We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A tinted sunscreen with SPF 30 to provide some protection against the star of our solar system, while also evening out your skin tone and giving you a radiant complexion that'll last all day. This gem will be your go-to on hot summer days when all you want is a *smidge* of coverage.
Tower 28 is a clean beauty brand and Asian woman-owned small business that makes skincare, plus makeup that acts like skincare. Their products are nontoxic, nonirritating, vegan, and cruelty-free, so sensitive skin can breathe a little easier.
Promising review: "Stays all day! I have oily skin and live in central Cali where — omg — it is hot 😩! But I never need to use anything over or under this 😊! I also have light skin that tans easily and Melrose was the perfect color for me. You can wear it thin or build coverage easily. I don’t like to wear much makeup considering the climate here, but this has SPF and makes my skin look so good!" –Mary
Get it from Tower 28 or from Sephora, both for $30 (available in 14 shades).
2. Or a fuller coverage foundation by Uoma Beauty that'll give your skin a natural, soft-matte finish. Not to worry — this foundation is lightweight and hydrating, so no sweat streaks will become visible during your aggressive lime-squeezing (since you're the designated margarita-maker).
Uoma Beauty is a small business founded by makeup guru and Nigerian-born Sharon Chuter, who aims to create a wide variety of makeup products for all skin tones. During the designing of this foundation, they used something called the Fitzpatrick Scale, which determines how different skin tones react to sun. The formula of each shade is meant to mirror your skin's unique needs and complexion, creating a a product you'll come back to again and again.
Promising review: "This foundation has literally changed my makeup game. The coverage is buildable which I love during the really hot days, and it blends almost seamlessly with a brush or sponge. It gives me a great, semi-dewy finish with the setting spray I use and it doesn’t oxidize too bad at all, it looks exactly like my skin. I’ve told everyone about it and I will continue to use it moving forward." –Victoria H.
Get it from Uoma Beauty or Nordstrom, both for $39 (available in 51 shades).
3. A wildly waterproof NYX eyeliner here to withstand tears, sweat, smudging, and whatever other shenanigans you get into this summer.
Promising review: "My go-to eyeliner used to be the tattoo liner by Kat Von D. But of course at $20+ for a liner that I used regularly, it just wasn’t affordable. I did some research and I decided to give this a shot about a year ago when I went to a water park. This eyeliner is ridiculously waterproof. Of course if you rub your eyes it’ll come off but if you leave it as is it’s fine. And when you reapply it doesn’t do that annoying layering most liners do. It’s become my absolute favorite liner to use and it’s super easy to get the perfect line. I can’t recommend this enough. It’s been with me through water parks, hot summer days, rainy days, excessive sweating, and those emotional moments. It’s a heckin’ great liner for the price point!" –Brenda Alvarez
Get it from Amazon for $7.57 (available in two colors and packs of two).
You can read more in our review of the NYX Epic Ink Liner.
4. A matte liquid lipstick you can trust not to wander off while you enjoy some summer sippin', smoochin', movin', groovin' (what have you). This formula is powerfully pigmented and made to laaast.
Promising reviews: "Stays on forever....you basically need remover to get it off. Got it for horse shows in the summer heat and it didn't disappoint...even with the beer breaks :P" –Katie
"This is perfect for you if you like long-lasting, matte lipstick. I wore it for my wedding: the lipstick lasted through hours with food, kissing, and heat without smudging or any change in how it looks. I have eaten fried chicken, burritos, pasta, and tons of other things while wearing this lipstick and it stayed on perfectly without needing any real touch ups. Seriously my holy grail liquid lipstick." –Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $7.75+ (available in 37 shades).
5. A top-rated Coty Airspun powder to set your makeup and give you flawless, flashback-free results that'll have the sun shaking in its figurative boots! Plus, it minimizes the appearance of pores, acne, and scarring, and doesn't settle into fine lines. And, yes, you're reading the price tag correctly.
