While
everyone else is ready for back to school, I feel like I’m just now getting
into a summer routine. Luckily for me, I still have a month or two of
almost-hundred-degree weather. Here in Texas, summer is definitely still here.
And these super hot days always necessitate a change in beauty products. These are my favorite summer beauty products right now.
This was a
Birchbox find and may be exclusive to the site. It has great coverage for a bb
cream, and a golden shimmer that’s not really noticeable except for adding a
brightening or dewy effect. It’s perfect to use in place of a foundation during
the summer when my skin is tanned and doesn’t need quite as much coverage.
Not just for
summer, this is the perfect palette for a basic neutral eye. I use the matte
colors only for combining with the dewy face and cheeks. Walk of Shame (very
light nude) and Naked2 (taupe) on the lids, and Crave (deepest, darkest
brown/black) smudged across my lash line. These warm colors are great for summer,
and I’ll definitely check out the cooler-toned Naked2 Basics palette for
winter.
This is the
first year I’ve ever tried using a bronzer, and I’m hooked. It took a lot of
looking before I found this little guy. It’s inexpensive (less than 4$) and
shimmery without being glittery or sparkly. Throw out the little brush it comes
with. I use it in place of blush on my cheeks and as eyeshadow too if I’m in a
hurry. Fun fact: I used Cheekers blushes all through high school.
Ok, this
mascara isn’t actually waterproof. I’ve worn in the pool and looked like a
raccoon after a few dips. But it is more natural-looking than my usual (let’s
be honest, few mascaras are less
natural-looking than Diorshow BlackOut http://www.sephora.com/diorshow-black-out-mascara-P175208),
and can stand up to the sweat and sun. It’s impossible to remove with just soap
and water; I use almond oil to remove it before washing my face.
I’ve gone
through three tubes of this sparkling caramel pink gloss. It’s the perfect nude
gloss for my skin tone, and a staple for casual style. Your perfect nude will probably be a different shade, but you can't go wrong with Nars glosses.
This is
summer’s answer to a red lip, although it’s a staple year-round. It’s the
perfect glossy orange-red shade, buildable so it can go from sheer to bold, and
as easy to apply and wear as chapstick. This is one of my all-time favorite
lipstick shades, so of course they discontinued it. Next, I think I’ll try Urban Decay
Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Punch Drunk as a possible
replacement.
On
no-lipstick days – whether I'm jogging along
the river to heading to the pool – this Banana Boat lip balm with SPF 45
replaces my strawberry Chapstick.
I put this
on instead of moisturizer in the morning under makeup. It’s not greasy, absorbs right
away, and doesn’t leave a white residue, even though I use a lot of it. It doesn't irritate my eyes and, most importantly, doesn’t cause breakouts. It’s also
water-resistant, although I always add a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses when I
go to the pool or the beach. It’s pricy, but less expensive than the
moisturizer it’s replacing, and totally worth it for protecting my face.
Most
drugstore spfs cause major breakouts, but not this one. If you read the fine
print, you’ll notice it is fragrance free. It absorbs easily and is inexpensive
enough that I can slather on as much as I want to, and I use a lot of it. (This
is for when I’m going to be outside for a little while. If I’m going to
the pool or the beach, I use the SPF 50 or 100.)
The first
shampoo that my husband and I both love to use. It smells like a day at the
beach, and not in a fake coconut-scented way. I have to wash my hair much more
often in the summer and this stuff combined with some surf spray makes it seem
like I didn’t, but in a good way. Tips: Skip the matching conditioner – it’s no
good – and make sure to swap it out for a clarifying shampoo about once a week
to prevent build-up.
