My Favorite Foundations for Summer
Back in the day I was all about a super matte, full coverage look, no matter the season but especially during the summer months. I have oily skin and me and my skin were in a constant battle for dominance. Today we have called a truce and my tastes have changed accordingly. Now that I’m officially in my 40’s (!) I am ebracing a more natural, satin or glowy finish for my foundations. Especially in the summer. The foundations on this list are great for most skin types. Not overly dewy and not matte. Most have a beautiful subtle glow or satin matte finish with medium coverage. During the hot months the last thing I want is to feel a ton of foundation on my skin. I am not as concerned with covering every single thing. It’s more about evening my skin and making it look healthy. And I’ve found that that’s more achievable when you stay away from cake-face foundation coverage.
Fenty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Foundation (shade 310)
I was NOT a fan of the original Pro Filt’r Matte Foundation. It and my skin did not get along no matter how many ways I tried to make it work. I finally gave up on it. Last summer, I grabbed a sample from Sephora of the Hydrating formula and my mind was blown. It wasn’t overly oily or greasy looking on my skin. It gave great coverage but didn’t look heavy and last really well. This year, after doing a massive declutter of my foundations I purchased a full size. This is a great foundation if you still want coverage but not a flat or super-matte look. Of the foundations on this list this is one of the fuller coverage options.
The Ordinary Serum Foundation - $6.70 (shade 2.1Y)
This is one of my favorite foundations. Ever. For me, this is the ultimate “your skin but better” foundation. The coverage is light. I usually pair it with a higher coverage concealer if I have blemishes I want to cover. It is not a long-lasting formula so I wouldn’t recommend it for long days. I usually wear this if I’m not going anywhere (which let’s face it - none of us have these past few months) or for running errands. I apply with my fingers or a sponge. It pairs well with cream products as well. Recently I’ve been using the Fenty cream blushers and bronzer with it and lightly powdering for a really soft natural glow.
Estee Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue -$45 (4W1 Bronze Honey)
Next to the Fenty foundation, this is the highest coverage foundation on the list. If you like Double Wear but I find it o full coverage and too matte this is a wonderful alternative. It offers great coverage, a natural satin glow and lasts well throughout the day. I have used this one as much as some of the others on the list but the few times I have worn it I have really liked it.
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - $64 (shade 7.75)
This is the newest addition to my foundation collection. I have heard people rave about this foundation for what feels like forever but never bit the bullet and purchased it. Armani recently had a sale on their site and I was able to pick it up for half off. I have really enjoyed it. It reminds me a lot of the The Ordinary Serum Foundation with more coverage and a slightly more satin matte finish. It also lasts longer than the TO foundation. This is not a full coverage foundation. It is sheer medium to medium coverage. Like with the TO foundation if I am looking for more coverage I use a bit of concealer on areas that need it. If you don’t want to spend $64 on a foundation I would say wait for a sale (Armani has has quite a few lately) or pick up The Ordinary Serum Foundation which is considerably cheaper.
Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Foundation - $68 (Medium 16, Medium 17)
This is a controversial choice. I feel like when this foundation came out people either loved it or hated it. And that was really only because of expectations of what they assumed Pat would release. This is NOT a full coverage matte foundation. If you are looking for major coverage this is not the foundation for you. If you want a natural finish with low to medium coverage, that lasts all day this could be the one for you. The standout selling factor for this foundation for me it’s lasting power. Most lower coverage foundations fade within a few hours. I wore this foundation last summer in 80 degree temps during 10 hour day. And it didn’t budge. It looked fresh and didn’t break down. And I have oily skin. Now THAT’S saying something.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation - $38 (355N)
This was my go-to foundation last summer. The finish is luminous without being dewy and the coverage is a solid medium that can build to full if you want it to.It dries down to a nice satin finish and lasts a good 1-12 hours. I wore this on blazing hot days and while I did get a bit oily I wasn’t a greaseball. And that’s honestly my goal. If I can pat my face down with a tissue a few times a day as needed and my makeup still looks amazing and my foundation doesn’t break down in a greasy mess I’m satisfied. This did all of that while still maintaining a luminous look.
What are some of your favorite foundations for hot summer days? Let me know in the comments!
