How to avoid the summer makeup fuss
A great summer makeup base can be achieved in less time than it takes to put your jandals in a beach bag.
Summer is not the time for an overdone face, but a simple base does require a little prep if you want it to last on long, hot, sunny days.
A decent amount of sun protection and a barely-there finish that doesn’t dissolve into a shiny, sweaty slick the moment the sun hits is all most of us ask of our summer foundation regime.
If the solution uses minimal products and can be achieved in less time than it takes to put your jandals in a beach bag, then so much the better.
With all the skin-perfecting, groundwork-laying benefits of primer plus a hit of hydration a good spray-on primer is a girl’s best friend for summer.
Better yet, you can also use them to set makeup once you’re done, and any time throughout the day you need a bit of a skin fix.
MAC’s Prep + Prime Fix+ ($40) is a cult classic hydrating and setting spray, while Too Faced’s wonderfully named Hangover 3-in1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray ($50) is all about coconut water, aloe juice and probiotic yoghurt powder.
Este´ e Lauder’s Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist ($68) comes energised with electrolytes and caffeine to boost skin’s radiance, while Smashbox’s incredibly popular Photo Finish Primer Water ($62) promises to be ‘‘like a supercharged energy drink for your skin’’.
Summer days call for lighter formulas and lighter ways to apply them too. While you should already be wearing a sunscreen, there’s no harm in looking for additional sun protection in your foundation.
Spongy and super lightweight, the on-trend cushion is a good choice when the mercury rises, and it has the added bonus of being highly portable.
When used correctly, cushions give a near-flawless finish. They contain an antibacterial sponge soaked in foundation and improve your chances of a smooth, uniform application that minimises shine.
Clinique’s Super City Block BB Cushion Compact ($65) feels cool and breathable, can be built up for more coverage, boasts antioxidants and an SPF of 50 and gives a natural matte finish.
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Cushion Compact SPF30 (compact case, $26, and refill, $60) is another nice choice, packed with goodies like energising caffeine and lychee, or the great value Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation ($25), which has a finish more on the dewy and luminous side and SPF40.
With their built-in skin benefits and sun protection, light matte finishes and super fine breathable compositions, mineral powder foundations are another great choice, particularly for those with already oily or acne-prone skin.
Jane Iredale is the original and still one of the best, with her airytextured Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder ($80) going on like silk, broad spectrum SPF20 sun protection and up to 40 minutes water resistance.
New Zealand brand Antipodes’ Performance Plus mineral foundation ($47) utilises antioxidant-packed extracts from sauvignon blanc grape seeds and kiwifruit skin, while L’Oreal The Minerals True Match foundation ($44) promises 16-hour wear.