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Achieve A Perfect Summer Glow: The Ultimate Checklist You Need
With summer just around the corner, of course you want to feel your best on the inside and the outside. That means one thing… it’s time to get that summer glow up started.
Glowing up starts from the inside, but if you want to really look like you’re glowing, you might need some skincare and makeup to help out.
In this blog, I am sharing 10 of my essential skincare and makeup products to achieve the perfect glow. From a flawless complexion to bronzing drops, this list has everything you need for a perfect summer makeup look.
Summer Glow Checklist To Help You Feel Good
Let’s start with the basics of a summer glow checklist – creating healthy habits and squeezing them into your life.
I don’t think it should be a huge effort to glow-up this summer, so I’m focussing on the small and manageable things I can do to help me feel my best. We’re not going for a crazy transformation, but just small tweaks to look and feel better than ever.
For me, reducing my screen time and moving my body more have been essential parts of my summer prep. But here’s a beginner-friendly checklist on the 10 things you can do for a summer glow:
- Find a workout routine to energize you
- Eat a balanced diet full of fruit, vegetables, and protein
- Refresh your mindset with daily affirmations and a gratitude journal
- Organize your home
- Avoid doom-scrolling and excessive screentime
- Try out different wellness activities like yoga
- Drink enough water
- Try out a lash lift and brow lamination
- Use a body scrub to exfoliate your skin once a week
- Get outside every morning
The Ultimate Beauty Routine For A Summer Glow Up
A good skincare and makeup routine will act like a cherry on top after you’ve committed to the glow-up checklist. Starting with the basics, I’m going to run you through all the products I love and swear by when I want to look my best.
In the summer, I tend to wear a lot less makeup, so I need to rely on products to work twice as hard as they usually would. Plus, I want to be looking bronzed and glowy — these 10 products help me achieve just that.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser
A summer glow-up should start with a good skincare routine. The clearer your skin, the less makeup you need to wear and the more glowy it will look.
Incorporating a salicylic acid cleanser into your summer skin care routine is an easy way to keep your skin clear. I like the CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser because it helps improve breakouts but still has ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin.
Hada Labo Tokyo Super Hydrator Lotion
Speaking of hydrating skincare ingredients, hyaluronic acid is my favourite part of my skincare routine. I use the Hada Labo Tokyo Super Hydrator Lotion because it’s so affordable and lasts for ages.
Since I’ve used this, my skin has transformed dramatically; it’s much plumper, smoother, and more hydrated. For an extra boost, Hada Labo also offers hyaluronic acid in a sheet mask version, which helps keep your skin extremely hydrated—it’s not for your daily routine, more like a once-a-week treat.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun SPF
None of us want to look older than we already are, so make sure you’re wearing your SPF every day to keep on aging gracefully. My favourite is the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun SPF; it’s a lightweight and hydrating sunscreen that feels lovely on the skin—I’m probably on my 10th tube of the stuff at this point!
Dr.Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment
When it’s hot and sticky outside, ideally I want to wear as little makeup as possible – but I still want to feel like I’ve covered up any blemishes or discoloration. The Dr.Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment is one of my holy grail products for cancelling out redness.
This green paste, when rubbed into the skin, adjusts to your skin tone and gets rid of any redness. When I’m in a pinch, I’ll use this in place of my foundation, and it gives the perfect no-makeup-makeup look.
Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi™ Drops
An ultimate glow makeup look wouldn’t be possible without some sort of bronzing drops, and the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi™ Drops are probably the most popular.
Mix a few drops of this into your moisturiser or foundation for a beautiful glow. Or, if you really want to look bronzed, apply it by itself. If my skin is looking extra dull, I’ll dab some on my face after my blush as a sort of bronzer/highlighter hybrid.
Tower28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen
There’s no such thing as too much SPF in my books, so I like to get in as much extra coverage wherever I can, which is why the Tower28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen is my go-to base in the summer months.
It’s lightweight, gives enough coverage to even out the complexion and never looks cakey or thick.
RMS Beauty ReDimension Hydra Powder Blush
It may seem counterintuitive to choose a powder blush when you’re trying to look as glowy as possible, but the RMS Beauty ReDimension Hydra Powder Blush isn’t your usual powder formula.
I like the shade Maiden’s Blush the best. It’s a rosy pink shade that looks like a natural flush on my skin tone. It’s got the prettiest shimmer to it, catching the light while giving you a pretty flush—perfection.
L’Oréal Paris Lumi Les Glass Stick
Highlighter sticks can sometimes be too dewy or too glittery (neither is necessarily a bad thing), but the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Les Glass Stick strikes the perfect balance between the two.
These sticks have a very subtle shimmer, but they also have an almost wet-look effect that gives them the perfect natural glow.
Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara
If you want long, voluminous lashes, look no further than the Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara. It’s my favourite mascara of all time, and I’ve recommended it to so many of my friends.
OLEHENRIKSEN Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment
We all have a million lip balms already in our makeup bags, but the OLEHENRIKSEN Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment is worth making some room for.
I have a few shades, although the Strawberry Sorbet one is my favourite as it has a subtle pink tint. These lip balms are super hydrating and extra glossy, plus they don’t feel like they wear away after an hour.
Start Your Summer Glow Up Prep Today
Summer is only months away, so while we look forward to rays of the sun hitting our skin again, getting your routine sorted is a great way to look and feel your best.
What’s on your glow up checklist for this year?
More beauty and glow-up tips here!
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