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Beauty editor’s picks: Useful summer skin and makeup essentials

By MiNDFOOD

Beauty editor’s picks: Useful summer skin and makeup essentials
MiNDFOOD & STYLE Beauty Editor Megan Bedford tips her summer beauty must-haves for a season in the sun (or the shade!).

While a beauty editor always has an array of skin and makeup options to choose from, there’s nothing like a specific occasion, season or destination that inspires them to edit.

Of course, we should all revel in summer’s relaxed approach and adjust our beauty routines to suit. If you don’t feel like doing anything – may I suggest a good SPF and leave it at that?

However if inclined, as I usually am, a touch of sheer, luminous colour offers a perfectly insouciant addition. 

In summer we face a number of specific challenges when it comes to skincare and makeup, so I like to pare it back and choose textures that don’t overwhelm skin or feel sticky and products that wear off evenly, so if the heat or outdoor adventures disturb them, they don’t end up looking a mess. 

Here are the essentials I’ll be reaching for over the summer break and into the new year, as I make the most of the sunny season. 

La Roche Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF 50+

While I do have a selection of facial sunscreens to choose from, this is the one I reach for – and recommend – most often. It’s lightweight, feels fine on skin and isn’t too shiny, nor too matte, and plays well with makeup but makes my skin look healthy and fresh when I’m not wearing any.

Bondi Sands Sport SPF 50+ Lotion Spray

When you need full body coverage quickly, and to know it’ll be reliable, this is currently my go-to. Spritz on, rub in and you’re good. Don’t forget to reapply!

Isle Of Paradise HY-GLO FaceSelf tan Serum

I’ve always found fake tan on my face to be very drying or worse, cause breakouts so its nice to find options that don’t do either. This  also gives a really subtle colour that can be built up with consistent use. It also contains  avocado, coconut and chia seed oils to keep that dryness at bay.

Lanolips Tinted Balm SPF

Lips need protection from the sun too! These balms feel smooth and have enough tint to flatter your lips and make it look like you’re wearing a touch of colour, but not so much you need a mirror to apply, or reapply. I wear them year round but I live in them over the summer break. Here are 10 other similar options.

Naked Sundays SPF50+ Hydrating Glow Mist

This was designed to wear over makeup to top up your SPF protection and its a great option for ensuring your skin protection is up to scratch in the hours after you initially applied a regular cream or lotion SPF.

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Oil

At the end of a long day at the beach I like to load my lips with a replenishing oil. This feels silky and contains hyaluronic acid so it rehydrates as well as the oil that locks in the moisture.

Stylerunner Terry Towel scrunchie

I swear by loose silk scrunchies for protecting my hair during my downtime at home as I find they cause much less damage to my lightened hair that regular elastics. Because wet hair is weak and salt water is drying, you have to be really careful with your strands after swimming at the beach so I use a large scrunchie to loosely bunch my hair up on the beach. I usually wait until it’s dried a bit and use a silk one, but these are great if hair is still wet.

Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

When skin is still feeling the heat from a day outdoors or just feels dry and tight, I love a gel texture formula moisturiser as they feel cooling and skin in quickly. This one is beautifully formulated to provide long-lasting hydration, and it’s light enough my partner uses it too. He finds it doesn’t leave him shiny and works well around facial hair.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof mascara

Almost every mascara smudges on me so I tend to wear mascara like Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara that has a ‘tubing’ formula that doesn’t smear but for really humid or beach days, this one will endure some splashing around.

Moroccanoil Treatment Light

I apply a hair oil or cream treatment through my locks before I head to the beach and it helps protect from the elements and my bleached strands don’t soak up as much salt water when I swim. This one is a classic and you only need a few drops. I use the light version as my hair is fine.

L’Oreal True Match Serum Foundation

Extending the trend for comfortable, barely-there skin tints, this one skims over skin adding the lightest touch of colour while also delivering beneficial skincare ingredients at the same time. 

Corbin Rd Multi-Vitamin Restorative Face Oil + 1% Bakuchiol

Given the number of them on the list, the theme of this piece may as well have been ‘why I love oils for summer’, but there really is something about their restorative nourishment at the end of the day. Even if you have oily skin, they can help balance the production of excess oil and when you apply at night you don’t have to worry about looking too shiny.  This one is loaded with a host of beneficial botanical oils. Pop 2-3 drops over skin after cleansing and applying serums.

Aje Bucket Hat

A great hat you’re happy to wear all summer long is one of the best beauty products you’ll invest in for the season, as it help prevents sun damage and potentially dangerous skin cancer on your face. This Aje one is on my list. Not only does it protect your skin, but wearing a hat will also prevent your hair from colour fading and UV damage.

MECCA MAX Off Duty Blush Stick

Stick makeup products are so handy in summer when effort-levels are low. I like this one as it doesn’t leave your skin feeling sticky, sets to a soft matte and is relatively affordable at just $20.

Emma Lewisham Illuminating Face and Body Oil

If you can’t be bothered with the faff of fake tan, and your skin on your body is looking a little dry, add a pump of this to your palms and massage over your skin for a a radiant glow. The tinted oil has beautiful way of creating the illusion of of smooth, healthy skin and the ingredients, like  oil-soluble hyaluronic acid, ensure its no longer an illusion after a couple of days use. The tint washes away with body wash.

 

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