KarenWhen temperatures rise during the summer months, many of us move away from a “full makeup” look in favor of a lighter, more natural face.
Now, don’t get me wrong…lighter and more natural doesn’t necessarily mean makeup-free. Makeup-free might work when we’re in our twenties but most of us over 40 gals, find that a little makeup goes a long way toward making us look and feel our best.
And that, after all, is the whole point: we want to feel good during the hot summer months, knowing that (1) our skin is cared for and healthy, (2) our makeup isn’t heavy and sliding down our faces throughout the day, and (3) we’ve enhanced our features in a way that looks natural, yet gives us that extra boost of confidence that cosmetics provide.
With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of my summer beauty essentials. These are the products that I turn to when I’m going for that “less is more” look during the carefree days of summer.
Bear in mind that nothing helps us to achieve that look better that taking excellent care of our skin. Once we have a healthy “canvas” to work with, it only takes a few products and a few minutes to create a gorgeous summer glow. Here’s how I do it:
- Tinted moisturizer: During the winter, my skin tends to be dry and I need a richer moisturizer which I follow with foundation. In the warmer months, however, my skin isn’t quite as dry and I prefer to use a tinted moisturizer instead. The advantage of a tinted moisturizer is that it’s a lighter product that (a) won’t clog your pores and (b) allows your natural skintone to shine through. This one by Ilia is my favorite and has the added boost of SPF.
- Bronzer: I try not to get any sun on my face at all. When I’m in the sun, you can be sure that I’m not only covered in sunscreen, but I’m often wearing a sun hat as well. So when I want my face to have that sun-kissed look, I rely on bronzer. A little on the forehead, nose and cheeks – just the areas where the sun would kiss you – gives you the look of a light, healthy suntan.
- Neutral eye shadow: For a daytime look, I keep eye shadow very simple and rely on a basic neutral (I prefer a light tan shadow), which I use to cover the eyelid. I often skip the step of adding a darker shade to the crease. A light neutral shadow and some eyeliner is enough to enhance the eyes, while keeping the look light and natural.
- Liquid or Gel Eyeliner in a dark brown shade: Liquid and gel eyeliners tend to go on and stay on better than pencils during the warm and humid days of summer. I also suggest going with a dark brown shade, as opposed to black, because I find that brown almost always looks more natural.
- Mascara: The same rule applies here…dark brown tends to look more natural than black but, of course, be guided by your skin tone, hair color and personal preference. You may wish to switch to waterproof mascara during the summer months, as well.
- Cream Blush: A cream blush is a nice way to keep the skin moist and give the cheeks a dewy look. It also blends nicely, giving a natural, rosy glow.
- Highlighter: I only recently started using highlighter and I’m totally hooked! A little goes a very long way, so be sure to use the slightest bit, rubbed between the pointer fingers and tapped onto the tops of the cheekbones, the inside of the eyes, the bridge of the nose and the forehead. I use a big, fluffy brush to blend it in. It brightens up the whole face and also creates a dewy look (which is very youthful!).
- Lipstick/Gloss/Stain in a Mid-tone Coral: In the summer, I love a medium coral shade – not too dark/bright and not too soft. This is a shade that compliments every skin tone and adds just the right pop of color on a neutral face. Summer-sexy, to be sure!
This makeup routine takes only about 10 minutes and makes me feel far better than going out bare-faced. We all know that the brightest and most beautiful glow is the one that comes from within but, for most of us, the extra bit of confidence that comes from feeling “put together” helps us shine a little brighter.
Shine on, loves!
Karen
