Summer Makeup Routine for Oily Skin: High-End Products That Are Worth the Splurge

A beginner’s guide to a long-lasting, luxury makeup routine that actually stays put—even in the heat

Let’s talk real summer struggles: you’ve done your full face, you’re glowing (in a good way), and then… 30 minutes later, you’re melting. If you have oily or combination skin, you know exactly what I mean.

The good news? A well-curated summer makeup routine using luxury makeup products can keep your face looking flawless, fresh, and shine-controlled without feeling heavy. I’ve personally tested these splurge-worthy picks through NYC heat, long work days, and humid nights out—and they pass the vibe check.

So, if you’re ready to invest in a routine that delivers long wear makeup, enhances your skin, and feels like a treat every time you apply it—this one’s for you.

Let’s walk through it, step-by-step.

Step 1: Skin Prep is Key (Don’t Skip This!)

Your base is only as good as your skincare. In summer, especially with oily skin, it’s tempting to skip moisturizer—but don’t. Hydrated skin balances oil production, and skipping this step can actually make you more oily later in the day.

The Charlotte Tilbury Water Cream is a gorgeous gel-cream hybrid that sinks in fast and gives a smooth, bouncy base. It hydrates without greasiness, making it perfect for long lasting makeup. If you’re following this routine during the day, make sure to wear spf.

Pro Tip: For best results, apply to clean, slightly damp skin and let it set for 5 minutes before going in with makeup.

Step 2: Frame the Face

If there’s one area that defines the face—it's your brows. For summer, I love a long-wear, layered approach. First, outline with the Joey Healy Brow Pencil, then fill in with the Luxe Brow Powder for a softer, more dimensional look.

Top it off with the Nyx Cosmetics Brow Tint Pen to add realistic hair-like strokes. Even in humid weather, these formulas stay put and don’t smudge. To lock in the brows, the Covergirl Clean Fresh Brows Gel Wax is incredible and will keep them inplace.

Pro Tip: clean up the brows with concealer for a clean makeup artist finish.

Step 3: Prime Like a Pro

Product: Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Water Powder Serum

This isn’t your average primer. The Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Water Powder Serum helps control oil and smooth out texture—perfect for those summer pores. It feels like skincare, but performs like a mattifying primer. A little goes a long way, and it grips foundation beautifully.

Step 4: Color Correct Where Needed

Product: Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick in Dark Peach

Dark circles? Hyperpigmentation? This stick is a lifesaver. The Bobbi Brown Corrector Stick blends like a dream and works beautifully under concealer without creasing. If you’re doing a lighter base for summer, this can help you use less product overall.

Step 5: Eye Makeup That Stays All Day

Let’s be honest—long wear eye makeup in summer is a non-negotiable. Start with the Hydro Grip Eye Primer to prevent creasing. Layer in matte and shimmer shades from Shades by Shan, and top the center of the lid with Armani Eye Tint in 67S for that high-end shimmer that doesn’t budge.

Use Essence Super Precise Liner to wing it out, and line your inner waterline with the Flower Beauty Eye Lighter Crayon—it instantly brightens the eyes. Add a touch of drama with Too Faced’s glide liner on the upper lash line - this one is incredibly precises!

For lashes, I like to double up: YSL Lash Clash for volume and Lancôme Idôle for fluttery length. Finish with the Kiss lashes if you want extra glam.


Step 6: Foundation That Won’t Slide Off

Each of these foundations offers buildable coverage, long wear, and a natural finish that plays well with oily skin. If you need max durability, go for Estée Lauder Double Wear. For a radiant skin-like finish, Fenty Soft’Lit is a dream. Want something in between? Armani Luminous Silk gives a soft, lit-from-within glow without making you greasy.


Step 7: Conceal, Sculpt & Blush (cream products first)

Use your concealer to brighten the under eyes and any areas where oil breaks through. I like to mix the Natasha Denona and Lancôme concealers for both coverage and a lightweight feel. 

PRO-TIP: let the concealer sit for about 30 seconds before blending it.

For sculpting, the Fenty Match Stix melts into skin and stays all day. Put this along the perimeter of your face and blend using an angled brush.

Armani Cheek Tint gives a natural flush that doesn’t fade! To finish, I layer Neen’s Cream Highlighter which gives the perfect amount of glow.

Step 8: Set & Warmth + Glow

After you’ve applied the cream products on, lock it all in with use the NARS Soft Matte first. The pressed powder will truly set the creams down. The bake using Huda Beauty Easy Bake Powder in your T-zone. Let that sit for 2-3 minutes and dust off the excess to finish everything off.

Your face is set, now it’s time to bring it to life. The YSL Hyper Bronze adds that sunkissed look without looking orange. NARS Blush in Thrill pops beautifully on medium-deep skin tones.

Top with Hourglass Strobe Powder for a multidimensional glow that looks lit-from-within rather than greasy.

Step 9: Lips That Last (and Shine)

Outline with MAC Cork for that soft 90s shape, then fill in with the Fenty Gloss Bomb. The texture is non-sticky, hydrating, and summer-perfect.

