5 Key Makeup Swaps for Summer

Replace foundation with luminizing skincare

A face full of makeup when it's 88 degrees out is about as comfortable as wearing a parka in a sauna. The foundation that nourishes your skin in the dry, cold months can cause it to sweat in steamy weather—and when base makeup and sweat mix, it’s not a pretty sight (plus, the combo can clog pores and cause breakouts).

To make your bare skin look great so you don't even need coverup, try skincare with light-reflecting ingredients, which help your complexion appear more radiant and even and downplay redness. Our PUREVOC All Day Glow regimen—which includes a serum, moisturizer and eye cream—is designed to let you skip foundation and concealer. Translucent color correctors and light-diffusing pearl pigments create a blurring effect that helps skin appear naturally luminous and more even-toned, while hyaluronic acid plumps skin so lines are less visible, and brighteners such as niacinamide and vitamin C help improve your complexion over time.

Switch out eyeshadow for crisp liner

Take a summer hiatus from Euphoria-level eye makeup looks. Oily eyelids can go into overdrive when it’s sweltering outside, ruining your shadow artistry and leaving you all smudge-eyed.

For sweat-proof definition, skip shadow and try the tightlining trend. Using a waterproof liquid eyeliner or pencil and starting about two-thirds the way in on your top lids (not at the inner corner), draw right along the lash line as close to the lashes as possible, thickening the line a bit as you go. Dot the liner in between your lashes so there are no gaps of visible skin and extend the line a bit past your lid’s outer corner, which gives eyes a slight lift and makes lashes look fuller. Swipe on mascara (our Power’Full Mascara thickens, lengthens, and curls) for the finishing flair.

And while you can never go wrong with black eyeliner, a vibrant hue like turquoise, emerald, or violet looks fresh and fun on hot nights.

Trade blush for bronzer

Warm, humid air brings a natural flush to the face, so if you have light to medium skin, adding blush can sometimes make you look a little too rosy, as if you’re overheated. 

A swirl of liquid or gel bronzer along your cheekbones instead gives you a sun-kissed glow and, if your cheeks are flushed from the heat, also helps downplay the redness. Blend the bronzer along your forehead and add a smidge down your nose—spots where the sun would naturally hit your face—to create realistic golden color.

While you may think bronzer is only for lighter skin tones, a dark shade with a hint of sheen (not obvious sparkle) can add a gorgeous, warm radiance to deeper skin tones.

Swap lipstick for a melt-proof lip stain

A velvety lipstick feels a tad too formal for the laid-back days of summer, and in sizzling temperatures, it’ll often dissolve right off, bleeding into lip lines or onto your teeth.

Lip stains offer long-lasting color without the meltdown. Unlike lipstick, which sits on top of the skin, the pigments in stains are absorbed into the surface layer of lips where it’s much harder for water, sweat, and humidity to break them down. Our award-winning Wonder Blading Peel & Reveal Lip Color is a vegan, alcohol-free formula that won’t dry out your lips, and all 12 colors are completely waterproof and won’t budge or fade, even on scorching days.

Shelve creams in favor of gels and liquids

If you can’t live without eyeshadow or blush, then switch to a gel or liquid formula (preferably one that’s waterproof) for the season—and do the same with bronzer. Cream formulas don’t hold up as well in the heat and humidity, and powders can turn streaky on your skin when they encounter sweat, oil, or sticky weather.

Whatever your summer makeup style, just remember the golden rule: keep it light and easy so you can spend less time getting ready and more time out enjoying the sunshine.