Light Bases For Spring & Summer

What’s your perfect, warm-weather foundation?

When it gets extremely hot, I just forget makeup altogether. When the sun is out, and the temperatures are slowly rising, when it starts to feel a little humid, I put away all of my thick, creamy, full-coverage foundations and dig out some of my favorite lightweight bases.

During warmer months, I love using foundations that feel light and airy on my skin. Foundations that make my skin look like skin.

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer

With creamy water-proof formula, the Sensual Skin Enhancer isn’t exactly what I’d call a “light base” but since it’s such a multitasking product (you can use it as concealer, highlight, contour, foundation, tinted moisturizer) it also works great when mixed with a primer. Mixing a very small amount with primer or moisturizer will thin out the formula and create a lightweight base that’s very long-lasting and has a nice coverage.

Clarins True Radiance Perfect Skin Foundation

Weightless with decent coverage, True Radiance foundation from Clarins has a lovely finish and formula. Having skin that’s both oily and dry at the same time, means that finding foundation can be a pain, but this works really well with my skin. It gives it a healthy glow, but doesn’t get too oily throughout the day- I always set my foundation with powder though, even when my skin feels dry. Love the packaging and the fact that the undertones are neutral and don’t look pink on me.

L’Oreal True Match Foundation

I always say that that this is probably one of the best drugstore foundations. True Match is amazing because it comes in so many different shades so it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find your match. The formula is light, but buildable and has the most natural-looking finish.

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet +

This is hands-down my favorite summer foundation. The formula is oil-free and water resistant, which makes it a perfect base for warm weather. It’s a bit more creamy than other foundations here, but it still feels light and weightless on skin. At the same time, it provides amazing coverage and despite being a matte foundation, it doesn’t leave a flat finish on skin. Anyone who has oily skin would love this foundation.

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation

Dream Velvet is probably one of my favorite drugstore products I came across over last couple of months. It has a very unique formula- sort of a mousse-to-liquid with a velvety finish. It feels really nice on skin; the perfecting, smoothing formula is really fun to work with. Again, really nice coverage and lightweight finish.

Guerlain Meteorites Baby Glow Sheer Makeup

This has been my go-to base for the last couple of weeks and I love it because it just makes my skin look so healthy. I love that it matches my skin tone almost perfectly, it’s light but provides a nice coverage and gives my skin that healthy glow, without making it look oily/greasy. This is the exact kind of foundation I’ve stayed away from for years- because my skin was in such a bad shape I only went for very thick, matte, full-coverage formulas and I love that now I can get away with using products like this one. I have so much love for this foundation, I just think it’s a shame it contains so much fragrance. Whenever my skin feels a little irritated and red, I always want to reach for Baby Glow because it’s so light yet good at evening out my skin tone, but the fragrance makes it impossible for me to use it when my skin is sensitive. It burns the hell out of my skin.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Out of all the foundations mentioned here, this one probably has the least coverage, but it’s still very lovely. It’s a water-based foundation that gives minimal coverage (although it can be built up) and also gives a natural, healthy finish. I really like this foundation because of how light and easy to work with it is.

Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint

I think this might be the newest addition to my collection and while I do love it, I also have a few issues with it. First, the shade that I picked up Light 2 Alaska is a bit too warm for me- I’m definitely picking up another shade. Second, despite being a matte product, this stuff gets really oily throughout the day if you don’t set it with powder. The good news is, I absolutely love the formula of this Skin Tint. It’s amazing- has good coverage, feels light, has a matte yet natural-looking finish that isn’t flat, leaves skin feeling and looking smooth. I really like the packaging as well. It seems like a perfect warm-weather product, but if your skin gets extremely oily (like mine) definitely set it with powder and keep those blotting papers handy.

Click on the image to enlarge it and see the swatches better.

What are some of your favorite bases for spring and summer?