6 Products To Reach For When You Don't Want To Look Lit From Within

What I'm about to say might be surprising to some beauty lovers but it will make total sense to others. When the sun shines it's almost expected that we all want to look lit from within but it's not something I've found myself lusting after lately. And of course, I want to look healthy and exude some sort of radiance but the whole ridiculously glowing thing isn't for me this year. If you're a more oily skinned girl you might also feel this urge too as we already have our own glow so it's not wise to add any more in unless we want our makeup to just slide away from our skin. So from bases to primers here are the products that I'm going to reach for when I don't want to look so lit from within.

THE BODY SHOP TEA TREE PRIMER

If you really don't want your makeup to go anywhere and have a more matte complexion then The Body Shop Tea Tree Primer is a great option. It's something that I used years ago and compared to most mattifying products it doesn't make the skin feel tight or dry which is so often the case. It smoothes out the complexion, creates a smooth oil-free finish and anything you apply over the top especially if you're using a traditional liquid base glides on wonderfully. As well as creating an even canvas it helps to maintain base longevity and battle against those oils that might creep in throughout the day and tea tree is a known treatment for helping with blemishes. If you want to wear a foundation then, of course, this is awesome to apply underneath but it's one that is great when used alone and because of the tea tree, it can soothe active breakouts. Budget primers typically aren't all that good in my experience as they tend to pill up a little but I've never had an issue with this one.

CLARINS INTANT SMOOTH PERFECTING TOUCH PRIMER*

This is the perfect primer to go for if you still want to maintain a very skin like look to your complexion. Typically this is what I like to go for when I want to have free range of whatever base I might apply over the top. It smoothes out the skin beautifully and creates such an even base for any product that you might apply over the top so even when you're struggling with breakouts and uneven patches this smoothes everything over. But it doesn't feel too heavy or slippery on the skin which is one of my personal bugbears with primers as so often they can make your skin feel so odd but this doesn't do that at all. It's a balancing primer so it lends a helping hand to any areas that need the extra hydration or the areas that might need some oil control. It's another one that you can use before you apply makeup but it's also one I like to reach for when I'm not wearing makeup as it is so good at perfecting the skin. It's a pricey one but you only need a little smidgen so you get a good cost per use with this product which is something I think is so important.

L'OREAL TRUE MATCH

Drier skin ladies probably won't be a big fan of this budget base from L'oreal but if you're a little more oily then this could be a great option. Finding a base that is just like skin isn't always that easy as so often they lean too dewy or too matte and there are the rare satin bases. But something that maintains that very much skin like look isn't easy to find especially at a lower price point too. The formulation is just a bog standard liquid, it's nothing special but then once you buff and blend it into the skin you're left with a medium coverage that melts seamlessly into the skin and requires very minimal effort to achieve an even finish. Day to day especially in the summer months this is such a wonderful base to reach for and it's always one that I find myself turning to at this time of year as it has a solid wear time in the sun too.

CLINIQUE EVEN BETTER FOUNDATION

I've lost count of how many times I've spoken about this truly wonderful base. It still amazes me every time I apply it and it's something that I always find myself reaching for in the warmer months as it really stays around all day. Even without a concealer or primer, this perfects the skin with ease and it blends beautifully with minimal effort. It's one that is marketed for more oily girls but I imagine in combination with a good primer and moisturiser it could work on a slightly drier skin but of course, if your skin is like the Sahara then there is no way it could work. The biggest downside to this base is the lacking shade range, it's something I hope will be revisited by the brand in the future as this is a product that could work so well for so many people if they were able to get a shade that works for them.

MAKEUP FOREVER HD FOUNDATION*

For something pretty full coverage the Makeup Forever HD Foundation is a great option. This is a cult base in the beauty world and it's with good reason. It perfects the skin beautifully and for me when my skin is reasonably ok I can completely forgo a concealer and any foundation that can do that is always something I like. And even though it's high coverage and a pretty matte base it never makes the skin look flat and dull which is something we all know is so easy to happen. It's a liquid foundation but I do find it a little thicker in consistency so requires a little more effort upon application but it's not a problem. Makeup Forever is, of course, a high-end brand but it's one that is totally worth investing in as they have a huge shade range for its base products which makes it accessible to most people instead of a select few Caucasian women which is a big problem in the beauty world.

BAREMINERALS BLEMISH REMEDY FOUNDATION*

As you might be able to tell I'm having a real moment for bareMinerals at the moment and my love for them has only been growing stronger over the past year or so. They're a brand that I find myself really connecting to and I love the ethos behind their products. The loose blemish remedy powder was the first product from the brand that I truly fell for and it's quite unique. In the summer I think the majority of us can relate to the fact that we might be a little more spotty than usual and this powder is awesome for those of us who do. It's marketed as a foundation that you can use alone much like the original Bare Minerals foundation but like that, I prefer to use this as a powder. It contains tea tree and witch hazel which are known spot soothers and as well soothing the skin it creates a smooth beautiful even base. This is a product that I never seem to see being spoken about much online and it's a shame as it's great because even though it is for spots it doesn't make the skin feel tight or uncomfortable.