Don’t get us wrong: Shopping for makeup (and skincare) is fun. Like, really fun. But it’s hard to stay focused while shopping in-store. Unless you’re an absolute pro at narrowing down picks and not getting distracted by all the heavenly products, you’ve likely wasted more time and money seeking seasonally appropriate products than you’d like to admit. Ahem.
Luckily retailers like Walmart have jumped in to make it easy—a little too easy—for us shoppers to knock out all our beauty shopping in one go. (Sidenote: The retail giant has a shockingly good beauty department stocked with every essential you could possibly need or want.) And now we’re taking it one step further and rounding up all the summer must-haves that actually matter.
Arguably the most important part of a summer beauty wardrobe is sunscreen. But an SPF that also doubles as a serum-primer hybrid? Now that’s what dreams are made of. The formula protects skin from UVA and UVB rays, and is infused with an antioxidant complex that protects skin from damaging free radicals. Since the formula is mattifying, it makes for the perfect base for makeup application.
Part of the appeal of summer beauty is to get people thinking, Is she or isn’t she wearing makeup? The easiest way to get heads turning? Apply your foundation (or face makeup of choice) with this sponge. Start by wetting it (it helps reduce the amount of product that gets absorbed), wring out excess water, and start bouncing it on your face. The less coverage you want, the more bouncing you should do to sheer it out.
When it comes to foundation, you want something that’s light, natural-looking, blendable, and compliment-inducing. This formula checks all of the boxes, and is even infused with pro-vitamin B5 and vitamin E, plus titanium dioxide broad-spectrum SPF 17.
Now that you have your base and face makeup sorted, it’s time to add some color. This palette of eye and cheek colors is the perfect combination of hues for summer. Light, natural, and slightly glowy, use this to build the ultimate no-makeup–makeup look for summer.
Not wearing highlighter in the summer is like passing up a sample sale of your favorite designer: pure craziness. This one in particular gives a subtle glowiest of summer glows to your skin, mostly because it’s infused with vitamin E. Wear it on its own or on top of your makeup; if you’re feeling really crazy, mix some with your foundation to truly have a lit-from-within glow.
We love laying out by the pool as much as the next person, but roasting under the sun for hours on end just isn’t safe. This airy mousse is the next best thing: It gives your skin a natural-looking tan, it doesn’t smell weird, and it dries evenly in 60 seconds.
But for the days where you know you’ll be outside for a while, this sunscreen not only offers broad-spectrum sun protection, but the formula has illuminating minerals blended in, giving your legs (and the rest of your body) a serious glow-up (aka a natural-looking sheen).
You might not know this, but your lips are one of the first places that’ll show age. So it’s crazy to think that so many people forget to protect them. This refreshing pink grapefruit lip balm is enriched with jojoba oil, shea butter, and vitamin E, along with SPF 30. Swipe some on throughout the day to keep your pout soft, hydrated, and youthful-looking.
The midday slump is especially real in the summer. It’s hot and humid, we’re sweaty, and how are we supposed to focus on anything? Answer:tThis facial mist! Infused with coconut water, hyaluronic acid, and argan oil, it not only hydrates and nourishes your skin, but it gives it extra glow. It’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up, if you ask us.
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