The One Summer Glow Makeup Duo Most People Should Start With
Summer glow makeup refers to lightweight, radiance-boosting products—like skin-perfecting bases, highlighter powder, dewy blush and glossy lip formulas—that create a candlelit sheen instead of a greasy, sweaty shine when temperatures rise. For most people, the smartest place to start is with Givenchy’s Prisme Libre Highlighter Powder paired with the Perfecto Serum Lip Oil, because together they deliver a polished, dewy finish with zero heaviness and a focus on long-lasting radiance. This highlighter powder is packed with micro hyaluronic acid and squalane to avoid clinging to dry patches while giving skin a blurred, lit-from-within effect. The lip oil acts as a conditioning shine step that completes the look and supports that two-pronged glow strategy for summer. If you want your complexion and lips to look luminous rather than oily, this duo should be your first upgrade.
| Spec | Prisme Libre Highlighter Powder | Perfecto Serum Lip Oil |
|---|---|---|
| Finish | Long-lasting dewiness with blurred effect | High-shine, conditioning radiance for lips |
| Key ingredients | Micro hyaluronic acid and squalane | Serum-oil texture designed as a lip treat |
Low-Maintenance Bases and Dewy Blush for Everyday Heat
Once your highlighting and lip routine is set, build your everyday summer glow with low-maintenance staples that stay comfortable in warm weather. A tinted moisturiser with SPF is the most reliable base; the Tinted Moisturiser Natural Dewy SPF30 at £39 delivers instant hydration and a small amount of coverage that unifies skin without feeling cakey or looking obvious on the face. For cheeks, dewy blush is non-negotiable. Blush Butter Balm in ‘Pink Sunset’ at £27 is creamy, hydrating and does not have a powdery dry down that grabs in uneven patches, while the soft sheen lasts for hours. According to SL contributor Billie Bhatia, "warmer weather calls for a make-up refresh" built around skin tints and dewy blushers for low-maintenance glow. This base-plus-blush pairing is the easiest way to look fresh through a long, hot day with minimal effort.
Lock In Luminosity: Setting Spray and Waterproof Mascara
Radiant skin is only half the story; you also need products that hold up when humidity and sweat enter the picture. Surrealskin Soft Setting Spray at £38 stands out as a daily essential, with a refreshing formula that instantly gives skin healthy radiance while keeping make-up in place without drying it out. Pair it with a reliable waterproof mascara to keep lashes lifted and smudge-free. Diorshow Overvolume Waterproof Mascara at £38 delivers full-fat lashes that last all day, do not budge and hold a curl strongly when applied with a slightly wiped-down brush to avoid clumps. Waterproof mascara is key to summer glow makeup because it keeps definition around the eyes even when the rest of your look is deliberately sheer and dewy. This setting-spray-and-mascara combination ensures your glow looks intentional from morning until night, rather than melting away by lunchtime.
Sun-Soaked Corals and Riviera Blues from Chanel
If you want your summer glow makeup to feel special, Chanel’s Summer’s Calling collection is the mood to match. The edit bottles every shade of getaway season into one line-up of sun-soaked corals, riviera blues and golden-hour hues designed to pack, prep and prettify from vacation mode to everyday glamour. Standout pieces include Stylo Ombre et Contour in 99 Sweet Pink at Dhs185, a wearable eye and contour stick, plus Duo De Baumes in Pure Glow at Dhs280 for luminous balm textures. Rouge Coco Satin Lipstick in 100 Bel Respiro at Dhs235 and Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in 431 Incontournable at Dhs160 extend the theme to lips and nails with flattering, holiday-ready tones. If your idea of summer is more polished Riviera than bare-faced minimalism, this collection gives you everything you need to build a cohesive, glow-first look.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Givenchy Prisme Libre Highlighter Powder if you want long-lasting dewiness with a blurred finish instead of traditional shimmer.
- Skip the Givenchy Prisme Libre Highlighter Powder if you prefer a matte, oil-controlling highlighter effect over hydrated shine.
- Buy the Tinted Moisturiser Natural Dewy SPF30 if you want instant hydration and light coverage that unifies skin without looking cakey.
- Skip the Tinted Moisturiser Natural Dewy SPF30 if you need full coverage and a heavier, more opaque base for your everyday look.
- Buy the Blush Butter Balm in ‘Pink Sunset’ if you like creamy, hydrating dewy blush that leaves a soft sheen lasting for hours.
- Skip the Blush Butter Balm in ‘Pink Sunset’ if you dislike any sheen on the skin and prefer fully matte powder blush textures.
- Buy the Surrealskin Soft Setting Spray if you want a setting step that refreshes and adds healthy radiance while keeping make-up in place.
- Skip the Surrealskin Soft Setting Spray if you avoid extra glow and prefer matte, oil-reducing setting products.
- Buy the Diorshow Overvolume Waterproof Mascara if you need full-fat, long-lasting lashes that do not budge and hold a curl through heat.
- Skip the Diorshow Overvolume Waterproof Mascara if you favour a very natural, minimal-lash look and dislike strong volume effects.
- Buy the Chanel Summer’s Calling pieces if you want sun-soaked corals, riviera blues and golden-hour shades for an elevated holiday feel.
- Skip the Chanel Summer’s Calling pieces if you are happy with basic neutrals and do not want to add themed seasonal shades to your routine.
