Summer Beauty Essentials

Summer is finally here, and that means it’s time to soak up the sun, hit the beach, and embrace all the fun that comes with the season. But as the temperatures rise, so do the challenges for maintaining our beauty routines. The heat, humidity, and elements can wreak havoc on our skin, hair, and overall appearance. That’s why it’s crucial to have the right summer beauty products at hand to help us look and feel our best all summer long. This article will guide you through the must-have products and tips to stay radiant and refreshed during these warm months. So sit back, relax, and get ready to discover your ultimate summer beauty essentials.

Self Tanners & Sunscreen

Summer beauty essentials start off with with self tanners and sunscreens. These are some of the most popular seasonal products. For more details on sunscreen, you might enjoy this post.

KP Bump Eraser: Excellent exfoliant for Keratosis Pilaris, sometimes called “chicken skin” or “strawberry skin”. Even if you don’t have this skin condition, I recommend it as a general exfoliator prior to self tanning. It will leave your skin soft and smooth.

Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse: my current favorite self tanner. It goes on smooth and even, then dries down very quickly. It will give you instant color that deepens several hours later.

Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Tanning Mousse: If the Loving Tan is a little out of your price range, then the Jergens Self Tanning Mousse is another good option. It is significantly lower in price and gives a beautiful summer glow.

Self Tanning Mitt: You will want a self tanning mitt to apply your sunless tanner. This will avoid making a mess of your hands.

EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Face Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 : This is one of my favorite face mineral sunscreens. It does not leave a white cast and wears well under every foundation I have ever worn.

Neutrogena Mineral UV Tint: This is another mineral sunscreen that I’m loving. It comes in different shades…I usually wear the light or medium. I wear this for outdoor activities when I know that I will be showering and reapply later. It is more affordable than the EltaMD.

DERMA E Sun Protection Mineral Powder SPF 30: This is a great mineral powder sunscreen to keep in your pool bag or purse for touch-ups throughout the day.

Neutrogena Hydroboost SPF 50: I find that most chemical sunscreens are pretty much the same, but I do enjoy this one by Neutrogena. It blends into the skin well and is very moisturizing. In addition, it does not have a strong fragrance.

Skin Care

My overall skincare routine does not change during the summer months. If you don’t have a specific skincare regiment then you will want to consider these essentials at a minimum. To see my full morning and evening skincare routine, click here.

Lightweight Moisturizer: I have two favorites in the light moisturizer category…I have used both and it really depends on personal preference.

First is my longtime favorite CereVe PM Moisturizing Lotion. I use the PM because it does not contain sunscreen (I already apply sunscreen after my moisturizer). This is a skincare must-have with hyaluronic acid and niacinimide.

Another choice for a lightweight moisturizer is the e.l.f Holy Hydration Face Cream. This formula also has some good skincare ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, niacinimide, and squalane.

Body Spray: Summer beauty essentials are all about light scents and these body sprays by Pacifica are a good option. The Wanderlust mini bottles have three different scents you can try. These are also good for travel!

Degree Advanced Women’s Antiperspirant Deodorant Dry Spray : Using a spray antiperspirant is convenient for the summer and it is easy to reapply if needed.

Lume Whole Body Deodorant: The underarms are not the only area that has odor…especially in the hotter months. Use this whole body deodorant on any body part.

Makeup

Tinted Moisturizer: A tinted moisturizer is a summer beauty essential for many reasons. First, it is light and natural looking which is flattering for mature skin. Also many of them are loaded with skincare ingredients and contain an SPF for extra protection.

Maybelline Dream Fresh Skin Hydrating BB cream: This is a very affordable BB Cream that comes in 4 shades. I wear medium or medium/deep depending on how tan I am. I like to wear this for work from home days, and when I want a little coverage for the pool or outdoor activities.

Covergirl Simply Ageless Skin Perfector Essence Foundation: Don’t let the name fool you…this is not a typical foundation. It is a very thin essence formula that goes on much like a tinted moisturizer. The tint comes from microcapsules that burst upon application to distribute a radiant finish to your skin. I did a more extensive review of this product in this post.

Bronzer: There are so many bronzers on the market, but the one I reach for daily is the Tarte Maneater Silk Stick Bronzer in the shade sundown. The summer beauty essential gives your skin color without being too orange or gold.

Cream or liquid blush: Cream and liquid blushes are my favorite for summer and all year around for mature skin. There are so many that I could mention, but my latest discovery is this Color Bloom Liquid Blush by SheGlam. The color Hush Hush is a peachy nude that looks so natural and perfect for summer! For more on cream blushes, check out this post.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Waterproof Mascara: Summer is the perfect time to have a waterproof mascara in your collection. I recommend this one in either black or brown.

Summer Beauty Essentials: Lips

Glosses, balms, and lip oils are your best options for summer lip products.

Maybelline Lifter Gloss -Peach Ring: My makeup drawer is full of lip products, but the one I reach for the most is this particular shade of my favorite Maybelline Lifter Gloss. This formula remains my favorite lip gloss because of the long wear and color payout. Try this one…you will love it!

Laneige Lip Mask: There have been a lot of dupes for this product, but I have not tried one that is quite as good as the original Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. It is a great part of a night time skincare routine, but I also enjoy wearing it during the day.

e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil: This is a fairly new product that is getting great reviews! It comes in 7 shades for around $8.

What About Hair Care?

As I was writing this post, hair care was going to be included until I realized that summer hair care really deserved a post all to itself. There are so many aspects of this topic that I plan to devote an entire post to that…so stay tuned for summer hair care essentials!