‘Hot’ Takes
Image courtesy: https://pin.it/2ikEDED
Summer is my favorite season, followed closely by fall. Naturally, the best of both worlds is when I arrive back at my lovely college town of Athens, Georgia. I love it all. I love the dichotomy of classes starting and still being able to sit by the pool between my long walks to campus.
Well, I love almost all of it. I thrive in the heat, but my makeup, clothing, and jewelry do not. So, I made it my mission to find the best tarnish-free jewelry, lightweight yet trendy outfit options, and of course, sweatproof makeup options that will last all day (without literally melting off your face). Below are my must-haves to handle the heat!
My favorite tarnish-free jewelry options:
First up is PAVOI. Their jewelry is so affordable and durable-- I don’t even take it off to shower!).They offer their jewelry in yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold. They even have 14K solid gold options for a very reasonable price. https://www.pavoi.com/collections/women-jewelry-earrings The best part? They also have an Amazon storefront with Prime shipping.
Image courtesy: pavoi.com
2. My next favorite affordable jewelry brand is called NÜR. I am a gold girlie through and through. You will only see me wearing silver to properly accessorize an outfit. Another hot take: I will never mix metals… https://nursanfrancisco.com/products/snake-chain?variant=41907886031041 Anyway, NÜR specializes in gold jewelry, has the trendiest designs, and even has a cute story. The founder’s late grandmother used to tell her “No outfit [is] complete without a small touch of gold,” and I couldn’t agree more.
Image courtesy: nursanfrancisco.com
Now for my favorite clothing items to wear in hot weather:
Linen, always
Linen has been trending this summer, and for good reason. The fabric is hypo-allergenic and breathable. It is also made of natural fibers so it is a great sustainable clothing option. My favorite places to shop for linen are Zara https://www.zara.com/us/en/woman-shirts-linen-l4104.html or for a slightly more affordable option Quince https://www.quince.com/women/linen. Quince has great basics while Zara usually has more out-there styles.
Image courtesy: zara.com
Image courtesy: quince.com
2. Lightweight sets
My go-to on the hottest days is always a lightweight set. It’s an effortless outfit that can be mixed and matched in so many ways. I find that other than athleisure sets, 100% cotton or 100% viscose are the most breathable fabrics.
Image courtesy: target.com
Image courtesy: us.oneill.com
Onto makeup:
Waterproof mascaras are always an option, but recently I have been loving the viral TikTok trend where you just curl your eyelashes then apply Aquaphor. I think mascara, especially waterproof mascara, is such a pain to fully take off so Aquaphor is a great alternative.
Always prime and set your skin! I like to use the Rare Beauty primer https://www.rarebeauty.com/products/always-an-optimist-illuminating-primer-1 and Charlotte Tilberry’s Airbrush Flawless setting spray https://www.charlottetilbury.com/us/product/airbrush-flawless-setting-spray-travel.
On a really hot day when I know I’ll be sweating, I go in with the ONE/SIZE Secure the Sweat Primer because I find it lets me sweat without really messing up my makeup. https://www.sephora.com/product/secure-sweat-primer-P505398
After all of that, just keep your makeup as light as possible! I always finish my makeup look with lipstick and some lip gloss. I find that NARS Afterglow Lip Balm is so hydrating and stays all day https://www.narscosmetics.com/USA/afterglow-lip-balm/.
I hope these ‘hot’ takes keep you cool from my home state’s unrelenting heat and humidity.
Strike out,
Gabriela Lefkovits
Editor: Caroline Kostuch
Athens