It’s All a Blur: Why Light-Diffusing Makeup Is Perfect for the Slow Fade of Summer

It feels almost rude to start strategizing for fall while summer is still showering us with rays of sun—but believe it or not, it’s time to consider a new wardrobe of makeup basics that will carry you into the cooler months. Now, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves—as long as temperatures hover over 72 degrees, your face should mirror your clothing—and anything more than the sheerest of layers can feel suffocating. Which is exactly why the new generation of blur products may offer up the answer to transitional makeup: More daring than their predecessors—which took the form of invisible skin primers infused with light-diffusing pigments—the latest concealers, bronzers, and even blushes are harnessing the flattering, soft focus effect of trompe l’oeil color technology.

From bright poppy lipsticks to futuristic foundations, the best among them project a foolproof, lit-from-within quality that’s nearly impossible to mess up. And no, they won’t work Photoshop miracles (we’ve tried it over summer breakouts, and this just in—they still exist), but they will give your makeup a subtly fuzzy finish that rivals your favorite Instagram filters (hello, Earlybird, Valencia, and Amaro).

To find out more, we called up the makeup artist Suzy Gerstein, who has mastered the cool-girl aesthetic on clients like Erin Wasson, Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), and Christy Turlington Burns, for her take on the fuzzy finish trend. “The good thing about these products is you don’t have to do a full face,” she explains. “The formulas are forgiving enough that you can just put them in key places and boom, you’re kind of done.”

Gerstein favors YSL’s new Les Sahariennes sun-kissed blur perfector for fair maidens who shy away from bronzer. “I use a big duo fibre brush from MAC and really buff it on smoothly so it just creates a tint and brightens up the face.” Gerstein loves blur technology for its ability to soften edges. “The most telling blunder is when you wear a too-dark foundation or a bronzer that’s not right for your skin. These help you avoid that telltale line of demarcation.” A complexion perfector like Givenchy’s Blurring Foundation Balm delivers a veil of coverage that still feels nearly bare. “Going into fall you may have some sun damage; skin might be a little dry and flaky. If you go to a completely matte foundation, you’ll enhance and exaggerate that. This is more flattering.”

For punchy lips that feel effortlessly stained without looking sloppy, Gerstein suggests covering any flaws around the mouth with a light concealer, and lining lips with Nudestix Blur Pencil. Next, she fills things in with Maybelline Color Blur matte pencil, which technically doesn’t contain actual blur pigments, but still draws on the concept with a built-in silicon smudger (similar to the kind you’d find on an eyeliner) to create the look of a lived-in stain. To finish the face, she suggests taking a blotting paper “to clean up any shine around the skin,” then adding a coat of mascara for a polished, pre-fall no-makeup makeup look.

Below, our favorite products for mastering the slow fade of summer.

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