By Devon Abelman
At some point today—probably as soon as you left the house this morning—you were so sweaty that you questioned everything you knew about yourself. Why did you wear that shirt? Why don’t you live in Antarctica? Why bother taking the subway when you’re just going to die from heat exhaustion on the platform? Why did you put on makeup if it’s just going to melt off? I can’t really help you with 90 percent of your existential crisis, but I can help you with the 10 percent focused on your summer beauty choices. These long-lasting products will keep you from looking like a literal hot mess.
Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done
I test a lot of beauty products, but I can never find the right foundation. Every week, I put a new one into rotation in hopes that this won’t feel like a blanket of oil on my face. Some days, I’m more excited to take off my makeup than my bra because my foundation feels so heavy on my skin. But I keep coming back to Urban Decay’s new complexion perfector. One pump mixed with a mattifying primer keeps my skin looking flaw- and shine-free with a weightless feel—and protected from the sun because it has SPF 20!
Pixi MultiBalm in Watermelon Veil
I’m convinced I look best right when I get out of the shower. The condensation on the mirror might be blurring out any imperfections, but this stick gives me that fresh, flushed look that I love all day long. In the morning, I blend the matte cream onto the apples of my cheeks, and the pretty pink stays put until I wash my face before bed.
Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils
Tight-lining has become my new makeup-technique obsession because it’s a low-risk, high-reward situation. In less than a minute, I look like I got 12 hours of sleep, my lashes look fuller, and I don’t have to slave over perfectly symmetrical wings. These pencils stay on my waterline better than any other liner I’ve used before—even after I shower, some pigment still sticks around! My go-tos are Diamond Brown and Iridescent Khaki. Both of those names sound terrible, but when I put them on, they define my eyes in the most natural-looking way possible.
Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day Setting Spray
Before using this, I didn’t believe in setting sprays in the same way people don’t believe in ghosts; I was fully aware people had positive experiences, but I was a true skeptic. But I tried a handful anyway, in hopes that by the end of the work day, my makeup wouldn’t look like I just got out of a pool. This one does the job pretty well and smells delicious too. (The peach one is basically liquefied Peach Rings in a bottle.) The other day, I left for work at the same time as my roommate, and she told me I smelled good. It’s 100 percent because of this. I spritz it on first after applying my foundation and then again after I have applied everything else.
Devon Abelman was voted Most Likely to Give Moms Beauty Tips in high school. OK, not really, but she might as well have. Her work has appeared in Parents, American Baby, and Prevention. She’s currently the assistant editor for FamilyFun and founder of the beauty blog #beautyblessed. If you ever need podcast, TV, or movie recommendations, you can subscribe to her newsletter DEVFLIX. Or if you’re in the mood to listen to women talk about things they love, check out her podcast Less Than Three.
Chatting with Ana Rocha, Assistant Editor at Food Network Magazine
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