There are many perks of a career in beauty journalism. I receive packages full of new luxury perfumes on my doorstep before the public even knows they exist, and I get blowouts and haircuts from my favorite celebrities’ hairstylists on a regular basis. But best of all, I come home toting bags bursting at the seams with new makeup products nearly every day of the work week—and as a devout makeup lover, there’s practically nothing better.
Now, I don’t say this to brag (even though it sounds highly pretentious to list all of the perks that come with this kind of job). I’m eternally grateful for the product oasis that my apartment has become, but it’s just that—a small New York City apartment split between three roommates that’s spilling over with makeup, skincare, hair tools, and more. While it’s important to do spring cleaning on this overflowing stash, I make careful evaluations when assessing my go-to makeup collection and “try someday soon” pile. If a product seems better suited to wintertime and feels worth the wait, I’ll add it to the “someday” stock. But this is an ever-flowing ecosystem, which means I’m unearthing summer products that were stored away in winter while also sifting through beauty’s latest launches.
All this to say, I’m very meticulous about the seasonal beauty swaps I make—especially when it concerns summer makeup. Not only should my products protect my skin from the sun, but I also expect them to feel weightless on my skin, make my routine easier so I can race off to my next plans, and resist sweat (as much as humanly possible). It’s a lot to ask of my makeup routine, but seeing as I could stock a small Sephora from my bedroom stash, I set the bar extremely high. Luckily, I found 12 products that are rising to the challenge this summer. Below, the skin-perfecting, sweat-defying, and sun-shielding makeup products I’ve subbed in for summer 2026.
