Summer beauty routines around the world
Summer is unapologetically everyone’s favourite season; the beloved warm weather is only complemented by vacations, longer days, and an easier routine when it comes to getting out the door (less layers = less time spent getting dressed, right?). Lightening up on our wardrobe means a lighter hand when it comes to our beauty routines, too — there seems to be a certain ease that rolls around come June.
Topknots, lip balm, fishtail braids and a single swipe of mascara are all you need once the weather is sweet, and women from Brazil to Sydney and everywhere in between seem to agree with that notion. Whether the summer is sizzlingly sticky or dry and dusty, routines are adjusted to accommodate the heat; read on to see what keeps women from different areas of the world feeling fresh and beautiful right through summer.
Alexa Kiffel
Global Marketing Coordinator, The Estée Lauder Companies
New York City, USA
I tend to keep my skincare routine the same for the summer months, but definitely change up my makeup routine to gear towards the high temperatures. Since I live in New York City, it’s definitely a challenge to keep yourself fresh in the summer of months in Manhattan. Between retailer meetings, cab rides, and long subway adventures, it’s always a toss up.
For the summer months, I am beyond addicted to Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer ($44, lauramercier.com). I swap it out from my heavier winter foundation with fuller coverage,and wear it everyday because of its SPF and lighter coverage, as I tend to get a little darker in the summer months. This product also leaves a slight dewy look, which I love.
To compliment the dewy look, I use Tom Ford’s Skin Illuminating Powder Duo ($80, tomford.com) in place of a bronzer or blush that would slip right off in high temperatures. I tend to not wear heavy lipstick in the summer months, and just stick with Aerin’s Rose Lip Balm & Lip Conditioner ($30, aerin.com); both leave you with a nice little stain of colour, and last quite a long time.
I try and have some fun with the fragrance I wear each day. I feel like this is the most interesting part about any beauty routine, because there are so many different scents and notes to choose from across the world. I am just starting to use Mediterranean Honeysuckle fragrance by Aerin ($110, aerin.com) now that it’s starting to get warmer here in NYC.
Finally, I absolutely cannot live without my Rosewater Balancing Mist by Jurlique ($24, jurlique.com). Especially during a long day running all over the city, it’s the perfect little tool to help you feel refreshed and hydrated!
Denise Lai
Blogger at SUPERWOWOMG and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of FIRSTLOVE Magazine
Shanghai, China
For me, my whole routine starts with skincare. I’m a night shower person, so I use Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water ($8, walmart.ca) for sensitive skin to take off all my eye and face makeup from the day before jumping in. After shampooing and conditioning my hair with L’Oréal 6 Oil Nourish Shampoo ($5, walmart.ca) and Herbal Essences Naked Shine Conditioner ($7, well.ca), I alternate between using Yes to Grapefruit’s Daily Facial Scrub ($15, amazon.ca), Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser ($18, glossier.com) or Innisfree’s Jeju Volcanic Pore Scrub Foam ($13, innisfreeworld.com).
Two to three times a week, I’ll use the Clarisonic SMART Profile ($299, clarisonic.ca) to really deep cleanse, and on other days, I’ll use this handheld small silicone face scrub to work in my face wash. After my evening shower, I’ll use FRESH’s Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion Treatment Toner ($49, fresh.com) and I’ll spot treat any dark spots or pimples with Innisfree’s Jeju Bija Anti-trouble Spot Essence R ($23, innisfreeworld.com). Once that’s all absorbed, I’ll moisturize with either Yoshimomo Rejuvenate Active Facial Oil ($28, yoshimomo.com) or BareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer ($80, amazon.ca) and that’s it for night time!
When it comes to my makeup routine, I try to use as little products as possible. It’s hot out here in Asia, so I don’t like layering too many products. I start with BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream ($39, amazon.ca) and follow up with Glossier’s Stretch Concealer ($18, glossier.com) in case I have any dark/red spots or dark eye circles. Then I work on my brows with NudeStix Eyebrow Stylus Pencil & Gel ($28, sephora.com) and a & Other Stories brow powder ($10, stories.com).
I’ve been using the same M.A.C Liquidlast Liner ($24, maccosmetics.ca) for over 5 years now, and it’s really the best for getting my cat-eye on point. For my cheeks, I alternate between a bareMinerals powder blush ($29, sephora.com), or if I want to go a bit more summery and tanned, I’ll work a little bit of Too Faced bronzer powder ($38, sephora.com) onto my cheeks. I go with the cult-fave RMS Living Luminator ($48, sephora.com) to highlight the tops of my cheeks and a bit of my nose bridge. I usually go bare on the lips, or just add a quick few swipes of Glossier’s Generation G lipstick in “Cake” ($18, glossier.com), then that’s it!