Promising review: "I do my makeup every day for work and I love reaching for this. The Coty Airspun powder is an affordable and great product. The scent is one of my favorite things. It smells like fresh laundry but doesn't linger all day. It's light and with a fluffy brush it goes on easily enough to make sure my foundation doesn't start to melt off in the summer heat. I highly recommend it." –Dagmar Mercado
Get it from Amazon for $5.03+ (available in seven shades).
To learn more, check out our Coty Airspun face powder deep dive.
6. A Nudestix cream blush with a matte finish that'll seamlessly blend and settle into your skin, giving you a just sun-kissed look as opposed to an "I think I might actually be melting" type of flush.
And FYI, this blush can be used on your lids and lips, too!
Promising review: "Best nude/peach/coral cream blush. Does not get oily nor split in the summer. Adds an amazing glow and some life to the skin. Would highly recommend!" –kinzasaleem
Get it from Sephora for $34 (available in eight shades).
7. A waterproof mascara that's all about volume, volume, and more volume, but not so much about leaking and streaking. It'll survive the sweatiest of days, even when you're so hot you have no choice but to dunk under some body of water.
Promising review: "I've been swimming (pools and ocean), I've been running and sweating, I've been crying, and this mascara DOES NOT BUDGE. I have small eyelashes to begin with and this gives me extreme volume, whether it's brand new or nearing the end of its life. Sure, it can be a pain sometimes to take it off, but if you want waterproof power, be prepared to take some time out of your day taking it off properly. I recommend the Neutrogena Night Calming wipes!" –Emily McKeon
Get it from Amazon for $6.07+ (available in two shades).
8. A glow-enhancing lotion by L'Oréal you can use solo or paired with your other base products like moisturizers and foundations. It'll give your complexion a natural glow, making the transition from "fresh face" to "sweaty individual" undectable!
Promising review: "I have nothing but good things to say about this makeup product...I have very dry skin but it’s also very sensitive and is prone to breakouts...zero issues with this. Now let’s get to the highlights *no pun intended*:
–The glow from this??? HOLY CRAP. It is so glowy but there are absolutely no glitter chunks. Depending on how much apply, it can give you that nice glow from within look or if you're a highlight freak, like me, you can look like a glazed donut. It doesn’t matter how much you apply, it does not look greasy.
–It blends like a dream.
–This stuff will not budge! I spend a good majority in a warehouse but I’m the type of person I still want my skin to look put together regardless of working conditions. No matter how much I sweat and how much moving around I do, it does not wear off or transfer onto my clothes.
I’ve recommended this product to anyone I know who wears makeup, whether they prefer the more natural look or if they do a full coverage look. I will always repurchase it. It’s more than half the cost of the other all over face illuminater (if you know, you know) that has gone super viral on TikTok and looks exactly the same." –kelsey
Get it from Amazon for $10.87+ (available in four shades).
9. A medium-coverage yet lightweight multi-purpose concealer for correcting and brightening your complexion, all while staying👏 put👏.
Promising reviews: "The BEST concealer on the market for oily/combo skin BY FAR! My skin always gets so oily throughout the day but this concealer doesn't flake, crease, or get oddly shiny during the day. It is by far one of the best concealers I have ever used and if you have oily/combo skin too, you'll love this product!!" –CaylenGurlii
"I absolutely love this concealer! I usually wear this concealer on its own, and when I tell you last all day...IT LASTS ALL DAY! if you're going for a more natural look, this is the perfect one, I don't even have to set it with powder or anything. highly recommend this product." –haileyq2
Get it from Sephora for $14+ (available in two sizes and 30 shades).
10. A Glossier Boy Brow, which is a top-rated styling gel that both tints and laminates your eyebrows. Prepare to rock some bushy brows this summer and take comfort in the fact that they won't be smudged off, which can sometimes happen with products like pencils.
