As spring slowly turns into summer, there’s something so hopeful about this time of year.
While I look forward to sunnier days, seeing my friends and family for the first time in over a year and being outside in fresh air, there also are a handful of products I’ve been loving lately that have been helping me transition into this season.
Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Oil-Free Gel Cream Moisturizer
When it comes to spring-to-summer moisturizer, I want to keep things lighter than air, and this aptly titled moisturizer does the trick. Its consistency is light like a gel but holds all the silky-smooth texture of a cream and delivers serious moisture into the skin. Star ingredient hyaluronic acid is a humectant and pulls moisture from the air and traps it in your skin. However, the secret to a great HA product is that it contains more than one type of hyaluronic acid (this moisturizer has three) to deliver that water to the outermost and deeper layers of the skin for ultimate hydration and plumping. I’m on my second jar, and it’s the perfect daytime moisturizer, as my skin drinks it in fast and stays moisturized and smooth all day long without any high-noon greasiness or clogged pores. Formulated without dyes or fragrances, this would be a staple for any skin type. $42; summer fridays.com
Versed Guards Up Daily Mineral Sunscreen
If you’re familiar with this column, you know it’s tough for me to find facial sunscreens that jive with my sensitive skin, but this gorgeous physical SPF (which means its active ingredient, zinc oxide, reflects the sun’s rays to prevent sun damage) is perfect for me. What I love most about this sunscreen is how super lightweight it is. It doesn’t feel greasy at all, and its subtle peach tint blends seamlessly into skin without reflecting the white cast most zinc sunscreens give off. The creamy, velvety texture is only boosted by its formula of sea fennel and moringa seed extracts to soothe and moisturize skin. Best of all, Versed is a Target brand, so there’s no need to spend a fortune to stay protected. Just remember to apply generously and reapply often. $21.99; target.com
Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint
Leave it to RiRi to drop the best skin tint on the market. Warmer weather calls for less coverage, but I still need something to even out my skin tone. This formula is the perfect light coverage companion to Fenty’s groundbreaking foundation. Just a few drops (applied with my fingers) provided the perfect coverage and melted seamlessly into my skin. While I dusted my T-zone lightly with setting powder, this skin tint, aka my new summertime staple, lasted me the whole day. $39; fentybeauty.com
Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift
I love a full, fluffy brow in the warmer months, but I hate when my eyebrows look filled in, if that makes sense. I also hate when it’s so hot that my eyebrows literally melt off of my face. This gorgeous pen from the queen, Charlotte Tilbury, solves all of those problems. The pencil mimics that full, fluffy eyebrow hair effect with its cream-wax formula; wears up to 16 hours; and is sweat-resistant. Its angled tip guarantees you stroke at the right angle to fill in as well as add shape and structure to your brows. I wear the shade medium brown, but it’s available in seven other shades— light blonde, taupe, soft brown, natural brown, dark brown, black brown and natural black — to give you your perfect brows. $25; charlottetilbury.com
Flamingo Light Hydrating Spray
Our skin craves moisture year-round, but when it’s warm and humid, it’s tough to slather ourselves in a thick body cream. That’s why I love this super hydrating body lotion in an ultra lightweight mist that absorbs almost instantly. This product is quickly becoming a cult favorite thanks to its affordable price and seriously stellar ingredients: super hydrator squalane, gentle exfoliator white willow bark and barrier-reinforcing shea butter. Besides its fresh, clean and barely there fragrance, my skin just looks glowy and dewy after using it. $10; shopflamingo.com
JLo Beauty That JLo Glow Serum
Please believe me when I say I didn’t want to or expect to love this as much as I do. I know we all rolled our eyes into another dimension when J.Lo said on Instagram her skin looks so good because she uses olive oil on it. Olives are the star of the skin care brand she debuted earlier this year, though — a four-part olive blend of squalane, fermented oil, extra-virgin oil and leaf extract, to be exact.
It’s not all B.S. either, as olives are pretty amazing sources of antioxidants, which fight against skin stressors and signs of aging. I dipped my toe in the JLo Beauty pool by using a sample of this. To my surprise, this serum is a great multitasker that makes my skin look and feel brighter, firmer and just healthier looking in general when I wake up. I quickly bought the full-size version, and it’s been perfect for warm weather days when I skip makeup. I’ve even used it twice a day to chase that J.Lo glow. This serum is more expensive, so if you’re not sold on it, that’s totally fine. However, this has become a part of my routine that I often reach for, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by it. $79; sephora.com
Gia Mazur is an award-winning staff writer and beauty obsessive who joined The Times-Tribune’s Lifestyles department in 2015. She’s a product enthusiast who can’t live without an eyelash curler. A proud Virgo, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk is her go-to. Contact: gmazur@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9127; @gmazurTT
