9 New Lightweight Foundations Perfect for Warmer Weather

When the weather gets hot and makeup starts to feel uncomfortable, it’s time to switch to a lighter foundation. One of these newly released products will surely become a favorite.

Once it starts to get hot outside, wearing a lot of makeup doesn’t seem practical. The extra heat can make your face feel weirdly heavy if you have a lot of product on, and sweat and makeup just don’t mix that well. Still, you definitely don’t have to go bare-faced if you don’t want to. Instead, swap out your usual favorite foundation for a lightweight foundation.

A great lightweight foundation should almost feel like a second skin while still providing decent coverage. While light foundations usually don’t offer full coverage, they still get the job done and tend to be a little less high-maintenance. If you don’t already know of one that you love, these new releases for 2021 are all worth trying—find out what will work for you below.

Merit The Minimalist

Merit focuses on minimalist beauty products that make applying makeup a total breeze even when you’re on the go. The Minimalist foundation is a perfect example of this. Thanks to its stick form, it’s easy to apply, whether you’re at home or touching up your makeup while you’re out. It offers medium coverage but definitely yields a more natural look: It was meant to mimic the finish of healthy skin rather than offer an obvious foundation look.

The coverage is very buildable and blendable, so feel free to add more as needed. It has a hydrating texture thanks to the addition of fatty acids, and this keeps it from looking dry throughout the day. A bonus is that Merit beauty products are clean and vegan—and it doesn’t hurt that they’re also beautiful to look at.

NYX Bare With Me Luminous Tinted Skin Serum

If your goal is glowy skin that looks and feels completely natural, try NYX Bare With Me Luminous Tinted Skin Serum. Think of it almost like skin care and makeup combined: It’s a tinted serum infused with tremella mushroom for luminous skin that lasts all day long. It instantly evens skin tone and texture, giving the perfect glowing finish without ever looking greasy.

This one definitely doesn’t offer as much coverage as, say, your preferred winter foundation—instead, it comes in five sheer, adaptable shades for all skin tones. It will leave skin looking even and disguise minor blemishes, but this is really a super lightweight, breathable option.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

When it comes to clean makeup, Ilia is one of my personal favorite brands. They’re transparent about ingredients, and the makeup doesn’t just look good, it’s also good for your skin. The Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is no exception. This is actually more like a tinted sunscreen than a foundation, but it still offers coverage—and it has the added benefit of SPF, making it perfect for days spent outside.

This is a weightless serum that blends skin care, makeup, and sun protection. SPF 40 coverage and non-nano zinc oxide will shield your skin from UVA, UVB, UVC, blue light, and infrared rays, and a blend of hyaluronic acids, squalane, and niacinamide evens out your skin and any imperfections for the most natural, dewy finish. It’s perfect for the minimalist skin look, and it’s also silicone-free, fragrance-free, chemical screen-free, oil-free, and non-comedogenic, making it ideal for sensitive skin.

LYS Beauty Triple Fix Serum Foundation

The ultra-luxe LYS Beauty Triple Fix Serum Foundation blends all of the advantages of skin care with the medium coverage of a good foundation. It conceals blemishes, dark spots, and imperfections with a blendable and buildable formula that feels good on your skin.

Made with nourishing ingredients like ashwagandha, hyaluronic acid, turmeric, and avocado oil, this makes your skin look and feel healthier while also covering up any imperfections. It has a natural finish to it and really melts into the skin without ever feeling cakey or heavy. It also comes in a wide range of shades.

Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint Clean SPF 30 Foundation

An update to the previous Skin Tint, this new Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint Clean SPF 30 Foundation offers a clean, silicone-free formula that delivers weightless, light coverage. The sheer shades are meant to adapt to many different skin tones since they’re so buildable, but the foundation is also super breathable and feels like you’re wearing nothing.

It’s also really moisturizing and made with a blend of grapeseed, avocaod, mandarin, jojoba, and olive oils, which gives off a glowy finish. Squalane helps seal in moisture and provides antioxidant benefits for healthy-looking skin, and SPF 30 provides some much-needed sun protection. Plus, the sleek design and pump brush applicator makes this incredibly easy to apply and touch up anywhere.

Revlon ColorStay Light Cover Liquid Foundation

Some lightweight foundations are so light that they might need to be reapplied in the middle of the day. Revlon ColorStay Light Cover Liquid Foundation is meant to offer lightweight but long-lasting coverage for up to 12 hours. It has a weightless feel to it and melts right into the skin, but it still covers up imperfections and won’t come off.

Made with concentrated pomegranate for a brighter complexion, this is also hydrating and free of parabens, phthalates, fragrance, and mineral oil. It also offers SPF 35 for sun protection. I love the toddle tip that makes it so easy to squeeze a bit out without any mess.

Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35

Technically, Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35 is not a foundation and is, well, a tinted moisturizer. But hear me out! The right tinted moisturizer (like this one) is an excellent warm weather alternative to foundation because it offers just enough coverage and it feels great throughout the day. This one offers a dewy finish that looks glowy and natural and wears quite well.

It’s also packed with excellent skin care ingredients like licorice for brightening, pansy flower and hyaluronic acid for moisture, argan oil for a glow, and aloe vera for anti-inflammatory hydration. The SPF 35 mineral protection is great for daily use, and it doesn’t have that annoying white cast that often goes along with zinc. The easy squeezable packaging makes this easy to take anywhere as well.

KVD Beauty Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Foundation Balm

As you might have noticed, most lightweight foundations offer a dewy, glowy finish. This is great for some people, but for those who want something more matte, opt for KVD Beauty Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Foundation Balm. It offers full coverage, with a matte finish that isn’t flat or dewy, just natural-looking.

Since it’s a balm, it doesn’t feel like your typical heavy matte foundation—instead, it’s made with apple extract and sodium hyaluronate, which feels super hydrating. The longwear formula never feels cakey, but it really does last. Plus, the entire compact is recyclable.

Flower Beauty Get Real Serum Foundation

Lightweight and breathable, this Flower Beauty Get Real Serum Foundation is a great mix of skin care and medium coverage. Because it’s so buildable, you can choose a light coverage, or you can add more to make it medium, making it nice and adaptable.

It’s infused with a hydrating antioxidant serum blend that cares for skin while it’s on, so it actually does something besides just look good. Lavender flower water brightens up the skin, and olive oil works as an antioxidant that also gives your skin the perfect glow. And at just under $15, this is a great price point.