The 10 Best Summer Foundations That Feel Lightweight and Won't Melt Off by the Afternoon
These breathable formulas were made for heat waves.
I don’t know if it stems from my days covering acne in my teens, my heavy consumption of makeup YouTube in my 20s, or my current days as a beauty editor with tons of products to get through, but I’m a committed summer foundation wearer. And yes, that includes in the heat of the season. While everyone else is slipping into skin tints or skipping base makeup entirely, your girl is bouncing her BeautyBlender over a nice, pigmented layer of product.
How do I not only tolerate it, but actively enjoy it, even amidst peak NYC humidity? As you might have guessed, there’s an art to wearing foundation in the summertime. “Summer skin is usually a little more active thanks to heat, sweat, and humidity, so I look for foundations that offer ‘buildable’ coverage rather than full, heavy coverage,” says Jamie Greenberg, pro makeup artist and founder of Jamie Makeup. “The goal is to even out the complexion while letting your healthy glow come through.” Finish-wise, celebrity makeup artist Ash K Holm suggests going natural-satin or soft-radiant: “Too matte can look flat in the summer, while super dewy formulas can break down faster in heat,” she explains. “A balanced, flexible finish tends to wear the best.”
Keep an eye out for skincare additions, too, like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. “These ingredients are great because they help keep the skin looking fresh and hydrated without needing layers of heavy product,” says Holm. “I also love when a summer complexion product has SPF, but I always remind people that foundation with SPF should not replace your actual sunscreen.”
Ready to find your perfect heat- and humidity-friendly foundation? Read on for more tips and picks from the pros, and yours truly.
How Do I Apply Foundation in the Summer?
How you put your summer foundation on matters just as much as the product itself. Celebrity makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan likes to apply thin layers over hydrated skin. “Using less product and building coverage only where needed helps everything look more natural and wear better throughout the day,” she says. And all three MUAs recommend strategic powdering; think the T-zone, chin, and under-eye area. “If you powder your entire face in the summer, you can lose that fresh, healthy glow that makes summer makeup so beautiful,” says Greenberg. Opt for setting spray instead: “it helps melt everything together and keeps the makeup looking fresh instead of powdery,” says Holm.
Current Summer Rotation
These are the two foundation formulas I find myself reaching for this summer. I love them for their lightweight consistency and buildable coverage if I need a little extra help evening my skin tone.
I’m admittedly a little biased, since it happens to be one of the only foundations that perfectly matches my skin tone, but I really will sing the virtues of this foundation to anyone who will listen. It never separates, it conceals all my imperfections, and the natural finish blends right into my skin. Oh, and it does all this with SPF 50; while I still wear sunscreen underneath, I think I benefit psychologically from the added protection.
I absolutely love the finish and coverage on this one—true natural and true medium, respectively—but what really makes this new release stand out to me is the shade range. Not only is it expansive, but there are also loads of neutral and olive options, which is perhaps my single biggest bugaboo as a medium-tan girl. (Foundation makers, please note: We don’t all have warm undertones!)
Fan Faves
I might not wear these foundations every day (though I do on occasion!), but they come highly recommended by people I trust.
Keeping it a buck: I actually don’t wear this one often, because both of the shades I have are wrong. That said, I will totally absolutely join the chorus of beauty editors who praise this foundation for its featherweight, skin-like finish. It’s peak “my-skin-but-better;” as to be expected, considering it’s by Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber’s makeup artist.
Deenihan loves this medium-coverage foundation for its “skin-like finish and longevity”; I concur and would add the shade range to that list—it’s one of the best in the biz, with a whopping 51 options.
Skincare-Forward Stars
Makeup that blurs imperfections while actively improving the skin? Sign me up. It's everything I want out of a lightweight foundation this summer.
No exaggeration, I hear “your skin looks amazing” at least once every time I wear this foundation—which I suppose is to be expected, considering the formula claims to be a whopping 90 percent skincare. The headliner is niacinamide, and it imparts a very healthy-looking glow, with buildable coverage that can easily go from sheer to medium in just a couple of pumps.
