Shake Up Your Summer Skincare Routine: Shine for the Right Reasons Every Day and at Pageant!

As the weather outside continues its climb heading into summer, most of us are switching up our skincare routine and makeup. Those heavy creams that kept dry skin at bay in the winter would be more inclined to melt on a hot, sunny day, but it is just as important to care for your skin in the summer!

You want to look and feel your best every day, and while you’ll still be wearing more makeup at pageants than you do in your daily life, taking care of your skin can make it a bit more bearable to do so, even on the hottest days. I have put together a list of some of my personal favorite summer skincare and makeup products, some of which can be used every day and for pageant. This post isn’t endorsed by these companies in any way – I just wanted to share what works for me in hopes it might interest you!

Step 1: Cleanser While I occasionally need something a bit richer during especially cold and windy months, the facial wash I use the majority of the year is Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. My skin leans more toward the dry side and is slightly sensitive, and I’ve never had an issue using this cleanser. A little goes a long way, and my face feels fresh and clean, but never tight or dry. This is a must-have that I never run out of and have been using for many years!

Step 2: BB Cream While something more heavy than BB cream will be in order for most pageants, for everyday wear I like to keep my face makeup on the lighter side. As I mentioned above, my skin is on the drier side, so my favorite BB cream might not work for you if your skin tends toward oily. I have tried countless tinted moisturizers and BB creams at prices small and large, and my absolute favorite is L'Oreal Youth Code. It makes my skin feel well-moisturized and soft, the color blends nicely, the scent fades quickly, and while my skin does look fresher, it doesn’t look like I’m wearing a ton of makeup. It also offers SPF 15 protection, which means I don’t need a separate sunscreen most days. (I will use a separate sunscreen if I’ll be getting a lot of sun!)

Step 3: Mascara and Lip Gloss While the cooler months may see me breaking out the eye shadow, highlighter, blush, eye liner, lipstick, and more, for the summer I am a mascara and lip gloss girl! When that temperature is creeping into the 90s and higher, I do not want to fuss with more than a couple products. For mascara, I keep coming back to Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion. I will give other mascaras a try, when they’re included as a bonus gift for example, but when the time comes to buy one, it’s Fusion every time. As for lip gloss, I have quite an arsenal! But forced to choose my top 3, I would have to go with: Clinique Chubby Stick in Voluptuous Violet (goes on very light, but there’s still some color!); Smashbox Reflection High Shine in Candy (I really can’t get over how wonderful this gloss is – sparkly, truly moisturizing, and not sticky!); and, for days I really want unstoppable shine, MAC Dazzleglass in an array of amazing colors.

These are some of my favorite skincare and makeup products, and I hope you’ll share yours and why you love them in the comments! We’d also love to hear about how your everyday makeup differs from your pageant makeup. Do you take pageants as an opportunity to embrace a different side of yourself, or is it similar to your everyday look, but kicked up a notch?