Hot Girl Summer: The SPF + Natural Makeup Combo You Need

Skin Prep + Sun Protection

I start with a dab of eye cream under each eye and massage upwards. Then two pumps of a Vitamin C serum, which I spread across the rest of may face and neck. My current favourites are linked below.

The most important step is sun protection. My holy grail for oily skin is the original matte SPF formula by COOLA. Regardless of which sunscreen brand you choose, find a formula that suites your skin type. And you must reapply through out the day if you’re out in the sun for long periods of time. The SPF rating will give you an idea of how frequently to re-apply. Don’t want to mess up your makeup? Check out my powder recommendation below!

Beauty tip: Because SPF formulas can leave a white cast, mix in a dab of your foundation to add a custom tint. I also love the tinted moisturizer by Graydon for this purpose. The dark peachy-nude colour is flattering on a wide range of skin tones (except the most fair ones) and instantly transforms a pasty white sunscreen into a tinted one.

The Touch-Up SPF Powder

Do you know what I love? Innovation. And the SuperGoop ReSetting SPF powder is a game changer! I toss this mini SPF in my bag and take it around with me everywhere. It has two purposes: 1. Reduces shine while mattifing, and 2. Adds a wee bit more sun protection when I’m on the go.

I whipped this out while on a boat cruise in the middle of the ocean, and got asked all sorts of questions by the other ladies aboard. Yes, it’s really an SPF! Yes, you can use it anywhere, even in the middle of the ocean! This little brush + powder wand is especially helpful for adding protection on the forehead and scalp when you have the blazing sun bearing down overhead. (It should not be used as a replacement for standard sunscreen, only as a touch up or second layer!)

Conceal and Set

I don’t wear foundation in the summer. Or ever really. But especially not when there’s any chance of sweating. My pores become clogged far too easily, and because of that I’m super acne-prone. So it will be no surprise that after sunscreen, I go right into concealing.

I’ve been on a kit of a Kosas kick, so I decided to try their concealer—my gosh is it great! If you’re looking for medium coverage that works equally well under the eye area and over spots, this is a well-rounded formula. Plus the shade range is more inclusive than other green beauty brands. Here I’m wearing the shade 3.5 W.

Strategically placed setting powder is a must for me, due to my oily skin. However, I have a sneaky trick to this! I buy a setting powder in a deeper tanned shade and concentrate the powder around my face contour area. A quick stamp with whatever is left on the brush is enough to set the under eye area without leading to them looking cakey. I’m using Cloud Set by Kosas in the shade Pillowy (a translucent tan shade) to achieve a subtle sun-kissed look on my otherwise un-tanned face. This trick also allows me to match my face colour to the rest of my body, since I do tan from the neck down.

When I’m on the go, I use the SuperGoop powder SPF for touch ups. You can see that between the tinted SPF, the Cloud Set and the ReSetting Powder by SuperGoop, it basically looks like I’m wearing a lightweight foundation. Sheer layering is key to not looking like an oil-slick in humidity.

The Bronze and Blush Duo

The Cheekbone Beauty Sustain bronzer + blush duo has become a ride-or-die favourite for me from the moment I bought it. Plus it uses no plastic packaging and is Indigenous owned. If you’re travelling and want to keep your packing light, you need this. It comes in three shades, each with a complimentary blush. I use the lightest of the shades and could not be happier with how summery and pretty the colours appear on my skin.

Lacquered Brows

Each day I do my brows slightly differently. However, the one consistent thing is brow gel. And the brow gel I’ve bought over and over again has been AirBrow by Kosas. Both the clear and tinted formulas are great! For this summer look, I used their AirBrow pencil in Medium brown topped with clear AirBrow gel for a youthful look that can stand up against sweat. I’ve link all my current favourite brow products below.

Fuss-Free Juicy Lips

This is not the first time I’ve raved about Forget The Filler by Lawless, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. For summer beach vacays when the wind is whipping my hair all over the place, I’m not down for anything too sticky. That’s why my daily go-to is this lip mask. I do some light lining with a lip pencil in a similar shade to my natural lips and dap a small amount of this on top.

The formula my my lips hydrated and pillowy looking in ways that no other product can. In fact, after using this for several months, I can see that my lips have even started to look subtly fuller. Not to mention when the lip mask is on, the lips look juicy with a glass-like high-shine finish. I even brought it with me for a boat trip in the Bahamas! It created a polished, dewy look with very little effort.