RiRi vs. Gigi: Should You Wear Makeup to the Beach?

Should you wear makeup to the beach? Call it the eternal summer debate. On one hand, a full face feels antithetical to an easy seaside spirit and, more likely than not, will wash off with a well-timed wave. On the other, polished skin and a bold lip might impart the confidence you need to thrive in the surf. Here, we consider both schools of thought, as illustrated by perennial beach babes Rihanna and Gigi Hadid.

First, there’s Hadid, the California-born supermodel and Vogue’s August cover star, who recently declared herself a member of the anti-primping camp. “I never wear makeup to the beach,” she said, citing her mother, Yolanda Hadid, as her less-is-more muse. Instead, Hadid’s signature summer look calls for clean, shining skin, the barest slick of protective lip balm, and a windswept tangle of beach waves obscuring her head.

On the other end of the spectrum, there’s Rihanna, who’s not afraid to buck convention with a well-manicured look: a bright red pout matched to her long, shapely nails, or a bikini paired with a black lip—the ultimate rule-breaking summer move. With her seaside skin all but airbrushed to perfection in either case, the pop star is living proof that it pays to stay on point, beauty-wise.

Still on the fence about your beachside beauty strategy? This one might be a toss-up. After all, when you’re RiRi or Gigi, it’s hard to go wrong.

The post RiRi vs. Gigi: Should You Wear Makeup to the Beach? appeared first on Vogue.