Even though Chicago weather is playing games with my heart, it’s technically just about summertime in the Chi. The weather vacillates between high heat and humidity, to rain and wind and even hail the other day. In June! Sometimes it hails in JUNE. Anyway, no matter what, it’s the season to switch up your makeup. The prospects of bright sunshine beaming down and melting off heavy, thick foundation is less than appealing. The goal is to find a foundation that matches your beautiful skin – even shades that go darker as you find yourself enjoying those sunny days to the max.
This post is all about brown girl friendly makeup brands with wonderful lightweight options for perfect coverage in the upcoming months. I turned to my go-to New York makeup artist Tara Lauren for top picks in terms of summer coverage for bellas all shades of beautiful. Tara’s got 4 picks and I’ll chime in with number 5. Take it away, Tara!
Are you SO ready to switch over to your summer wardrobe? It’s time for skirts, sandals, and sundresses! While your clothes are getting lighter for the warmer months, your beauty routine could also use a summer makeover. With the warm weather upon us, sun, humidity and heat can play a major role in makeup wear. Foundation is a key component of the beauty regimen that can be tricky. Finding something that will provide desired coverage yet withstand the elements can be hard. Switching to lightweight formulas can help keep makeup in place and lasting through your days of summer fun. Here are a few foundations that will definitely give the sun a run for its money!
Cover FX Custom Cover Drops – This concentrated pigment is dispensed with a dropper and mixes into any current beauty product to deliver custom coverage. Grab your favorite moisturizer, serum, face oil, sunscreen or primer to create your desired coverage.
Make Up Forever Face & Body This light weight formula is waterproof with a natural satin finish. The water- based gel is not only cooling and hydrating, it is perfect for multiple skin types and can also be applied to décolleté and legs for flawless looking skin, perfect to accompany your new sun kissed glow.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Oil Free – Laura Mercier’s moisturizer protects your skin from the sun’s harmful rays yet provides a light coverage and healthy glow. This is a true combo product; the perfect marriage of skincare and makeup is semi-matte and long wearing. It also provides moisture and oil control, both important to skin in the sometimes cruel summer.
Urban Decay Naked Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup – Looking for a weightless foundation that delivers awesome coverage and is also paraben and sulfate free? Look no further than Urban Decay! Comprised of light-reflecting spheres, it leaves your skin looking like it could’ve been professionally retouched!
And my pick for number 5 – Lancome Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation – Cushion foundations are already hugely popular in the magical wonderland of Korean beauty products. Lancome was so wise to bring the craze stateside. Miracle Cushion is plush amazingness here to change the foundation game. Liquid foundation suspended in a super soft sponge – perfect for travel, and it leaves your skin looking dewy fresh and flawless, with a cooling sensation. Summer perfection!
Those are our picks for lightweight foundations for a wide range of skin tones, hopefully you find the shade of beautiful that matches you! What are your faves nowadays? Tell me in the comments!
Tara Lauren is a New York based makeup artist. She describes her style as clean, modern and chic. With a belief that makeup is an enhancement to natural features, Tara enjoys sharing her makeup knowledge with clients as well as the everyday woman. Her goal is for her clients to enjoy the process as well as the end results. When Tara is not pushing her kit around New York City or researching the latest beauty trends, she is probably enjoying a Netflix marathon. Her work can be viewed at TaraLauren.com and follow her on Instagram at @TaraLauren.
I am ashamed to admit I’ve never heard of cushion foundations. At first I was like, “Whuuuh?”. Then I was like, “Hmmmm…”, and finally I was like, “WANNNNNA!!!” LOL
wow. very informative post 🙂 im loving your blog! 🙂
i blog here: https://shalloweuphoria.wordpress.com/
I live in the UK and finding a decent foundation is often hit and miss…most of the *prestige* brands claim to do foundations to suit all shades but fall short. However, I “invested” in Laura Mercier (at that price, it certainly is an investment!) and I’ve never regretted it. Well worth the money 😉
A real fan of the Laura Mercier!
I like the Josie Maran foundation that color matches. It come out the bottle white and then it blends in for light coverage. I’m “caramel” in most brands so I can’t say how it will work for darker tones.
Love LM & Urban Decay!
I am a diehard fan of Smash Box’s Camera Ready CC Cream (dark). However, your review of Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer has piqued my interest. I prefer lightweight oil free coverage and this tinted moisturizer is right up my alley. I’ll let you know how this works for me.
I Live in Florida, hot +humidity isn’t any girls friend. I m going to try the Make up Forever.
I love, love, loves Tom Ford Traceless. Pricey, but worth every penny.
Hello, thanks for your information, I am an avid reader of your blog and it helps me a lot.. As I am selling most of drugstore products here and sometimes go up to sell those of departmental brands if I could have it on discount.. My aunt brings them here from Canada, I am in Ghana and I sell them in the universities and also corporates- I sell direct..
I wish I could have some of the products which you recommend for women of color.. You know Africa is the most beautiful continent for people of color from tanned fair to charcoal black. And I hope you can list the shade and color code of the products- like having a table which corresponds to each matching – say mac- their color coding as arranged- let’s take it example your color…. And like make up forever the color ranges.. This will help my aunt a lot in her next purchases
Thank you