but it leaves such a pretty glowy look to the skin that isn’t shiny/oily, and really looks great if I’m out at night. And so lightweight.

Pteetsa Avatar

Christine, I got the Tarte Rainforest foundation on your recommendation, and it is amazing! Really good! Thanks!

For summer, when it gets really hot here, I’ll probably just do concealer and powder, maybe powder foundation. If I wear anything more, it’ll just melt off. Or I’ll wear nothing at all. It’s just too hot!

ACP Avatar

Thank you for talking about tarte’s ROTS foundation. I finally returned my Hourglass tinted moisturizer that was way out of my price range and broke me out and got tarte. Cheaper and looks so great!

Holly Avatar

I’ve been wearing Physicians Formula Argan Wear BB cream. It gives medium coverage and held up last weekend at a 12 hour long outdoor festival. It has Spf 30 also and wears so well with my Pur Minerals powder over it,no cake face

Denise Avatar

I love Diorskin Nude air serum and I mix it with Perricone MD Highlighter Highlighter. They go on very light and smooth. They don’t melt in this crazy,humid NYC weather. A touch of powder and out I go.

Stephanie Avatar

I don’t change my foundation in the summer (but I’m more likely to use BB/CC creams)… I either hope for the best or use setting spray. I also use and love Rainforest of the Sea, and it does have good staying power…anything that doesn’t immediately and completely melt off in Alabama heat is all right with me!

Nancy T Avatar

MAC Pro Longwear set with WnW Reserve Your Cabana has been holding up beautifully so far this summer. Wore it out in 115° (very stupid of me, I know), it did NOT melt! It did not move or get cakey! But I still would love to have a CF option for when this bottle runs out. So I figured I’d look at other commenters successful finds for ideas. Two I’m liking, one from a year ago, It CC Cream, and now also have Tarte on my futurecom!

Dollie Avatar

My absolute favourite foundation this summer has been Maybelline Fit Me. Looks so natural, stays up well in the heat and humidity of Mumbai, feels like velvet and is sooooo affordable! What’s not to love?

Lana Avatar

So far for me, I have combo/ oily skin, it’s been the MAC prolong wear foundation and the concealer ?? Another one is the revlon color stay, I like that they both look skin like but the prolong wear doesn’t have spf, that photographs well with flash ??

Gillian Avatar

Having oily skin I need something that will last all day all year round. I really like Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Foundation in #15 Alabaster, MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NW10 and NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in Siberia. The MUFE is the best match out of them all so I tend to tweak the others with mixers and primers. My current bottle of MUFE is nearly done so I’m going to have to start mixing again!

Jovana Avatar

My t-zone is OUT OF CONTROL oily…no matter the season. Especially my forehead. I honestly don’t need a mannequin looking face 12 hours in a day….Im a realist not a fantasy seeker. I just dont wanna look like you can bake an egg on my face which is the case with 90% of products I have tried, and the one foundation that seems to be working for me is Estee Lauder Double Wear. I use stippling method and MUFE HD translucent mattefying powder to set it. If anyone else has better suggestions, I am all ears.

Jennifer Avatar

I’ve been really happy using Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrated Gel paired with a very light dusting of IT Cosmetics Celebration Foundation on top. Adding the IT Celebration Foundation provides a touch more coverage without get cakey or heavy, plus it keeps everything pretty matte, but not dry looking. It’s been in the low 90s and very humid, and this combo seems to be holding up pretty good so far. IT CC has also been working pretty good too.

Elizabeth Avatar

Amore Pacific Cushion Compact BB works great for me. I finish it with a little Cargo HD powder and it lasts forever on, and UD Naked skin. Both of these don’t make me oilier, they don’t oxidize into some weird color, and they both have sun protection. I just got the UD One and Done, but I haven’t tried it yet. I try to use an oil free primer with sun protection as well.

Kirsten Avatar

Christine, do you think the Tarte foundation would be good for someone who sweats a lot too? I think you recently relocated to AZ which is a more dry heat, so I’m wondering if that makes a difference in your opinion.

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!