Guest Author - Kim Ringler
One of the best things about summer is the makeup we use is light, sheer and shows off your summer glow! All you need to do is make sure you are wearing sunscreen and your makeup products long lasting and waterproof. You can pare down your products so you don’t have to spend as much time getting ready, and you won’t have to worry about carrying around as much makeup with you!
I cannot stress enough how important it is to begin your makeup routine with a good skincare routine, and that begins with a quality face cream that has a high SPF. Even if your makeup contains SPF, make sure you begin your day with a quality SPF cream. SPF sunscreens are no longer just thick creams. They come for every skin type from dry to oily, so you can find one that suits your skin type.
If you feel like you need some coverage on your face, tinted moisturizers are great choices for summer. They are a great way to even out your skin tone without making your makeup feel too heavy, as well as provide additional sun protection. These days almost every line sells tinted moisturizers, and they are not just for those with dry skin. Ladies that have oily skin can wear them as well; just look for products advertising “oil-free” (Laura Mercier has some excellent selections). Most coverage is sheer and you can build up color if you need to do so.
A good bronzer tends to be a summer staple. The general rule when choosing a bronzer is to try and stay a shade or two darker than your skin color. If you have light skin, a good choice for you may be to stick with a shimmer brick or mix that contains rosy pinks, rich tans, and light gold. Lucky ladies with a medium skin tone likely already have a beautiful glow, so try and go a shade darker to stay natural. Stay away from the pinks, and feel free to play around with a little shimmer in your bronzer! Dark skinned ladies will want their bronzers to brighten, so look for copper or golden tones.
When applying bronzer, use a large brush to get the best results. Apply in places where the sun would normally hit your face—cheeks, nose, chin, and foreheads. The biggest mistake people make is to forget to blend enough, and this can leave your face looking dirty. Blend, blend, blend!
The next product considered a summer must is mascara. Even if I will be outside all day, I skip the eye shadow but make sure to apply mascara to bring out my lashes. Luckily, there are so many choices, you cannot really go wrong. You can keep it as simple as possible—a coat of clear mascara for the day, or up the drama—two coats of colored lengthening formula. When looking for a summer mascara, the main thing to do is scout out the waterproof mascaras to ensure you will not look like you are crying by late afternoon. If you’d like to keep it simple, simply hit up your drugstore or makeup counter and look through the waterproof mascaras. Apply a coat in the morning, and you’re good to go for the day!
Many lipsticks are generally heavy for summer. When giving your lip colors a summer makeover, you are not limited to a thick gloss. You can check out: sheer gloss or a gloss that carries more color, a lip stain (these can look come in brush, pen, marker, or pot form and provide a natural enhancement to your lip color), or even the light lipsticks (MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick is a great light summer lipstick). You can find long lasting color in any lip product, but in my experience a lip stain or long lasting gloss such as Clinique Long Lasting Glosswear or L’Oreal Color Juice do the job. After you put on a coat in the morning, throw the tube in your purse or beach bag and you are all set to go.
Summer is a perfect time for a makeup makeover, and tossing all the products you know you keep in your purse during the winter (blush, eyeliner, or concealers) into your makeup cases at home. All you need is sunscreen, sheer colors, waterproof mascaras and blotting papers if your skin gets oily. Your face (and purse) will feel much lighter with the fewer products you need to look glowy, beautiful and ready for relaxation!
