Hallelujah, the height of summer is upon us! The weather's getting really nice and warm here in San Diego, and it's making us want to bask in the sun all the time. Having lived in the tropics all my life, I always associate summer to my homeland where it's hot (and humid for the most part). Luckily, it's not as humid here in San Diego, but it's not as amazing as it sounds either.
When summer kicks into full swing, the temperature rises to a hundred degrees, which is totally not cool (pun intended).
Summer is mostly associated with being wild and carefree, but it doesn't mean that you have to neglect your skin- and haircare altogether. In fact, it's just as important as drawing moisture into our skin, making it plump and younger-looking. In case you didn't know, too much sun exposure ages your skin, thus making you look older! Here are the products I'm using in heavy rotation this season:
Before anything else, I have combination to oily skin type. My skin is also on the sensitive side, so if I don't use hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic products, I tend to develop nasty breakouts after a day or two. To prepare my skin, I start off with a clean, exfoliated, and moisturized face (more on my skincare routine on the blog soon). In the summer, I use Olay Fresh Effects {Dew Over} Hydrating Gel Moisturizer, which is oil-free and water-based. I love that it's lightweight and feels cool when applied. I wait about two to three minutes to allow the product to sink into my skin, then I lightly blot my face with 1-ply tissue to absorb unnecessary dewiness on the face.
After which, I apply about a pump of the bareMinerals Prime Time Oil Control Primer on areas that I tend to get oily by the end of the day. Once again, I wait about two to three minutes to allow the product to be absorbed my skin before starting off with my base.I have two approaches when it comes to applying my base make-up this summer. If I'm mostly staying indoors (i.e., at work) or in the evening, I just apply loose powder on my face. With my bareMinerals Seamless Buffing Brush, I start buffing a mix of one part bareMinerals Original Foundation and two parts bareMinerals Matte Foundation on the center of my face outwards in a light-handed, circular motion. I don't pack too much of this powder to avoid it from caking up on my face towards the end of the day. I wear both in the shade Medium Beige, and they have SPF 15 for sun protection. The original version has a slight sheen to it, so I mix it together with the matte one to give a subtle glow, but still keeping oil at bay.
If I'm going to be out in the sun, however, I like to add more protection to my skin. This girl isn't getting any younger, so using my IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ is a life-saver! I'm not as tanned as last year, so the Medium shade still works for me. If I go any darker in the coming weeks, however, I might start using my Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream with SPF 42, which I got in the shade Golden Beige (No. 31).
Had I not picked on my skin a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn't need to conceal a hyperpigmentation resulting to that bad habit. I use NYX Cosmetics Gotcha Covered Concealer in Medium to cover up any imperfections on my face. This concealer is waterproof, which makes ideal for the season. Finally, I set my concealer off with the same bareMinerals loose powder.
To give my face some warmth (not exactly contouring), I sweep benefit Hoola Soft Bronze Box o' Powder on the hollows of my cheeks, a bit on the sides of my forehead, then on my jaw line. For the blush, I don't like to go crazy with a pop of color on my cheeks. I go for the natural flush of color, so I just sweep either the NARS Blush in Orgasm or the benefit Coralista Blush Box o' Powder for a hint of glow.
To preserve the simplicity of this look, I prefer not to wear any eye makeup at all. It will most likely melt in the heat, anyway, so I just apply a waterproof mascara to my curled lashes. My go-to waterproof mascaras these days are the L'Oreal Paris Butterfly Bonanza
On some days, I'll finish this look off with my non-tinted ChapStick Hydration Lock Day & Night lip balm. For a more "put-together" approach, I'll swipe either my NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien, ColourPop Satin Finish Lippie Stix in Topanga, or ColourPop Satin Finish Lippie Stix in Frida on my lips, and be done for the day.
The one thing you don't want to miss out on during the summer season is wearing sunscreen. Actually, you're supposed to wear sunscreen throughout the entire year because even in the gloomiest day, your skin remains susceptible to sun damage. Lately, I've been loving this Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Clear Mist Spray Sunscreen with SPF 30 because it smells so good! Seriously, I've never tried any sunscreen that doesn't smell strongly like one. My skin feels oh-so-smooth and silky with this one, too! Double win!
Like our skin, our hair needs sun protection, too. When spending most of the time outdoors, applying this Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer is highly beneficial since it provides both heat and UV protection for the hair. It also smells good, and leaves my hair soft and manageable (especially when air-dried).
Finally, I wear Hollister Pure Cali Perfume to captivate that true SoCal spirit. It has notes of pineapple, water lily, and cedar wood, which makes this fruity scent perfect for the summer!
PIN/SAVE ME!
If you have questions about any of these, do ask them in the comments section below!