Once it starts to warm up in Atlanta, the humidity level simultaneously follows suit. I’m that person who sweats a lot. It has made me rethink my makeup routine every summer. Sure, I’ve found some great products to keep my makeup on my face, but I still don’t want to wear a ton of products in the heat. Over the years, I’ve found a few favorite lightweight foundations from BB Creams to illuminators, and CC creams that I love. They’re lightweight and don’t feel heavy. They help to make the transition from winter to summer foundation easily without sacrificing coverage.
There’s nothing worse than having a full face of heavy makeup on in the summer heat. So I like to swap my heavy foundation for some of these lighter tinted moisturizers that help to give me some coverage, smooth out some imperfections and make me feel put together. All I usually do is add some cream contour (I love this contour stick) and add some mascara and brows and I’m good to go for summer. Oh, and probably a good summer red lipstick of course.
The Best Lightweight Summer Foundations
No matter what makeup I plan to wear, I never start without my primer. I have super oily skin, plus the summer humidity, I want to make sure my makeup stays put throughout the day. I’ve tested over a dozen face primers and have my favorites here. Once that’s applied, it’s on to my favorite lightweight summer foundations that won’t weigh me down.
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF
I’ve always been a NARS foundation or tinted moisturizer fan for years. For a while, I was using the velvet matte NARS tinted moisturizer but it has since been discontinued. This is I believe, what they replaced it with. I have yet to try it, but as soon as my last bottle of the velvet matte one is gone, I’ll be buying this one. Light to medium coverage that’s buildable, SPF and comes in 16 shades. And it has one of my favorite ingredients in it, Vitamin C. Learn why I love this ingredient so much here.
Burberry Ultimate Glow Foundation
I discovered Burberry makeup years ago when I went on this incredible trip to London with the brand. It was truly a highlight of my many years of blogging. One of my favorite products from that trip that we tried thanks to the makeup artists, was the Ultimate Glow Illuminator. They no longer make it, and looks like they’ve replaced it with the foundation. This is great because it gives a little more coverage than just illuminate your skin. It’s sort of like a great serum with powerful skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid which is great for dry skin.
Saie Slip Tint
One of my absolute favorites from this list that I personally love and use is from Saie. The Slip Tint is a great tinted moisturizer that’s lightweight and gives you a dewy, but not too dewy, look. As someone who is quite oily, I try to stay away from anything that claims to leave a dewy finish, but I actually really like this formula a lot. Plus, SPF 30 so you can feel good about being in the sun if you are. You can see my full review of Saie here.
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter
This product has a cult following and it’s no surprise. Anything Charlotte Tilbury does tends to garner a cult following. People say this is like using the Paris filter on Instagram for your face. It blurs imperfections and smooths your skin so perfectly. Plus, it is super light and has sheer coverage. Some people wear this under foundation, or over it, or by itself. And if you’re shopping at Charlotte Tilbury, yes the pillow talk lipstick is THAT good, highly recommend it.
e.l.f. Halo Glow Filter
This is a solid dupe of the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter and is only $14. It’s available at Target. I am in shade 3 light/medium. You can wear it with your foundation, or as is. I usually use it as is as I find it gives just enough coverage to make me look alive and glowy.
Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Skin Tint
If you’re wondering what’s on my wish list it’s this. I’ve been such a big fan of Fenty Beauty from this contour stick to and her matte foundation. I saw Maddy Guttierez share this product on her Instagram and it’s been on my wishlist ever since. It’s got a natural finish, and light buildable coverage for a blurred and smoothed out kind of look which is always great. And with all Fenty products, you can expect a wide range of shades to match any and all skin tones. It’s one of the reasons why I love this inclusive brand.
Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted
I’m a die hard Tarte Shape Tape user, but have yet to try any of their other products. Which seems criminal, right? This Tarte Amazonian Clay BB tinted moisturizer gets RAVE reviews. It’s oil free and has SPF 20 protection. Not a ton, but it’s something. With lightweight, buildable coverage, this one is a great summer lightweight foundation to try.
Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation
This is my go-to foundation when I need a little more coverage than just my tinted moisturizer. It’s light to medium coverage but just doesn’t feel heavy on your skin at all. I love this product so much that I did a whole post and review it here. Urban Decay has always been a favorite beauty brand and this is one I reach for any time I want a glam face in the summer and still feel like I’m wearing nothing, naked if you will. With a matte finish, this is also ideal for oily skin. I feel like it’s not super matte thanks to the fact it isn’t super thick. And, this comes in 50 shades!
