As the warm summer months approach, and we get ready to get out in style, it is time to give our makeup a breath of freshness. Soft summer makeup encapsulates the essence of effortless beauty. It offers a respite from heavy makeup routines and encourages a more natural approach that celebrates individuality and enhances one’s features. It embraces the radiant glow of sun-kissed skin, achieved through strategic highlighting and the use of light-reflecting products.
We take a look at the key makeup steps and must-haves to create soft summer makeup looks that are a harmonious blend of simplicity and sophistication.
1. Prep your skin
Cleanse your skin with a gentle face. Use a lightweight moisturizer with SPF to protect your skin from the sun’s rays and prevent excess oiliness during the day. Create a smooth canvas for your makeup with a mattifying primer. Even for people with dry skin, a mattifying primer is recommended during the summer months.
2. Swap your foundation
Give your full-coverage foundations a break and opt for lightweight, sheer foundation or a tinted moisturizer to achieve a natural and dewy finish. We all know the summer months can make the foundation look pasty, allow your skin to breathe, and avoid heavy foundations.
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream or a lightweight dewy foundation like Covergirl, Clean Fresh Skin Milk Foundation are perfect for the season.
3. Let the concealer do the heavy-lifting
While we are too attached to our foundations, it’s time to give the concealer a chance. A full-coverage concealer can do the job just as well while keeping the look still natural and fresh. Try e.l.f, Hydrating Camo Concealer for a lightweight, long-lasting full coverage.
4. Choose a Translucent Powder
Choose a translucent powder like NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP HD Studio Finishing Powder for setting your makeup. Lightly dust the translucent powder over your T-zone and any areas prone to shine. This will help control oiliness and keep your makeup in place throughout the day.
5. (Cream) Blush it Up
A cream blush works much better than a powder brush for most skin types during summer. Cream blushes give a natural and dewy finish, perfect for a soft summer look. Apply a small amount to the apples of your cheeks and blend it out for a subtle flush of color.
Also, a must-try – Blush-draping, a resurgence of a ’70s-favorite trend, that involves applying blush from the cheekbones to the temples in a C-shape for a lifted effect.
Create your soft summer makeup looks with e.l.f. Monochromatic Multi Stick.
6. Highlight Strategically
Highlight the high points of your face, such as the cheekbones, brow bone, and the bridge of your nose. This step gives you a subtle glow and radiant finish. Prefer a cream or liquid highlighter like L’Oreal Paris Makeup True Match Lumi Glotion.
7. Pastel Eyelids
Soft and neutral shades on your eyes, such as light browns, peaches, or muted pinks gel very well with soft summer makeup and make your eyes appear bigger and brighter.
However, if you are ready to dial it up a notch, opt for pastel colors like baby pink or blue, mint, and lilac. Pastel shadows, reminiscent of the blooming flowers and serene landscapes of summer, provide a fresh and delicate touch to the eyes. These soft, dreamy shades allow you to create captivating eye looks that exude elegance and romance. Pacifica Stellar Gaze Eyeshadow Palette offers some great options for pastel eyeshadow looks.
Check out more trends that are making their way in 2023 – 8 Biggest Eye Makeup Trends of 2023
8. Keep your brows natural
Use a brow gel like Covergirl Easy Breezy Brow Setting Gel or pencil to define your brows. Avoid filling heavily to create a more natural and effortless look, perfect for a soft summer makeup style.
9. Define your eyes
Tightlined eyes are cool again as the 90s makeup trend makes a comeback. Use a liquid or gel eyeliner as close to the lash line as possible. If you like, you can also extend it for a touch of glamour.
Add a waterproof mascara, to prevent smudging or flaking in the summer heat, while giving definition to the lashes. You can choose the classic black or experiment with a few colors with L’Oreal Paris Makeup Voluminous Original Volume Building Mascara.
10. Move away Matte Lips
It is time to shelve all those matte lipsticks that have been our favorites for a bit too long! Soft summer makeup demands a chance for Nude glossy lips.
Sheer lip balms or tinted lip glosses are huge this summer as the super-glossy lips resurrect themselves from the 90s makeup trends. A plumping balm that cares and adds the much-desired shine, like tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump does the job perfectly.
If you are not ready to let go of the matte lip colors yet, try picking the beautiful nude shades from Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon Lipstick.
11. Let it Last
Now, that you look like a work of art why not make it last? Use a setting spray to seal it all. Try Milani Make It Dewy 3-In-1 Setting Spray for additional benefits like hydration and illumination to keep it glam all day!
12. Nail It!
Finally, nail your soft summer makeup with a perfect nude or pastel nail color. Avoid using dark colors as they don’t go well with the overall soft summer makeup look.
A ‘glazed donut’ or its cousin the ‘strawberry glazed donut’ is perfect for a chic uplift to the nails. Explore these hot summer nail trends for 2023 – Trending Summer Nails 2023 to inspire your best manicure.
Conclusion
In a world where both minimalism and maximalism co-exist, summer days appeal to our creative spirit and encourage us to experiment with different looks.
Soft summer makeup, with its gentle and refined allure, is perfect for those seeking a subtle yet captivating look. Whether you choose to embrace a simple and radiant look or experiment with pastel shades, soft summer makeup invites you to express your unique style and radiate confidence throughout the sunny days ahead.