It’s the best time of year for a makeup bag purge.

With the evenings stretching ever longer, it’s time to embrace the light – and that means ditching heavy foundations and concealers in favour of fresh, sheer formulas that celebrate your skin instead of masking it.

That’s not to say we don’t appreciate a hard-working foundation (bare-faced beauty is not for everyone) but the newest options on the market replace those thick pigments of old with a glowy wash of skin-perfecting colour that doesn’t collect in crows feet or laughter lines.

Start with some summer prep: exfoliate three times a week and splash your face with cold water a la Kate Moss before you moisturise each morning.

Here are three of the best new foundations to buy now:

1. YSL Nu Bare Look Skin Tint

One of the most impressive new foundations we’ve tried in a while, Nu by Yves Saint Laurent Bare Look Skin Tint boasts a 90% skincare formula infused with plant-based glycerin and hyaluronic acid for lasting moisturisation and hydration, and soothing marshmallow. It’s essentially a makeup-moisturiser hybrid that sinks seamlessly into the complexion.

Designed in 20 flexible freckle-friendly shades to suit your skin tone whilst allowing your real skin to show through, the super-fine pigments create a veil of comfortable colour for an effortless natural look.

No tools needed, just use your fingers to blend it for an even, buildable coverage.

Buy it: Nu by Yves Saint Laurent Bare Look Skin Tint is €32 at Brown Thomas Cork

2. Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation SPF 30

No time for touch-ups? This weightless SPF 30 foundation is formulated with ActiveForce technology, which self-refreshes nonstop to protect your finish from the effects of sweat, oil and facial movement.

It might sound too good to be true but 81% of women who tested it agreed their skin looked fresh after 24 hours.

Responsive Sensory Technology adapts to skin’s condition, tone and texture and it also contains antioxidant wild thyme extract and a protective polymer to help keep pollution from adhering to skin.

It’s even waterproof so you can emerge from the pool camera-ready.

Buy it: Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation SPF 30 is €51 from Boots 

3. The Organic Pharmacy Sheer Tinted Beauty Cream

This sheer tinted beauty cream is the fastest way to transform skin from dull to dewy in one sweep of a sponge. The Organic Pharmacy blend is packed with skin-loving ingredients like witch hazel and hyaluronic acid, with mineral light-reflecting particles for radiance.

The eco-friendly packaging is made from glass and tree-free paper (using hemp, bamboo and bagasse fibres with vegetable ink) too.

Buy it: The Organic Pharmacy Sheer Tinted Beauty Cream is €38 from thecleanbeautyedit.com