Linnéa Österberg
Buyer at the Head Office of H&M Stockholm
Stockholm, Sweden
A lot of change happens during summer time in Sweden when it comes to routines. Since it’s a huge difference between winter and summer, we really need to do everything differently. During summer, every one starts to bump up their exercise, and spend more time outdoors. We prepare for the bikini season and care about every part of our body — we make our feet soft and get manicures, brighten our hair and so on.
Every one is also searching for sun time to get a nice tan, but we are also cautious and use sun protection; Swedish people have really pale skin after a long winter, and need to be careful during the two to three months of pretty hot sun. We use much less make up during summer compared to winter and look for products that make you feel fresh. A product that is popular here now is salt-water spray. I have one from Bumble and Bumble ($20, sephora.com). Swedes want to look like a girl surfer from Australia, and this is really true!
I start the summer with a detox, and follow a diet consisting only of vegetables and nuts—no coffee or alcohol. I also drink even more water to cleanse and rinse my body. I also just bought some superfruits from Renée Voltaire that I boost my smoothie with; it does great things for your body. For skincare, I love the brand Rituals, for both their face and body lotions and scrubs. I use their Active Moisture Lotion ($35, amazon.com) as my day cream, and I can really feel my skin getting the moisture it needs, as it becomes softer when I use it every day. At night, I use the Deep Recovery Night Cream ($45, amazon.com), and it feels just as good.
For summer time showering, I love a shower cream from a Swedish company called BJÖRK & BERRIES. They have a new collection called Never Spring that I love, the fragrance is lovely. I also just started to use John Masters shampoo ($22, johnmasters.ca); it’s organic and I like a lot. After I take a shower, I usually use almond or coconut oil ($20, well.ca) for my body, and I also use almond oil as a makeup remover. Post shower, I use a perfume called Clean ($48, sephora.com) that has a really fresh fragrance; I love their cotton, linen or rain.
For makeup, I keep it pretty simple. I just bought a new lip product I love from bareMinerals called Pop of Passion Lip Oil-Balm ($20, sephora.com) in the tangerine shade, it’s a lip balm with a good amount of colour in it. I really like it a lot since I don’t put on that much make up when I am home with my kids, it feels nice and easy to put on and adds a little colour to a tired mom’s face! The peach colour is also what feels in fashion in Sweden right now.
Elle Wesseling
Fashion Designer/Stylist/Blogger
Sydney, Australia
Summer is hands down the best time of year in the land of Oz (and I’m not just saying that because it happens to be when I celebrate my birthday). Temperatures are high, and people are venturing out to get their fair share of Vitamin D. Unfortunately, the tanned, blemish-free skin gene skipped me, so I love using Ella Baché’s self-tan cream ($40, ellabache.com.au) for it’s virtually odorless, moisture-rich formula. I try to avoid sun tanning because my light skin burns very easily in the strong Australian sun, but I do feel more confident when I have a bit of colour, so this product is perfect for me. Like any tanning cream, it’s is important to wash your hands immediately after application to avoid staining, but sometimes it’s inevitable. When this happens and regular soap isn’t tough enough, I use a pinch of washing powder to get the tan off my hands.
Despite summer being so hot and dry and dehydrated skin isn’t as much of a problem, there is still that nasty, transitional phase that your skin goes through in order to acclimatize to new temperatures. During this period, I rely on Ella Baché’s Crème Jojoba ($79, ellabache.com.au) to make this transition as smooth as possible, as Jojoba heals and protects skin. This cream is also high in lanolin, which protects the skin as well as preventing moisture loss. I also love its lighter texture, as its perfect for the warmer climate because it sinks in and doesn’t feel heavy or sticky.
For my makeup routine in the summertime, Klara Cosmetics’ Kiss Proof Lips ($29, klaracosmetics.com) range would have to be my best beauty buy. I purchase it from Coles [an Australian grocery store], of all places! It dries matte, and it really is kiss proof! When the time does finally come to re-apply, I always remove the lipstick from the previous wear with a make-up wipe first to avoid flakiness. A killer lip colour is key for me, and my favourite summer shade is neon pink — it puts the P in ‘Pop’ and in ‘Pout’ and looks ‘Phenom’ on a blondie like me. Compliments are guaranteed!
When it comes to eye makeup, I like to play it safe with The Nudes palette by Maybelline New York ($12, maybelline.com). I am pretty novice when it comes to applying eye shadow, so I try and stick to two colours and work from the inside out, lightest to darkest. This little beauty (pun intended), has a diagram on the back of the palette that indicates which colours work best together in duos and trios, and I find this super helpful. The natural tones give definition without taking away from my natural eye colour, and they work well with my affinity for bright lips.
Sophia Chang
Law Student
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
The summer time weather in Brazil is really hot and humid. Managing my combination skin (in my case, a super oily T-zone, and a super dry everywhere else) is super tricky, especially in this country and crazy weather.
