As temperatures rise and days grow longer, makeup trends tend to embrace a lighter, more effortless aesthetic. Enter soft summer makeup—an effortless look that focuses on glowing skin, delicate colors and subtle definition.
Discover everything you need to know about this summer makeup trend and our step-by-step guide to achieving the look.
What is Soft Summer Makeup?
Fresh, radiant and effortless, soft summer makeup is a subtle look that’s focused on enhancing your natural features. The key to mastering this trend is balancing luminosity with softness. Think sheer coverage, flushed cheeks, softly defined eyes and hydrated lips. With the right products and techniques, you can create a look that’s both simple and endlessly wearable for any occasion.
How to Achieve Soft Summer Makeup
Step 1: Create a Luminous, Natural-Looking Base
Start by applying a lightweight foundation that reveals radiant glowing skin while allowing your natural complexion to shine through.
We Recommend: Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing Foundation SPF 45
Why We Love It: This hydrating foundation delivers breathable, buildable 12-hour coverage and a radiant, natural-looking finish while helping provide broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.
How to Use: Smooth the formula over skin. Blend outward from the center of the face for a seamless, skin-like effect. If desired, use a small amount of concealer only where needed to maintain the fresh, lightweight feel of the look.
Step 2: Add Soft Warmth & Dimension
Skip heavy contouring in favor of subtle bronzer and natural-looking blush. Soft summer makeup should look sun-kissed rather than dramatically defined.
We Recommend: Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer & Futurist Blushmaker Liquid Blush
Why We Love Them: This soft, natural-looking bronzer pairs perfectly with the lightweight, dewy blush to give your complexion warmth and a soft pop of color.
How to Use: Start by sweeping bronzer lightly across the temples, cheekbones and perimeter of the face to add warmth and dimension. Then, choose a soft pink or peach shade of blush. Apply it to the apples of your cheeks and upward toward the temples.
Step 3: Create Softly Defined Eyes
Soft summer makeup focuses on enhancing the eyes without overpowering the rest of the look. Opt for neutral taupes, soft browns, champagne tones or muted rosy shades.
We Recommend: The Essential Eyeshadow Quad
Why We Love It: These color-rich eyeshadow quads are designed to enhance, sculpt and shape your eyes effortlessly with highly pigmented color that’s easy to blend.
How to Use: Apply a light neutral shade across the lid and softly blend a slightly deeper shade through the crease for gentle definition.
Step 4: Enhance Your Lashes With Soft Volume
Use mascara to achieve naturally fuller-looking lashes that enhance the eyes while maintaining the overall softness of the look.
We Recommend: Sumptuous Extreme Last Multiplying Volume Mascara
Why We Love It: This bestselling mascara creates volume, lift and length.
How to Use: Starting at the base of the lashes, wiggle the wand upward through the lengths to create lift, separation, and airy volume. Apply one to two coats depending on desired look.
Step 5: Keep Brows Natural
Brows should look groomed but not overly structured. Use a brow pencil to softly fill in brows while preserving their natural shape.
We Recommend: The Brow Multi-Tasker
Why We Love It: This 3-in-1 brow pencil sculpts, shapes and defines brows. It has a unique triangular tip that helps you customize your desired look.
How to Use: Brush brow hairs up and out using the spooled brush. Then, use light strokes of the pencil to fill in sparse areas. Sweep color out and downward with the brush to shape the arch and elongate the tail.
Step 6: Finish with Hydrated, Sheer Lips
The final touch for soft summer makeup is a lip color that enhances your natural lips while adding moisture and shine.
We Recommend: Glossy Pout Tinted Lip Oil
Why We Love It: This hydrating lip oil delivers plumping volume and 72-hour moisture while giving lips a soft tint of color.
How to Use: Choose a soft nude or pink shade that complements the rest of your look. Apply alone or over your favorite lipstick.
Step 7: Set Your Look
A light setting spray can help set makeup and maintain the skin's natural glow throughout the day.
We recommend: Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist
Why We Love It: This lightweight formula doubles as a setting spray and makeup refresher that instantly hydrates and revives skin.
How to Use: Close your eyes and mist on face as the last step of your routine. Apply as needed throughout the day for a makeup refresh.
Why Soft Summer Makeup Works for Every Occasion
It’s a versatile look that can easily transition from day to night. Soft summer makeup is ideal for:
• Everyday wear
• Vacation beauty looks
• Outdoor events
• Date nights
• Professional settings
Key Takeaways: Soft Summer Makeup
• Soft summer makeup is a beauty trend focused on radiant skin, soft color and natural-looking definition.
• Highlights of the look include a lightweight complexion, soft eye makeup, flushed cheeks and hydrated lips.
• Soft pink, peach, rose, taupe and neutral shades work best for the soft summer aesthetic.
• The look is versatile enough for everyday wear, vacations, weddings, work and special occasions.
• It complements a wide range of skintones, focusing on enhancing natural features.
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