LIGHTWEIGHT BASES FOR SUMMER

- Advertisement information: this post discusses items gifted to me with no obligation to share them (marked *). In addition I have / have had a brand relationship with Look Fantastic, Naturisimo and Cult Beauty (gifting) and Boots (paid advertorial content). My blog has Skimlinks and RewardStyle installed to automatically monetise purchases of products I link on my blog, therefore this post may contain affiliate links. All opinions remain my own and please refer to my Disclosure Page  for further detail -

If there's one thing I'm a fan of; it's tinted things. So, today I'm rounding up the best lightweight bases for the summer months. Sometimes you want to wear a little bit of makeup, but you still want your skin to be able to breath and not feel smothered in the heat with a thick layer of foundation over it. These are the perfect products for those occasions...

First up, we have a pretty recent launch; the Kevyn Aucoin Stripped Nude Skin Tint (ST05) | £36. This is a really good shade match for me, though I have to say off the bat that (despite this being a light base) I think they could've offered more than 10 shades and I think some of the lighter colours look very similar to one another in swatches, whereas between shade 6 and shade 8 I think there could've been a good 3 more tones in there. In terms of positives (because I do like everything else about this product), I really enjoy the packaging; I just find a tube more travel-friendly and pumps are never not useful (that sounded mildly weird...) This is a skin tint in the true sense of the word; absolutely acting as a 'your skin, but better' complexion product. Whilst you can build the coverage a little, so it's more like light-to-medium, what I like about this product is that it looks like my skin. It helps even out the tone and perks things up, without it being obvious I'm wearing makeup. It definitely has a glow-y finish and I do have to powder my t-zone by around lunchtime, however it doesn't break up or rub off in any obvious way during the day. It's a little pricey for something light-coverage but I really like how it doesn't feel as though I'm wearing makeup when I use this - even when I'm having a day out in the sun - but my skin looks at its best.  

If you want something to help keep the shine at bay without matting down the skin too much, the BareMinerals Original Loose Powder Foundation* (Golden Medium 14) | £28 | is perfect. This is a powder foundation, so you simply take a big, fluffy brush and swipe it across the skin, taking care to get an even coverage and not miss any areas. I love how it doesn't feel heavy or sit on top of the skin, but really melds with it. What's great about this formula is that the powder has a natural radiance to it, so although it absorbs some of that surface shine many of us get during the summer months, it doesn't leave the skin totally matte. In very hot weather, it can sometimes melt into fine lines, however overall the longevity is good and it feels like an easy, fuss-free option, so I've often taken it on holiday with me. This comes in a ton of different shades, which is definitely a reason to check it out too.

Next we're kind of doing the opposite to a powder and talking about the Kosas Tinted Face Oil* (Shade 6) | £40. This actually only comes in 10 shades, but something about the way they're distributed just feels more balanced than the Kevyn Aucoin line. I was definitely scared when I first picked up this product; as much as I love formula that gives my skin glow, I wasn't sure if a literal oil might be a step too far for me! However, something about this just works. I was expecting the formula to break up and become a greasy mess within a couple of hours of wear, but that hasn't been my experience at all; it actually has really great longevity. Obviously, I probably wouldn't recommend it for oily skin, but if you're normal through to dry and want something that looks fresh and radiant on the skin, whilst harmonising the skin's tone and hiding any redness; this is perfect. 

New to me this year is the Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30 (Matira) | £43. This is intended as a kind of makeup-skincare hybrid product, being formulated with a proper sunscreen, as well as squalane (a gentle moisturising oil) and niacinamide (to help calm and protect the skin, as well as reduce redness). For this reason; you have to give it a really good shake before use and you will probably notice that it looks lighter in the dropper than it does once it's set down on the skin. It's obviously a light-coverage product, but it does have this lovely perfecting and harmonising effect on the skin. I feel it hides the redness in my skin that I occasionally get and, though I would still apply concealer over any blemishes, it really does even things out. I'm always aiming for skin that looks like skin (but on a really good skin day!) This definitely has a dewy finish, but I personally really like that; I just powder my t-zone and I don't have any problems throughout the day. I think this is going to be a really handy multi-tasking option for holidays, whenever those are back on the cards!

From new to old; I don't know how many times I've repurchased the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser (St. Moritz) | £31 | but it's been at least five! I honestly use this throughout the year as my perfect all-rounder in terms of a tinted moisturiser. It comes in a wide range of shades and the formula is oil-free. There's a real radiance to this formula without overt dewiness or shine. It's lightweight and doesn't feel like you're wearing complexion makeup, but still has pretty good coverage (I'd say it's the highest-coverage option in this entire post). It feels lovely and hydrating on my skin without overloading it with oils and has really great staying-power. It does contain sunscreen but I would say that's secondary to it being a makeup product, unlike with the Ilia. It's a base I reach for on my average work day and I've been using it for 6 years and don't see myself abandoning it any time soon! 

What kind of complexion products do you go for during the summer months?

Don't forget to follow me on:

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram

Read more posts from this series here!