So it’s sweltering out and the last thing you want to do is pile a ton of makeup on your already greasy face. Besides, it’s only going to slide right off the minute you step into the sun (Never a good look!). At this time of year, the only thing you should be laying on thick is your sunscreen.
Summer makeup and skincare, on the other hand, is all about sheer and creamy waterproof textures – always applied with a very light hand.This summer, keep your makeup from melting into your Mojito by following these 4 simple tips.
THE 4 SUMMER BEAUTY SECRETS YOU NEED
1. PROTECT AND PRIME
The key to long-lasting foundation and colour is the most commonly skipped step: Primer. What you don’t want is too many products on top of one another – moisturizer, then sunscreen, then primer. The perfect solution: A multi-purpose product like Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 30/pa +++ ($33 at Sephora).
Apply a toonie-sized dollop of this lightweight formula before your concealer and foundation and you will be protected from the elements and primed til the sun goes down.
Beauty Tip: If you’re heading to the beach for sun worshipping, you should ‘prime your primer’ with a separate coat of SPF 30 or higher or follow with my next product – the magical colour compact below.
2. LIGHTEN UP with extra protection
Think of foundation this way: The less you put on, the less there is to slide off. AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact with SPF 50 ($72 at Sephora) is the answer to your warm weather prayers.
Flaunt ‘perfect skin’ with this powerhouse product that provides light to medium coverage, superior antioxidant and sun protection, instant hydration. Best of all, it feels like nothing on the skin. This miraculous formula fills in and blurs lines and pores, brightens like nobody’s business and provides beautiful sheer, irritation-free coverage to boot. The broad spectrum SPF 50 protects you from the elements and can be easily reapplied – even over makeup – throughout the day.
Beauty Tip: I apply it with a damp beauty blender but the velvety sponge included in the compact works just as well.
3. CREAM YOUR CHEEKS AND LIPS
Perspiration and powder blush don’t mix. Ever. Instead, maintain your glow by following your liquid foundation product (no powdering required) with bright pink or coral cream blush on the apples of your cheeks. Swipe the same shade on your lips and you’re good to go! YSL Baby Doll Kiss and Blush Cheeks & Lips ($45 at Sephora) is ideal for this.
With a range of stunningly bright and subtle shades, a soft, mousse-y long-wearing formula, and sleek packaging, YSL has given cream cheek/lip hybrids an updated twist. The formula is a divine air-whipped, velvety-yet-matte mousse that won’t dry out the lips or make cheeks feel sticky.
Beauty Tip: I put 2 or 3 dots of the ultra-blendable cream on each cheek apple and use a tapping motion with my fingers to blend. For lips, paint on directly with the wand (the applicator is insanely good) and blend with your finger. Worn solo or topped with lip balm and (I swear) the colour lasts ALL DAY – even in the sun.
4. LAQUER YOUR LINE and SWEATPROOF YOUR LASHES
My hands down fave summer (and all year-round) liner is Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($26 at Sephora). This product glides on like a dream, dries in a flash and stays in place until you say when — no smudges, no feathering, no running.
Its felt-tip pen makes application practically foolproof, and the pigment is super rich and dark and stays on forever – on the beach, in the pool, wherever you are.
Beauty Tip: Complete the look with your trusty waterproof mascara (Chanel Inimitable ROCKS) and sun, here you come!
