Welcome to August—arguably the hottest, steamiest, un-sexiest month of the summer when it comes to makeup.
My most recent hot-as-hell beauty battle involves my newfound love for the dewy look. Since the spring, I’ve been adding liquid illuminator to my foundation—just a few drops give me a healthy-looking hue that my face has never before had.
But a couple of weeks ago, after a long outing in the park, I came home to find that my once radiant glow had totally turned on me. I looked like I had washed my face in a frying pan (cue up “Old Dan Tucker”).
But I didn’t want to give up on my luminous new look, so I set out to find good glowifyers that would work well despite the heat. Here’s what I found.
Stila One Step Illuminate and All Over Liquid Shimmer
Stila totally knows the difference between illumination and oil-ification. Both of these products give my face subtle glimmer without greasy-looking shine. The One Step Illuminate is a lot like a BB cream — it evens out my skin tone and adds just a hint of natural hue. When I feel like I need more coverage, I use the All-Over Shimmer mixed with my foundation.
Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer
This is the first liquid illuminator that I used —and fell in love with — so I’m happy to report that it performs well under hot-weather pressure. And Argan really is a potent little oil. My skin feels noticeably softer after using this just two days in a row.
Clinique Up-lighting Liquid Illuminator
The Blush shade of this oil-free option gives my cheeks such a nice, natural flush. And the value is off the hook—one teeny-tiny drop is all you need to brighten your entire face.
NARS Illuminator in Copacabana
I know that everyone swears by Orgasm (and like most of the makeup world, I do adore The Multiple.) But when it comes to NARS’s liquid illuminators, I prefer the Copacabana shade. It’s super light, melts right into my skin and works really well over makeup (which is great for on-the-go touch ups).
So now we know (and I’m so relived!): It’s totally possible to sport a soft dewy glow during the dog days of summer.
