My Skin is Mad at Me

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't like summer. Every year, beauty magazines erupt with worshipful odes to the sultry season, farmers markets pop up on side streets, and festivals fill our schedules.

But you know what summer does to me? It eats my skin! Seriously. I'm very fair and am incredibly sensitive to heat and humidity, so I burn in two minutes and look like a beet in half that time. The air conditioning dries out my face. Walking from the bus stop to campus leaves me covered in a heat rash. I sweat like a stuck pig. Bugs, poisonous plants, and wayward children seem boundless. Yes, summer has some perks, like garden-fresh veggies and sleeveless shirts. But for the most part, I see summer as a stepping stone to fall.

Here's how I clean up my complexion when summer is at its cruelest. Fair warning: I look drunk in these pictures. #sorryboutit

First, I take stock of my skin. I have some small pimples on my chin and forehead, a patch of hives on the lower part of my cheek, and a little bit of everyday unevenness, like the sallow spots at the sides of my mouth. My skin also has a bit of an odd texture at this point--partially from the A/C dehydrating my face--so I need to use something as a primer.

I apply a thin layer of my Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Liquid SPF50 ($39, Sephora) all over my face. Normally I use a dryer sunscreen through my T-zone to prevent oil breakthrough, but because I'm dehydrated, I'm sticking with the Shiseido. Then I conceal my undereyes and my red spots with the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in Sx01 ($48, Neiman Marcus). (NOTE: the Shiseido SPF50 lotion always has a white cast when freshly applied. I find that said white cast after a little while.)

Now it's time for some overall coverage! I like to use a thin layer of MAC Face & Body foundation ($27, MAC)--click here for my F&B application tips. Right now I'm using about 2 parts N1 to 1 part White; in the winter, I switch that ratio around. I like to let F&B sit on my face for a few seconds so it "melts in" to my skin and becomes less dewy.

For finishing touches, I dab on a small amount of highlighter, like MAC Strobe Cream ($10, MAC). To get a little more coverage and smooth everything out, I use a light dusting of Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Finish Powder Foundation in #50 Ivory ($60, Sephora) through my t-zone.

And there you have it: how I save my skin from summer!


For the record, there are plenty of great drugstore products you could use to replace some of the more expensive items in this blogpost. The only reason why my base products are all mid/high-end is because they're the only brands that make stuff in my shade and/or produce a white corrector. If your shade is easier to find in the drugstore, definitely scope out your options!