Promising review: "Stays on through sweat! I have been using this product for a few years now. I am a redhead and have never found anything to match. I use the blonde shade and it looks so natural. Prior to finding this it looked like I had no brows at all. Yesterday I went to a concert and it was super hot. I ended up getting sick, came home, and practically went straight to bed. It was still on in the morning. This stuff is great." –Erica
Get it from Glossier for $16 (available in five shades, including "clear").
For more info, check out our full review of the Glossier Boy Brow.
11. An Urban Decay setting spray specifically designed to make your makeup last all day and all night. It uses a patented temperature-control technology that quite literally lowers the temp of your face, making your makeup waterproof, smudge-proof, and transfer-resistant.
Promising review: "I have pretty sensitive skin so am particular about what I put on my face. This setting spray did not effect my skins sensitivity. I also have oily skin so my face, oftentimes, feels like it’s coated with something thick and greasy. So, wearing makeup tends to 'melt off.' This setting spray locked my coverage in place for longer than it would’ve lasted normally." –CreamPuffMcGee
Get it from Sephora for $15+ (available in two sizes) or Amazon for $26.40.
12. A creamy bronzer stick by Milk Makeup made with hydrating mango butter and apricot oil for an easily blendable formula that'll melt right into your skin instead of sitting on top of it (and thus, melting off of it).
Promising review: "I have to admit, I was sure I would hate this when I swatched it. It seemed way too dark. But when I put it on my face and blended it in, it was very light and gave my washed out skin the bit of color it needed. Very natural, but I'm sure it could be built to a bolder look or used for contour. It stayed on the whole day without smudging or needing touch-ups. My skin is dry/combination and very easily irritated and it caused no problems for me. I love that there's no glitter in it, either." –Steephx0
Get it from Sephora for $21 (available in two shades).
13. A Live Tinted Hueguard with SPF 30, the long-lasting and lightweight moisturizer/primer/daily sunscreen combo that protects skin from harmful rays. And the best part? This won't leave a chalky white cast on your skin!
Live Tinted is a woman-owned small biz that makes clean skincare and makeup with an emphasis on diverse and inclusive beauty.
Promising review: "I’m a brown-skinned person who doesn’t like to use chemical sunscreens on the face due to burning, so I’ve searched high and low to find a mineral sunscreen that doesn’t turn me purple/grey/chalky. I have tried about 30 different mineral sunscreens now at all price points. Guys, this is the one. There are others out there that are good with the white cast, but then the texture is all wrong and vice versa. This one nails it both in texture and having no white cast. It is a milky gel-like consistency that just melts into the skin. When you first apply it, immediately after there might be a tiny bit of tackiness and maybe a hint of a cast - but don’t let that alarm you as it soon dries down to absolute perfection and your skin will feel and look just like normal skin (but better!). Makeup goes on beautifully over it, too, but I find that I can wear this without any makeup at all on most days, as I also find that it adds a subtle luminosity to the face. Any other sunscreens that match up to this one are at least twice the price-tag. I have combo skin with a tendency to have an oily t-zone in warmer weather, and this doesn’t make me look at all shiny or oily so it’s perfect for combo skin and for summer. For those with extreme dry skin you would just need a richer moisturizer underneath, and that would make this a sunscreen for ALL seasons..." –Pri
Get it from Live Tinted or Ulta, both for $32.
14. Or a Supergoop Glow Screen with SPF 40, which also primes and protects your skin, while at the same time adding a dewy glow that'll look gorgeous under your makeup (if you choose to wear any over it).
Promising review: "I really like the SuperGoop SPF sunscreen. I wear sunscreen every single day living in Florida and I just think that this specific formula is super. It’s not too oily and really feels nice under my makeup!" –magicallifeliv
Get it from Sephora for $20+ (available in three sizes and two shades) or from Amazon for $17.99 (available in two sizes).
15. An Elizabeth Mott eye primer so you can rock a full multi-shadow and liner look all day, no matter what the weather app tries to tell you.
