monthly favorites #2- summer makeup essentials

Here is part II of my monthly favorites (sorry I skipped last month!!). This time, I will be introducing my summer makeup essentials that I have been using religiously since the humidity hit Japan. 

1. No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream

If you have oily or combination skin, this is the moisturizer for you. When I was in Ulta back in January, I was scanning through the No7 products and this one caught my eye. I have a very oily T-zone, so I thought hm, this might help my skin become less oily... and I think it does help. It is a cream, but actually very light, and I dot it all over my face and blend in well. It's affordable and comes in a nice little jar.

2. La Roche-Posay Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid

This is hands-down the best sunscreen I have ever used for my face. La Roche-Posay produces quality skincare products that are friendly for sensitive skin (like mine). This sunscreen is so easy to apply and blends right into my skin. It is SPF 45, water resistant, fragrance free, and is tested on sensitive skin. I actually found an SPF 60 of the same product, which is the one I linked.

3. Laura Mercier Oil-free Foundation Primer

Laura Mercier is one of my favorite makeup brands, and her foundation primers are amazing. And oil-free? Perfect. I really think this one helps keep my foundation stay put all day, and helps keep my T-zone less oily in combination with the No7 cream.

4. Napolean Perdis Foundation Stick
I used to suffer from acne, so I was always in need of a foundation that would cover my blemishes and acne scars - that's where Napolean Perdis' cream foundation stick comes to the rescue. This is the best foundation for daily wear. It's really creamy, which makes it very easy to apply with just fingertips. I use small circular or tapping motions to apply on my problem areas (I don't apply it all over my face). Amazing stuff. Another miracle product I picked up at Ulta.


5. Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder
Setting your face makeup is so important - I used to never do this, but now it is so necessary. A makeup artist at Sephora recommended Tarte's translucent powder, which is great for oily skin. It gives my skin a non-cakey, matte finish. If your skin does get a bit oily later in the day, just use a tissue to blot excess oil, not blotting paper (I hear it makes oil resurface, and that cannot be good). I use a poofy powder puff to apply this powder all over my face.



Did this help at all? Any suggestions for summer skincare/ makeup? Let me know in the comments!



Love,

Samantha Mariko