Holm is a fan of this new medium-coverage cushion, which is loaded with hydrating skincare ingredients. “It’s buildable, but it still looks like skin, which is exactly what I want in the summer,” she says. “I love that it gives a soft glow without looking greasy, and the cushion format makes it easy to touch up throughout the day without layering on too much product.”
Classic Formulas, Classic Brands
In a business where products come and go at a whiplash-inducing speed, it’s safe to say that formulas that have lasted 20+ years on the market (with only the occasional cosmetic tune-up) must be doing something right.
As much as I loved the OG Double Wear, I would have never put it on a summer foundation list; yes, it covered every imperfection and looked stunning in photographs, but it could also feel heavy and mask-like. The reformulation keeps those first two points and ditches the third in favor of a lighter formula that feels nearly weightless.
If you even vaguely keep up with celebrity beauty, you’re familiar with this Armani red-carpet classic. “If you need a little more coverage, this is perfect,” says Greenberg. “Beautiful skin-like coverage, photographs incredibly well, and never feels heavy, even though it's technically medium coverage. It also has niacinamide in it!”
Artist for Artists
Who knows what makes a great summer foundation better than a makeup artist? (And maybe a professional foundation tester who lives in Hawaii.) These picks from makeup artist-led brands are also makeup artist-approved.
Deenihan’s go-to for “a healthy, radiant glow,” this softly blurring foundation is another medium-buildable option, with a finish that’s on the glowier side of natural. That balance between the two means it won’t leave you looking greasy in the summer humidity.
If you’re still not quite sold on a proper foundation in the summertime, 1. I tried my best. 2. You can always try a more coverage-forward skin tint, like this blurring option by Danessa Myricks. “Anything Danessa is good, and this will look great, feel light, and control shine when you're in the hot weather,” says Greenberg.
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Meet the Expert
Ash K Holm is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist, educator, and social media personality. Her ability to create glamorous looks and glowing skin have made her a favorite with clients such as Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Megan Fox, Shay Mitchell, Camila Cabello, and more.
Her work has appeared in the pages of Flaunt, Nylon France, and Vogue Latin America, as well as on Bustle, and she has collaborated with brands such as BUXOM Cosmetics, Coach, Paige Denim, Mango, Nudestix, ColourPop, Swarovski, and Wet n Wild. Holm is a Who What Wear editor in residence, and the co-founder of LA-based medspa Dripology.
Jamie Greenberg is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist. Her expertise ranges from iconic red-carpet looks, to natural makeup and real beauty. She has done campaigns and collaborations with brands such as Almay, Burt’s Bees, Glossier, Sisley, Make Up For Ever, and Ren Skincare. Her clientele includes Kaley Cuoco, Rashida Jones, Erin Andrews, Chelsea Handler, Julie Bowen, Kristen Stewart, Lizzy Caplan, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jane Levy, and Judith Light. In front of the camera, Jamie has been featured on PopSugar, Refinery29, and her own YouTube channel. She has served as an Allure Insider, and frequently creates new content for Joyus, E! News, and “Style Code” on Amazon. Her work can be found in the pages of Allure, Esquire, ELLE, Lucky, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Kelsey Deenihan is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist. A native Angeleno, Kelsey discovered her passion for makeup and beauty at a young age and turned her talent into a remarkable career. Over the past decade, Kelsey’s makeup artistry has attracted clientele including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Chastain, Emma Chamberlain, Hilary Duff, Jennifer Garner, Taylor Hill, Cara Delevingne, Kelsea Ballerini, and Lucy Hale. Her artist abilities can be seen in editorials such as Interview, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Vanity Fair, InStyle, Marie Claire, The Hollywood Reporter, Nylon, and Porter Edit. She has worked on advertising campaigns with Max Mara, CoverGirl, Hourglass, Wells Fargo, Levi’s, Lululemon, Reebok, Pantene, and Honest Beauty.
