Summer can be a tough season for skin care and makeup upkeep. We’ve all had that experience where you set off to work with a freshly made-up face in the morning, only to have it turn into a melting canvas hours later.
How can one maintain a glowing face without feeling greasy? The key is hydration. “Your skin can be oily and dehydrated at the same time; just because it is hot, it doesn’t mean you should stop hydrating your skin,” says Danielle Gamble, lead esthetician at Sisley Paris Boutique New York. When your skin isn’t hydrated, and more oil is produced, your makeup becomes patchy and doesn’t stay on. To triumph this summer, we’ve handpicked the 8 winners that pass our gruesome test to guarantee a dewy but not greasy face.
1. Quick Gentle Cleanser by Waso, Shiseido, $28
If there is one thing you must not skip from your beauty routine, it is proper cleaning. Shiseido’s latest skincare line, Waso, incorporates food ingredients found in daily life, such as carrots, tofu, and white jelly mushrooms to help balance and hydrate. This cleanser can foam without water to remove makeup, and it contains honey and royal jelly extracts to nurture skin for a healthy look. It’s oil-free, alcohol-free, and dermatologist-tested, so even sensitive skin can enjoy this gentle cleanser. If you happen to be a minimalist, you will appreciate the clean and chic design throughout the entire line.
2. Hydra-Global Serum by Sisley Paris, $270
Gel products tend to be many people’s choice during summer, but many of them work like a powerless hydrating substance that disappears as if it had never existed. Sisley’s new Hydra-Global Serum has a gel-like texture that boosts the skin’s power of auto-hydration. It supports the increase of water reserves, promotes water circulation, and helps the skin to retain water. Not to mention that the scent instantly transports you to a cooling forest of herbs the second it touches your skin. You can feel the hydration sink into the skin and form a hydrating layer over the top of it. It’s a dream come true to find an oil-free formula that actually hydrates and lasts all day long. The easy dispensing package design is great for travel as well.
3. Good Genes by Sunday Riley, $105-158
We can’t say enough good things about this lactic acid treatment! From time to time, the skin starts to appear dull and shuts off any goodies you apply to the face. Good Genes acts like a “reset button,” taking only a few applications to reactivate and awaken the skin. You’ll be surprised how smooth and clean your skin feels. If you are short on time and due for a facial, you can also apply this treatment, leave it on for 10 minutes, and voila! A red-carpet ready face!
4. The Moisturizing Matte Lotion by La Mer, $260
Moisturizing and matte are two words that don’t usually associate with each other, but La Mer makes it work! This oil-absorbing lotion delivers renewing moisture while diminishing the look of pores for a fresh, matte finish. It contains the brand’s legendary healing, cell-renewing elixir—Miracle Broth™, which helps bring skin back to its healthiest center. You won’t stop touching your face after application. A little goes a long way. This lotion is truly a holy grail for oily to combination skin. We are almost reluctant to put on any foundation afterwards.
5. Synchro Skin Tinted Gel Cream SPF 30 by Shiseido, $40
No need to address how important SPF is ALL THE TIME (not just during the summer). “I find that people do not realize that they need to re-apply a SPF every two hours, especially in the USA,” says Danielle. If you prefer a fresh, bare skin look for your base, this new tinted gel cream from Shiseido will do wonders. Its light and bouncy texture goes on smoothly and leaves the skin with a natural, healthy glow. It’s perfect for a “no makeup” look. Dabbing the Synchro Skin Illuminator on your cheekbones replicates that youth skin texture you’ve always prayed to regain. Especially if those gritty super highlighters are not your cup of tea, you will appreciate the subtle but memorable effect this illuminator brings.
6. The Lip Balm by La Mer, $60
Behold! Your endless search for the perfect lip balm stops now. We can’t even count how many lip balms we’ve tried since forever. You think lip balms are either casting an unrelenting film on your lips, or they are just oily, nothing nutritious. This divine balm is like nothing we’ve tried. Of course, it also contains La Mer’s iconic Miracle Broth™. When applying it, you can feel the nourishment infusing into every tiny little line on the lips, softening the lips and making them minty fresh. More surprising is how long lasting it is. Hands down the best lip balm we’ve laid hands on!
7. White Ginger Contouring Oil for Legs by Sisley Paris, $190
If having a pair of nicely toned legs to show off is on your summer wish list, then you don’t want to miss this contouring oil. It contains white ginger extract and ginkgo biloba oil extract to promote a sensation of lightness, combat fatigue, and improve toning. “Use a circular movement going up the legs and always massage towards the heart, and don’t be afraid of using pressure, as it helps with blood flow, which helps bring the glow!” Danielle explains. After a one-month experiment, we find the result beyond pleasing. The skin feels like butter and the legs appear to be more toned.
8. Lastly, if you tend to have some skin issues during the change of season, paying a visit to a professional esthetician could be beneficial. The “Supremya Anti-age Muscular Facial” offered at the Sisley Paris Boutique in New York (343 Bleecker St, New York) is the most popular treatment during seasonal transition. It helps bring the skin’s luminosity back to life. Another popular treatment among the regulars, the “phyto aromatic facial,” which can be customized to either 60 or 90 minutes, is a great way to maintain the vitality of skin.
By Chou, Yu-Jin
Illustration by Emilia Jesenska
