Your five skincare suitcase saviours
Sonia Haria reveals her holy grail of face products for that healthy summer look on holiday at home or abroad
Rejoice: from today we are promised cooler weather and, from today, I vow not to use the word “heatwave” again. Why? Two reasons. I have referenced the word – along with many other beauty and fashion writers – around 364 times already this summer. And I’m over it. Secondly because, although the H-word evokes ideas of lounging in a park with a Calippo and a good book, in beauty terms it’s a sweat-inducing, make-up melting, hair-frizzing reality.
That is for everyone except Beyoncé, it seems, who graced the cover of the September issue of American Vogue with barely a scratch of make-up on. She has what I call a healthy humid face. A healthy humid face isn’t artificially glowing as a result of a shimmery highlighter powder, it’s naturally moisturised, happy skin that teeters on the right side of looking dewy without breaking a bead of actual sweat. Lucky you, Bey.
If you’re part of the 95 per cent of the population that doesn’t have this type of skin (myself included), there are a few products to help along the way to ensure that whether you’re in the UK or jetting away for a late summer holiday, you’ll look more sun-kissed and less sweat-mist.
The first must-have is a good moisturiser. You don’t want it to feel too rich or too greasy, but it needs enough oomph to keep any dry patches satisfied. I have been hooked on the Daily Defence Shield SPF30 by Elemis (£46, lookfantastic.com) this past month. It has such a light texture that you’d be forgiven for thinking it won’t be enough: however, the clever formulators clearly knew that SPF moisturisers are usually thick and greasy, so they came up with a product that feels more like a regular moisturiser and less like a sun cream. It doesn’t mattify the skin, nor does it pile on the moisture.
Next up is a good cover-up for the parts of the face you feel you need a little helping hand. One of my favourite discoveries this summer has been the Nudies Tinted Blur Stick by Nudestix (£28, cultbeauty.co.uk). This is such a good product. It’s essentially a tinted moisturiser disguised as a foundation stick: simply scribble it on the face and blend it in with your fingers. It gives you just enough coverage to make your skin look believably Beyoncé, even in tone, without looking as if you’ve got half a panstick worth of foundation on your face. I’ve been told that it keeps selling out, but most of the brilliantly inclusive shade range is currently available.
If you can’t go without a good powder in the summer, the best one currently on the market is La Mer Sheer Pressed Powder in translucent (£65, johnlewis.com). Pricey, yes, but each compact has a lot of mileage. It leaves no visible trace of product on the skin and helps to stop any breakouts of sweat (the attractive beads of moisture that appear on the upper lip, in particular), and keeps the skin looking fresh.
For a subtle hint of colour on your freshly rejuvenated summer face, pick up a Baby Lips Balm & Blush by Maybelline (£4.99, boots.com) from the airport before you jet away. Silly name, fantastic product, especially in the shade Innocent Peach. Rub the balm on the chubbiest part of your cheek and across the lips for a natural flush of colour that stays put in the heat.
And finally, for the ultimate happily-humid-but-not-sweaty face, arm yourself with a really good face mist. The best ones should leave a very fine cover of mist on the skin. The Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer (£15.50, boots.com), which I’ve used for years, does just that. The heavenly geranium and lavender scent instantly transports my brain to a beach on the Amalfi coast even if I’m sitting at my desk, but I also love the hydrated, healthy look of the skin after a spritz.
Armed with these five products, never be caught out in a heatwave again (sorry, officially the last time).
‘There are a few products to help you look more sun-kissed and less sweat-mist’