Promising review: "So I use this primer for my eyeliner AND eyebrows and it is a life changer!!! For the majority of the day I'm waitressing outside on the patio in the humidity; I needed something to keep my eyeliner in tact so I didn't look like a raccoon by the end of my shift. It literally kept my makeup looking like I just put it on allllll day no matter how bad I sweat in the heat!! I used it only on my eyes first just to try and I was amazed. So the next day I tried it as a primer for my eyebrows too before I filled them in and it does the same for my eyebrows! I'm in love with this product." –Molly
Get it from Amazon for $13.68.
16. A lip oil with SPF 50 to plump and hydrate your pout, plus prevent it from getting sunburned. And for major bonus points, that long-lasting juicy look will look great whether your face is matte or super-sweaty.
Naked Sundays is a small, Australian beauty brand with SPF-focused products without white cast, stickiness, or harsh smells.
Promising review: "Personally I can’t thank the makers of Naked Sundays enough. I have lived on the Gold Coast for years and am constantly in the sun. Your products are perfect. I literally don’t go anywhere without them on. The lip 50 takes me from day to night. It’s beautiful." –Victoria Murphy-Casey
Get it from Naked Sundays for $22.
17. Or a BYO oil blush by Youthforia, which reacts to your skin's natural pH level to create a long-lasting, pigmented flush that matches your unique skin tone.
Bonus: It's made with 20 plant-based ingredients that are good for your skin, so you can hit the hay after your tiring day in the sun without the need to wash it off.
Youthforia is a woman-owned small business established in 2021 that aims to make makeup that's good enough to sleep in. No, really. The founder, Fiona Co Chan, even tested the blush by sleeping in it for two months! They also put an emphasis on being environmentally-friendly and not using fossil fuels and toxins in their products.
Promising review: "I have never written a review on a makeup product before but this one DESERVES IT. I truly cannot believe how beautiful it looks on your skin. It matches me beautifully and STAYS ON ALL DAY. I'm serious, this blush does not start fading away throughout the day…if anything it looks more pigmented! It’s amazing! I'm so speechless!! GET THIS." –Kalei K.
Get it from Youthforia for $36 or from Amazon for $35.99.
18. A dreamy highlighting stick formulated with *real* crystal extracts and an oil-based center to give your face an all-day glow that's not full of chunky glitters destined to slide down your cheeks by the end of a backyard BBQ.
Promising reviews: "This is an easy everyday highlighter that gives you that 'sweat' sheen without actually being sweat. I have oily skin as it got hotter, this did not feel gross on my skin and did not melt off. Also it did not interfere with my concealer though I'd recommend using your fingers and applying." –Ap
"Stayed on the whole entire day through sweat and tears! I'm on the olive-neutral skin tone type, so I bought quart... I absolutely love this highlighter! It stays put throughout the day and doesn't make you look cakey. It looks like your skin." –kk
Get it from Glossier for $22 (available in three shades).
19. A done-in-one-swipe eyeshadow pencil because hot 'n muggy days shouldn't prevent you from going all out on your eye look. Whether its neon and metallic or matte and muted, this lil' gizmo will beat the heat!
This product can also be used as a liner and highlight, which will save you so much room in your makeup bag!
Promising reviews: "I love this burgundy. It blends out nicely so you can make it as rich or as deep as you need it. I found that if you use it with the NYX Proof It primer, it does not budge at all and you will have to use your waterproof eye makeup remover to get it off, and even let it set for a few seconds to loosen up. This is the type of eyeshadow you can do in the morning and then not worry about till you're ready to take it off. Even with watery eyes and sweat, it didn't move. Down here in the South, that is golden." –C. L.
"The eyeliner goes on smoothly and stays on until I remove it. It's been hot and humid where I live and I have never had my eyeliner run or sweat off. This is a great product. Just remember to get a good eye makeup remover or it might not come off." –Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $4.50 (available in 21 shades and finishes).
Happy summer, folks!
Reviews for this post have been edited for length or clarity.