These Minimalist Makeup Products Are the Perfect Recipe for Hot Girl Summer

The last calendar year has changed a lot about our beauty practices. From co-signing more low-maintenance hair choices to adopting mask-friendly makeup and carrying out more at-home beauty treatments than ever before, we've amended every aspect of our hair, makeup, skincare, and nail routines to suit our socially distanced lives. And we don't know about you, but after being robbed of Hot Girl Summer 2020, we're feeling the urge to show out this solstice season. That's why all summer 2021, we'll be leaning into the most fitting trend that also happens to be so pretty: minimalist makeup.

Now, minimalist makeup might not sound all that exciting, but it can be a lot more fun than its name suggests. Remember when Beyonce had us all shouting "I woke up like this" a few years ago? Well, minimalist makeup brings that notion to life via glowy highlighter, subtly shimmery lids, flushed lips and cheeks, and bushy brows. Can you say swoon?

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(Image credit: @isabellecoheen)

While this type of makeup look requires less perfecting than your run-of-the-mill full face of Instagram makeup, there's still an order of operations that yields the best results. Thankfully, we've been studying the recipe and have come up with an edit of all the best products for creating the most gorgeous minimalist makeup looks all summer.

The best part? All the products are part of Sephora's epic Spring Savings Event! VIB Rouge members have already had their fill, but from April 13 to April 19, VIB Beauty Insiders can get 15% off by entering promo code OMGSPRING at checkout. Beauty Insiders, don't feel left out, because from April 15 to April 19, you can get 10% off using the same code! Keep scrolling for all the summer-ready picks to stock up on while the prices are slashed.

Prep: Skincare

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(Image credit: @misodam)

Perfect: Lightweight Complexion Products

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(Image credit: @aude_julie)

Enhance: Blush, Bronzer, and Highlighter

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(Image credit: @fridabecker)

Emphasize: Lids, Lashes, and Lips

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(Image credit: @evemeetswest)

Final Touches

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(Image credit: @tobimakeup)
Associate Beauty Editor

Courtney Higgs is a Cancer sun, Libra rising beauty enthusiast with about six years of experience in the editorial space. She was previously Who What Wear's associate beauty editor after spending many years working on the West Coast edit team at InStyle Magazine. She graduated from California State University, Northridge, with a BA in communication studies and pivoted to editorial after spending her college years working in the legal field. Her beauty philosophy is simple: She believes there are no wrong answers and that discovering our favorite beauty products and rituals is a journey, not a sprint. When she's not geeking out over products, she can be found adventuring around L.A. with her fiancé; watching reality TV with their French bulldog, Bernie Mac; or relating way too hard to astrology memes.