Glowy, radiant skin for summer? Yes, please! 😍 If you’re like me—and like, who isn’t?—then you’re all about catching that sunshine without looking like an oil slick. Seriously, we’re aiming for that “just walked off the beach” glow, not a “fry an egg on your forehead” situation, right?
So, let’s talk about how to get that perfect summer glow that’s more glitter goddess than sweaty mess! Let me spill all the tea and show you how to get your skin lookin’ dewy and glowy while still keeping that fresh, youthful vibe.
Step 1: Hydrate Like Your Life Depends On It 💦
First things first, babes: glowing skin starts waaaay before you even touch your makeup bag. Let me say it louder for the people in the back: h y d r a t e. Drinking water is not just something your mom nags you about—it actually works magic. And I don’t mean just sipping once or twice. Keep that water bottle with you at all times. It’s your bestie now.
And don’t stop at water. Let’s moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Your skin in summer is like one huge thirsty sponge, soaking up the sun (and sunburns), so we gotta feed it. Find a lightweight moisturizer to wear under your makeup that nourishes, hydrates, but doesn’t make you feel greasy.
💡 Pro tip: If your moisturizer has SPF, you just leveled up in skincare! Protect that face while staying hydrated!
Hydrated skin = Happy, glowy skin!
Step 2: Prime Time, Baby! 🎯
On to primers. Listen: summer skin needs a good base. I’m obsessed with anything that says “illuminating” on it when summer rolls around. You want a primer that smooths out your skin but adds that glow from within. It’s like a real-life Instagram filter on your face, minus the cat ears and sparkly freckles, LOL.
Focus it on the high points of your face—think forehead, cheekbones, chin. Don’t forget your eyelids either if you’re applying some fun summer shadow later (stay tuned for that!).
Hot primer picks for glowy summer skin (aka my faves):
| Product | Why It’s Bomb |
|---|---|
| Glossier Futuredew | Gives that glassy, glazed donut glow 💫 |
| Milk Makeup Hydrogrip | Melts into the skin and keeps you looking plump all day 🍉 |
| Tatcha Silk Canvas | Lux AF but literally leaves your skin silky smooth 🌸 |
Step 3: Foundation—Keep It Chill 💁♀️
Ok here’s the deal. In summer, I could layer on the foundation, but I try to keep things lighter cause, OMG, heat + thick foundation = 😓 major sweat meltdown.
I prefer a BB cream or tinted moisturizer in summer. They give you some coverage, but nothing heavy. Plus, you’ll still be able to see that naturally glowy skin shine through. We love that. It’s like, I want people to wonder if I’m wearing makeup or if I’m just naturally this dewy…you know what I mean?!
The trick:
Blend your BB cream out with a dam…damp beauty sponge. It melts the product into your skin better and keeps the look soft and fresh. Full beauty blender squad assemble!
The goal is: fresh-out-of-the-pool-not-sweaty vibes!
Some of my faves for lightweight, hydrating foundations:
– NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer: Just enough coverage, not cakey
– Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint: Gives skin, not a mask
– It Cosmetics CC+ Cream: Has SPF and feels good on your skin. You’re protected and flawless!
Step 4: Highlight Like You Mean It ✨
Now, this is lowkey my favorite part of getting a glowy look: the HIGHLIGHT. You’ll want to choose a liquid or cream highlight for that real, dewy flow-y finish.
Here’s my secret: Mix. Your. Highlight. With. Your. Foundation. Don’t worry, I’ll wait while you grab your beauty sponge to test this out RN! By mixing the two, you get a traffic-stopping glow that’ll have people stopping and staring. Work this along your cheekbones, brow bones, tip of your nose, and Cupid’s bow. It’s that effortless, sunkissed look we all drool over on Instagram.
🔮 FYI: Avoid chunky glitter highlighters. I know they’re fun at festivals, but we’re going for more of an “I’ve just been kissed by golden hour light” than a disco ball.
Some of my fave highlighters:
- Rare Beauty Liquid Luminizer: Selena Gomez knows what’s up.
- Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter: Perfect multi-tasker.
- Fenty Beauty Match Stix: Again… Rihanna blessed us.
Step 5: Bronze Babe is a Vibe 🌞
Let’s talk bronzer because summer is all about looking like you’ve spent the whole day basking in the sun without actually burning to a crisp. Bronzer is going to bring all that warmth back to your face, and trust me, it’s so much more than just faking a tan.
Use a bronzer that has a hint of shimmer to keep it glowy, not muddy. Apply in a “3” shape from your forehead, to your cheeks, and around your jawline. You basically want it wherever the sun would naturally hit you. I love bronzing up my neck too. Like… don’t forget the neck or you’re gonna be two different shades, weird tanness alert! And always remember, blend, blend, blend cause blended bronzer looks like vacation skin, while unblended bronzer looks like…well, something else. 😂
Top bronzers I SWEAR by:
| Product | Why I Love It |
|---|---|
| Benefit Hoola Bronzer | Just that perfect sun-kissed look 🌻 |
| Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r | Comes in SO many shades 🏖️ |
| NARS Laguna Bronzer | Blends like a dream 💛 |
Step 6: Blush Crush 💘
Don’t even come for me, but if summer was a makeup product, it would 100% be BLUSH. Seriously! Adding a pop of color on the cheeks gives that warm, flushed-from-the-sun look. I always go for a cream blush in the summer because it blends beautifully into the skin and looks so natural.
And for all you busy babes out there: you can even dab a lil’ on your lips to tie the whole look together. Multi-tasking products for the win! 👏🏼👏🏼
Fave creams on rotation during the summer?
- Glossier Cloud Paint: Soft, buildable, and the colors are chef’s kiss.
- Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush: A-MA-ZING!
- Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush: Pigmented but blend it out and you’re golden.
Pro-level blush trick: Bring a little down your nose for that adorable “I just spent too much time in the sun, but in a cute way” look!
Step 7: Glossy Lids? Yes, Please! 👁️✨
Okay, so this one’s a bit extra, but like, hear me out: glossy lids. They’re fun enough for a summer night out but not too wild that you can’t rock it in the day. And, they basically scream Euphoria vibes, right? Take a liquid highlighter or a clear gloss (yes, lip gloss works too!) and just dab a little on your eyelids. It doesn’t mess up your mascara, trust me.
If you’re more into eyeshadow, stick with glowy shades like bronze, champagne, or even soft pinks. It vibes so hard with bronzed skin and keeps the look fresh. Glitter can work, but keep it micro-sized, ‘kay?
Step 8: Trusty Lip Gloss 💋💖
For lips, let’s keep it light and glossy. I feel like summer isn’t the time to go too matte or too much with the lips. I’m in love with clear or rosy-tinted glosses that just make your whole face pop. They’re easy to reapply and won’t feel heavy or sticky under the summertime heat. Nothing’s worse than lipstick smearing in the sun. IYKYK.
Top lip glosses that you NEED in your summer bag:
- Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb: Super shiny, never sticky.
- Glossier Lip Gloss: Classic, high-shine goodness.
- Tower 28 Beauty ShineOn Jelly Gloss: Feels like butter on your lips.
Step 9: Lock It in, Queen! 💦
Listen, we did not spend all this time getting glossy and glowy just to have it slide off the second you leave the house. You NEED a good setting spray. This keeps all your hard work locked in place and can even add an extra layer of glow.
Pick something refreshing that you can spritz throughout the day to revive your face and keep things from getting too dry. A good mist can make a major difference, trust me!
Holy grail setting sprays 🔒✨:
- Urban Decay All Nighter: This will keep you together, girl.
- MAC Fix+ Spray: Gives you hydration + extra dewiness.
- Morphe Continuous Setting Mist: Light mist but oh so effective.
And THAT is how we achieve glowy, goddess-level summer skin, baby! 💁♀️✨ Remember to keep it hydrated, light, and fun. You’re gonna shine in all the right ways. Now, grab your highlighter and make the sun do a double-take this summer.
