Oh, how I wish I was stationed in Capri, twirling spaghetti at a gorgeous seaside hotel instead of planted in front of the AC unit in my New York apartment. (I’ll be here until the very first gust of crisp autumn air, thank you very much.) Luckily, I—along with 1.3 million others—can live vicariously through Paige DeSorbo, who famously jets off to Italy each summer for a dreamy family getaway, during which life’s biggest dilemma is where the group should grab a pre-dinner cocktail.
“There’s something special about Italy in general,” the Summer House star and Giggly Squad host tells me over Zoom. She rattles off just a few highlights: the sparkling sea, the fresh seafood (and pasta, duh), morning mimosas (always with La Marca Prosecco, which DeSorbo has recently partnered with for an Italian-inspired giveaway), and a full shopping day with her Dad. “He loves holding my bags, and for that we’re thankful,” she quips.
(Image credit: La Marca Prosecco)
For DeSorbo, an Italian summer is breezy and effortless—and that includes her beauty looks. Think: glowy, sun-kissed skin with a few subtle sultry elements (a smudge of liner or a glossy red lip, perhaps). DeSorbo has it all down to a science, so of course I asked for her trade secrets. Ahead, she divulges every “Italian summer makeup” essential.
1. Start With Skincare
Of course, a healthy, even canvas is essential for that effortless “Italian girl” glow. I have a set routine,” DeSorbo says regarding her travel beauty staples. “I actually started using a brand called Face Reality… I had a bunch of estheticians DMing me that they really love it. It fully transformed my skin. I would have really bad breakouts—especially in the summer, I would get these little bumps under my skin that would just drive me insane—and it completely changed my skin texture.” She specifically swears by the brand’s Mandelic Serum. “I put it on in the morning… It truly is so good.”
The serum is currently only available to buy from estheticians specializing in acne, but if you’re on the hunt for a mandelic acid formula, I’d say Sofie Pavitt’s Mandelic Clearing Serum is such a winner. Pavitt is an acne specialist, too, so it’s a great one to buy online from a trusted source.
Face Reality Skincare
5% L-Mandelic Serum
My pick:
Sofie Pavitt Face
Mandelic Clearing Serum
2. A Glowy Complexion
DeSorbo keeps her base pretty minimal in the summer, but she will regularly use Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint to keep her complexion glowy and balanced. “It’s my favorite summer [product]. It’s a tinted moisturizer, but it’s more than that. I feel like it lets your skin breathe but also gives you a little glow.”
Next up: bronzing drops. “I use the First Aid Beauty Glow Drops—love those,” she shares.
First Aid Beauty
Bronze + Glow Drops With Niacinamide
Ilia
Super Serum Skin Tint
3. Blushing Cheeks and Lips
DeSorbo loves a good multitasking makeup product, so she reaches for Milk Makeup’s Cooling Water Jelly Tint to tap on her cheeks and lips. “I would say that’s definitely one of my summer staples,” she shares. It’s an incredibly pigmented product, and the stain effect makes it a godsend for outlasting summer sweat.
She’ll outline her lips with a neutral-brown liner—Anywhere Caffeine by Make Up For Ever, to be exact—but other than that keeps her lip color monochromatic. “I like a lip that you can also put on your cheeks, because I feel like matching the coloring makes your makeup a little bit more cohesive,” she explains.
Milk Makeup
Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain
Make Up For Ever
Artist Color Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil – Anywhere Caffeine
4. Bold Eyes and Brows
Per TikTok, Italian girl makeup is synonymous with glowy, sun-kissed skin but also a bit of sultry eye makeup and strong, fluffy brows. DeSorbo nails both avenues with just a flick of liner and brow gel. “I’m a Maybelline girl,” she says. “I’m not good at doing liner by myself, but I always [use] brown, and it’s always Maybelline.”
For her brows, she’s partial to Patrick Ta’s Major Brow Lamination Gel during the day and Typology’s castor oil-infused brow serum for an overnight treatment. Otherwise, she leaves her arches up to the pros. “I go to the best brow lady north of the Mississippi. She’s so freaking good. Her name is Azi [Sacks],” DeSorbo shares. (I concur; she once reworked my brows to perfection.) “I’ll make an appointment with her before I make an appointment with any doctor. I’m like, this is a priority,” she jokes.
Maybelline
Tattoo Studio Automatic Gel Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner
Patrick Ta
Major Brow Lamination Gel
Typology
Eyebrow & Eyelash Serum
4. Set It in Place
“I don’t like a powdery look,” DeSorbo admits. I like [my makeup] to look dewy and almost a little bit sweaty.” That said, the Italian summer heat can be pretty ruthless, so she does rely on a bit of setting powder to keep her makeup from melting midday. She’s a bit of a beauty loyalist, using the same compact for over a decade. “It’s black with turquoise writing… It’s from Maybelline or L’Oreal. That has been my go-to and my tried-and-true for over 10, 15 years,” she said. (I did some digging: It’s Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte + Poreless Pressed Face Powder.)
Maybelline
Fit Me Matte + Poreless Pressed Face Powder
5. A Spritz of Perfume
With Italian summers on the brain, DeSorbo would be remiss not to mention her favorite, juicy fragrance: Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Portofino ’97 Eau de Parfum. It’s summer in a bottle with an opening of fresh bergamot and grapefruit, followed by spicy black pepper and crisp bamboo. “It’s so good—and it’s in the prettiest, La Marca-blue bottle,” DeSorbo says. Anything that reminds you of a shimmering glass of bubbly (on an Italian vacation, no less!) is worth displaying on your vanity, don’t you think?
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Portofino ’97 Eau De Parfum
