What to Keep in a Summer Beauty Bag

Summer Makeup Looks

What does summer mean for my beauty routine? Living in Florida, my summer makeup looks have to account for three main things: sunshine, humidity, and higher temperatures. While I generally stick to lighter makeup anyway, my summer beauty essentials take that to the next level. I stick with lightweight, non-irritating products that hydrate and protect my skin, especially from the sun. Here, I’m sharing my best summer makeup recommendations, the beauty products that I’ll be keeping at hand through the warmer months.

My top summer beauty staples to help you keep your cool in the warmer months

What I Keep in My Summer Beauty Bag

I keep my makeup look pretty minimal. This is both because I prefer a more natural look and because I don’t want to spend too much time getting ready. Roughly speaking, I’ve organized these images by theme. The first deals with foundations and face sunscreens, while the second covers eye makeup and miscellany. Keep them in a drawer or a cute beauty bag (like this cute Beis cosmetic bag) for easy reach!

My daily-wear products boil down to four things, really. That is: sunscreen, powder foundation, blush or highlight, and eyebrows. When I am looking for a more robust look (or am wearing my contacts), I add in eyeshadow and mascara.

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Summer Beauty Essentials: Sunscreen, Foundations, & Face Makeup

As far as sunscreens go, I really love the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen. It has a great texture and is long-lasting under makeup. If I am going to be outside a lot, I do that first and then layer with the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector. While the Laura Mercier option has sunscreen (as does the Ilia Skin Tint, another favorite of mine), it is generally better to go with a dedicated sunscreen (more on this in my sunscreen guide here).

If you want a bit of all-over shimmer, or for a dressier look, I am loving this Glamglow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer. Not only does it give some light tinted coverage, but it also has a lovely subtle shimmer that is just enough to elevate a look.

Top Row: Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen | Urban Decay Stay Naked Threesome Blush, Bronzer, & Highlighter Palette | Sephora Collection Matte Perfection Powder Foundation | Beauty Pie Pro-Glow Highlighter in Cosmic Shine
Bottom Row: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint | Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 | Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector | Glamglow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer

If I feel I need the coverage, I’ll add a bit of the Sephora Collection Matte Perfection Powder Foundation on top of the sunscreen or tinted moisturizer. For blush and bronzer, the Urban Decay Stay Naked Threesome Blush, Bronzer, & Highlighter Palette has long been a favorite of mine. It’s easy to use, long lasting, and efficient for packing since it’s a three-in-one. For extra highlight, I love this Beauty Pie highlighter; it’s the newer version of the highlighter of theirs I reviewed here.

As for lip color, I have been loving Charlotte Tilbury’s lipsticks lately. The colors are bolder, great for a date night look. In my experience, if I pair them with a nourishing lip balm, they last even longer. I also came across these Charlotte Tilbury dupes (including for their signature lip color) that I’m interested in trying.

Eye Makeup & Eyebrow Summer Beauty Bag Essentials

I always feel more put together when I’ve done my eyebrows. However, the last thing I want in summer is for them to smudge or cake throughout the day. That’s why I love the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel Eyebrow Gel. It doesn’t offer as much coverage as an eyebrow pencil, but it also doesn’t smudge like a pencil can.

Closing out the eyes, while I do love a fun eyeshadow palette (I bought this one from the Sephora sale and love it), the Urban Decay Mini Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette is really the best staple palette out there. It’s a good deal, and it has some great daily wear shadow colors. Pair it with the Wander Beauty Unlashed Volume and Curl Mascara, one of my all-time favorites (check out more mascara recommendations here), and you’re good to go.

Summer Makeup Looks & Sunscreens

Top Row: Urban Decay Mini Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette | Supergoop! Play Lip Balm SPF 30 with Acai | Wander Beauty Unlashed Volume and Curl Mascara | Mario Badescu Facial Spray
Bottom Row: Lulu Organics Lavender and Clary Sage Hair Powder Dry Shampoo | Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel Eyebrow Gel | Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream | Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer

Moisturizers & Miscellany Summer Beauty Essentials

Beyond traditional makeup, though, I’ve included a few miscellaneous summer beauty essentials I like to keep on hand. First and foremost, the Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream is a must-carry for me. I generally keep one in my purse and in my car, so I can apply it throughout the day. The same goes for a SPF lip balm. Pair the lip balm with your favorite lip color (I’m loving these Clinique Black Honey dupes!) and you are good to go for the day!

I’ve included the Lulu Organics Lavender and Clary Sage Hair Powder Dry Shampoo because I find I use it more in the summer. When I’m wearing my hair up more often, I can get away with relying a bit more on dry shampoo than I otherwise would. The Lulu Organics dry shampoo has long been a favorite of mine, and a little goes a long way, so it’s well worth the money.

Last but not least: hydration products. Even if it’s humid here in Florida, it’s still important to use a good moisturizer. The Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer is one of my favorite water-based moisturizer options. It’s super cooling and long-lasting. And, just for fun, I included my favorite Mario Badescu Facial Sprays. These are great as makeup setting sprays, or just as a little refresher after being out in the sun!


Whether you’re shopping for a holiday or birthday gift, or just looking for a little something with which to treat-yo-self, I have the best Sephora finds under $50 all in one spot!

Check out the top Sephora finds for beauty lovers here, all under $50!


What products do you keep in your summer beauty bag?
Are there any special products you reserve for the warmer months?


*This post was originally published on May 16, 2022. It was most recently updated on October 6, 2023.

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