Step 10: Lock It In

Finish with a double set. First, mist with Fenty You Mist for hydration and glow. Then, go in lightly with Kryolan Fixing Spray to truly seal everything. Your makeup? It’s not going anywhere.

Final Thoughts: Is the Luxury Makeup Worth It?

Short answer: YES.

When you have oily skin, not all formulas work. Investing in high-end makeup for summer can actually save you time, product, and mid-day touchups. These products were chosen because they feel good, perform well, and truly last through heat, humidity, and long days.

If you're building your first luxury kit or upgrading your summer routine, start here. You don’t need everything at once, but these picks will give you that polished, confident glow that lasts.

Thank you for reading!!

XOXO,

Krity 

*I get a commission for purchases made through links in this post*

I Tried 31 Concealer Hacks in 31 Days — Here’s What Actually Worked

If your concealer creases no matter what you do, girl, you are not alone. I’ve been there too — and after testing 31 hacks over 31 days, I found the ones that are actually worth trying (and which ones to skip).

Why I Tested 31 Concealer Hacks in 31 Days

Let’s be real: concealer is supposed to conceal, not crease into every fine line and make us look older. But lately, my go-to technique just wasn’t cutting it anymore. As I’ve aged, my under eyes have changed — my skin’s drier, my fine lines are more visible, and my once-trusty concealer routine started emphasizing everything I was trying to hide.

And then came the TikTok hacks.
I was seeing endless videos from beauty creators and makeup artists claiming they had the magic solution for no-crease, flawless concealer. So, I decided to test 31 different hacks — one for each day of the month — to see what really works on oily/combination skin and real under-eye texture.

How I Tested the Concealer Hacks

Here’s how I approached it:

  • I picked a new hack every day from TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram (yes, deep research 👀).

  • On one side of my face, I followed the hack exactly as instructed.

  • On the other side, I applied concealer the way I normally did — which was no longer working.

  • I wore the look all day and compared both sides in studio lighting, checking for creasing, caking, texture, and wear.

Before I get into what worked, here’s how I was applying concealer before the experiment:

  • Swipe directly from the wand onto the skin.

  • Blend with a damp sponge.

  • Lightly set with powder using a dry powder puff.

Sounds familiar? Yeah… no wonder it wasn’t working anymore.

Here’s a deeper dive at all the hacks I tried:

What I Learned After 31 Days

Let me just say: some of these hacks were game-changers, while others were a total mess.
Out of 31:

  • Only 5 hacks got a 9/10 or higher — meaning yes, they actually worked and I’d do them again.

  • 5 hacks were so bad, I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone (seriously, they made my under eyes look worse).

The rest? Meh. Either neutral or too complicated for the results.

The Top 3 Concealer Hacks That Actually Worked

Ready for the winners? These three hacks totally changed how my under-eye concealer wore throughout the day. No creasing, no caking — just smooth, natural, lifted undereyes.

🥉 3rd Place: Day 8 – Blend, Set, Bake

  • This layered approach — blending your concealer, setting it with a compact powder, and then baking with a loose powder— gave me a crease-free finish that held up all day.

  • I used a puff for baking, and it truly blurred everything out!

  • See in detail HERE

🥈 2nd Place: Day 30 – Eye Skin Prep First

  • This hack was about what you do before concealer: using an eye mask and a hydrating eye cream before makeup.

  • The difference in how my concealer sat on my skin? Wild. My undereyes looked smoother, more hydrated, and didn’t crack.

  • See in detail HERE

🥇 1st Place: Day 16 – Eye Primer Before Color Corrector + Concealer

  • Game. Changer.

  • Using a lightweight eye primer first (like how you prime your eyelids) helped smooth the skin, created a sealant barrier, and made my color corrector and concealer apply evenly and stay put all day.

  • See in detail HERE

✨ Honorable Mention: Day 25 – Color Correct → Set with Loose Powder → Concealer → Pressed Powder

  • Okay, this routine is a little extra, but for events or long days? So worth it.

  • It created a locked-in, flawless finish that didn’t budge

  • See in detail HERE

Hacks I’ll Never Try Again 🙅‍♀️

I won’t name names (unless y’all ask 😏), but a few hacks made my concealer:

  • Day 29 - Using a little oil as a midday touch up - Looked patchy and removed concealer coverage

  • Day 2- Using Aquaphor before concealer - it settled into lines faster and created more texture

  • Day 22- Using very little concealer and baking- this added years to my under eyes. I think it would’ve been better to remove extra concealer and not bake.

One even lifted my foundation off in patches. IYKYK — sometimes less is more.

Final Thoughts

Testing 31 concealer hacks in 31 days taught me that application technique matters just as much as the concealer you’re using.
 It’s not always about buying something new — sometimes it’s just about layering things better, prepping the skin, or swapping the tool.

Whether you're 22 or 52, the right method can make all the difference in how your concealer wears.

Have You Tried Any of These Hacks?

Let me know in the comments or DM me on Instagram @krity_s if you want me to test out the worst ones next 😅
And if you want more product breakdowns, side-by-side comparisons, or concealer recommendations for oily/combo skin — I’ve got you.

Thanks for reading, kutie 💕