With summer on the anvil, you’re probably scheduled for a beauty overhaul and are looking to upgrade your products for the new season. Now, there’s really no need to settle for raccoon eyes and pancake foundation. I’d like to butt in and take you through some legit swaps that work like a charm and keep you from having a Makeup meltdown when it’s hot outside:

Liquid Makeup  Powder Makeup

While a matte finish with full coverage works well for winters, opt for powder-based makeup to retain the dewy and radiant freshness when the temperatures are soaring. Sure, the coverage is not as opaque as liquid makeup, but the particles diffuse easily and won’t look cakey when you begin to sweat (way more forgiving!).

Foundation  BB Cream

A hybrid between a makeup and skincare product, BB creams are usually oil-free (better for summer), lightweight, and packed with SPF. If you’re worried about streaking and patchy foundation, the cost-effective Blemish/Beauty Balm is the perfect swap to cover up the flaws and cut your base makeup routine time by half.

 Eyebrow Pencil  Eyebrow Gel

With pencils and powders, the lined fillers quickly become evident and stand out like stencils against the natural shape of your brows. Basically, it looks super weird. Try ditching them for an eyebrow gel this summer. You don’t realise how good it is… until you do! The gel is like a Setting Spray for your eyebrows; it holds up well even when you’re at the beach or taking a dip in the pool. 

Liquid Blush  Cushion Blush

Somewhere between a powder blush and a cream (liquid) blush lies the recently discovered cushion blush that gives you the best of both worlds. We have the Koreans to thank for this little innovation because, seriously, it works like a charm. Similar to cushion foundations, the cake has a bit of resistance and comes with a soft pad applicator that you need to dab (not sweep) on your cheeks. The formula lasts longer than powder blushes and provides you more control in terms of definition and contouring. It also saves you from the meltdown of liquid blushes that go on a down-toward-your jaw spiral when you’re sweaty or have been out all day.

Matte Lipstick  Tinted Lip Balms & Glosses

If you’re a makeup addict (even a little bit), you obviously know that mattes are for winters and glosses are for summers. There’s just something youthful and fresh about a gloss that lends itself well to the season. Now, it can be a sticky mess and trap flyaway hairs when you’re travelling, so a good alternative swap is a tinted lip balm with a glistening finish. It will hydrate your pout, look perfect as a peach, and prove to be a handy pick-me-up when you’ve got no other makeup on hand (you can use it on your lids and cheeks too).

Eyeliner & Kohl  Eyeshadow & Mascara

Here’s are the swaps you need most. It feels odd at first, because, so incomplete without eyeliner, no? But, over the summer you’ll love that you don’t have to spend hours cleaning out your eye makeup. Also, when it’s hot outside your eyeliner can go from ‘on fleek’ to ‘eek’ in seconds without you realising it. And that kohl, it will descend to your cheeks by mid-day, tops! Stick to shimmer-based neutral eyeshadows that can make you look like a bronzed beach babe. If you’re craving glamour, a transparent mascara can add some oomph without the drama.

Nail Paints  Gel Nail Polish

Save yourself the trouble of painting your nails every week with gel nail polish. Given you’re probably going to be a big water baby this season—pool time, showering twice as much, gardening—the gel formula, which has a stronger hold will prevent chipping and peeling and can stay near perfect for up to two weeks; it’s much longer than the regular nail paints on your dresser. 

Finishing Powder  Setting Spray

Summer makeup is all about thin layers, and the fewer, the better. So, opt for a setting spray versus a finishing powder (just another layer), because it helps hydrate parched skin that’s been exposed to the sun for too long. Also, finishing powder doesn’t do much for oily residue, whereas setting spray helps absorb and dry out the excess. The only problem is, setting spray is not ideal for your eyeliner and kohl, but you already know how I feel about the duo (swap with mascara and eyeshadow, please!)

Editor’s Top Picks

Kiehl’s BB Cream (buy here); Lancôme Subtil Cushion Blusher (buy here);
NYX Makeup Setting Spray (buy here); Benefit Gimme Brow Gel (buy here);
NARS Lip Gloss (buy here); Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow (buy here);
TopShop Gel Nails (buy here)

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