For starters, I use baby soap ($4, well.ca) to shower and to wash my face. My dermatologist recommended using baby soap about seven years ago, and it was life-changing—no more super itchy skin after showers, which is exactly what I needed. Aside from that, about twice a week I use a regular face wash. I alternate between Mentholatum’s Acnes Creamy Wash ($10, amazon.com) and Neutrogena’s Deep Clean Gentle Scrub ($8, walmart.ca). They’re both good when it comes to that deeper clean I need for dealing with my aforementioned oily T-zone. A few times a week, I’ll also use a toner by Nivea Visage ($8, walmart.ca). It has a low alcoholic content, so it doesn’t burn or irritate my skin. It’s also cost effective, and it really helps with regulating the oily skin. Finally, every Sunday night, I use Lush’s Mask of Magnaminty ($26, lush.ca) for a deep clean and for its ability to help me relax and improve my skin texture.
When I shower at night, I use Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil ($19, well.ca). My skin is always dry after showers (maybe it’s the water?), so I really need a good moisturizer. This one makes my skin smooth, smells really nice and it’s quickly absorbed. On my face, I use a moisturizer prescribed by my dermatologist and
Differin gel [by prescription only in Canada] on my nose every other day to prevent my pores from clogging.
Since it’s Brazil, it is constantly sunny, which means sunscreens are a must. After my morning shower, instead of the moisturizers, I use Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 55 ($12, walmart.ca) on my face. It’s not alcohol-based, which is important to me as those really irritate my skin. I love that its quickly absorbed and not oily, so it’s great for the hot summer days. On the rest of my body, I use Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone Suncare Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30 ($8, walmart.com).
I rarely put on any make up when life’s basically just working from home and going to uni. When I do, though, I use a combination of Maybelline’s Dream Oil Control BB Cream ($10, walmart.ca) and Clinique’s Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder ($34, sephora.com) to even out my skin tone. If I stayed up late working on the computer, I’ll add Kat Von D’s Lock-It Concealer ($31, sephora.com), because hello, dark circles! Then, I up my brow game with Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Perfect Brow Pencil ($30, sephora.com), apply eyeliner—Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner ($23, sephora.com) is my current favourite—put on some mascara, like DiorShow Black Out ($36, sephora.com), and, last but not least, put on some lipstick—my current go-to’s are a couple of Retro Matte lipsticks from M.A.C ($24, maccosmetics.ca).
Hema Kelly
Law Student
Jakarta, Indonesia
In the summer, I stick to a similar routine as I do no matter the season; it’s always hot in Jakarta. My first step in morning and evening is always cleansing my face with Bioderma Sébium H2O ($18, amazon.com) to wash away all the dust and dirt from the busy city. Next, I wash my face with GLAMGLOW’s mud to foam cleanser ($43, sephora.com). I love the innovative texture, and I like the way it leaves my face feeling really clean and fresh.
After washing, it’s product time. First, I use SK II’s Cellumination Mask-in Lotion ($80, sephora.com). This unique mask goes on skin first, and preps skin while giving a big dose of hydration. Next I use SK II’s Facial Treatment Essence ($99, sephora.com) to refresh, renew and balance my complexion, followed by the Cellumination Aurabright Illuminating Essence ($235, sephora.com), which has a really beautiful texture and makes my skin really glowy. Lastly, I use SK II R.N.A. POWER Radical New Age Cream ($230, sephora.com) to firm and further smooth. In the daytime, I dust some loose powder with a UV protector to keep oil at bay and my skin safe from the strong sun. In the evening, after washing, I only use Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair ($115, sephora.com).
Stefani Gazet du Chatellier
Public Relations Executive
Pelican Cove, St. Marteen
St Marteen is a beautiful cosmopolitan Caribbean island, and in the summer, the weather is very warm. Because France owns half of the island, there are many amazing pharmacies that carry the best French products, while the Dutch side is where you can find American goods.
For my skincare routine, I use a cleanser by French brand ar457 ($71, shop.ar457.com) to keep my complexion healthy and glowy, and I exfoliation with their Renewing Argan Scrub ($71, shop.ar457.com) to have an unified skin and radiance. The last step in my routine is the Elixir Metaserum ($129, shop.ar457.com). I use it everyday; it’s so great for after spending the day in the sun and definitely after an all-night party (which there are plenty of on the island!) for its reparative properties. It’s also like getting 10 hours sleep with each application.
My sunscreen is Silky Milk Sublime Tan spf15 by Lancaster ($24, amazon.com), and after a day spent in the sun, I always apply their Tan Maximizer Soothing Moisturizer Repairing After Sun ($29, amazon.com). This soothing and lightweight lotion provides immediate comfort and prolongs your tan up to 1 month! My make up routine is very natural and glowy in the hot summer weather. I use a tinted cream on my face for an extra shot of bronziness; the Adjustable Tan Glow Moisturizing Emulsion by Lancaster (lancaster-beauty.com) is the best. For cosmetics, I only use a compact cream concealer by M.A.C ($24, maccosmetics.com), and Revlon’s Colourburst Matte Balm ($9, walmart.ca) for a velvety, bold yet hydrated lip.
