Helloooo! :]
So it shouldn't be a big secret to you, that Summer make-up is really different from the one you wear during fall, winter or spring. During cold months you can experiment with your make-up as much as you want, not being afraid of it melting down because of high temperatures. Your face throughout June, July and August should look fresh and natural. My biggest advice is: try not to use a lot of stuff [like foundation base-concealer-foundation-powder-bronzer etc.], because, first of all, you don't want to look like you're wearing a mask, and, secondly, you want to be confident about your make-up. High temperatures will obviously make you sweat [a little, but still yucky, i know, right] so your make-up will melt down and look terrible.
You may also want your make-up to be waterproof. Summer is usually about swimming, and it doesn't matter if you're swimming in the ocean or in the pool - you still need to look gorgeous. And, of course, don't forget about SPF. You need to protect your Skin and lips from sunlight, so you might wanna buy products that'll help you out with that.
Last but not least, keep in mind that your face during the summer should be cleaner than ever!! You don't want any dirt in the pores, so this point is really important. Let your skin "breath".
Well, let's get down to products I use. During the summer I usually don't use foundation and all other stuff like that. My skin is pretty much alright, so I don't have to use concealer too. However, I have troubles getting tanned, my skin is usually pale, so I have to use bronzer. I chose this one:
Photo: Whatasparkle courtesy.
Bronzing powder by MAC is a must in my summer make-up bag. According to MAC's official web-site it costs $22.00. I bought the one in "Golden" color, which is the lightest [told you, my skin is really pale so I don't want to make my face look darker than the rest of the body]. To apply this I use the biggest brush from a brush set, that I got a while ago. I got it from Coastal Scents and here is what it looks like:
Photo: Coastal Scents coursety. The brush I use is in the center. This set is in stock and costs $16.95 which is a pretty good deal for people who are just starting working with the make-up.
So dab this brush into the bronzer and then [don't forget this step] TAP OFF ALL THE EXCESS. I usually apply it under the cheeckbones, on my forehead, chin and nose. Also, don't forget jawline and the area near your hair, because this is something people usually forget. This powder has a pretty light texture, but, still, don't overdo it. Wearing a mask isn't such a good idea for a flirty summer ;] Also, remember, bronzing powder doesn't protect you from the sunlight [doesn't have SPF] so you might wanna use some sunprotecting product under this powder.
Next, eyes. As I said, you should use waterproof products. I use Chanel Inimitable in black. You can tell it's waterproof, because it has this golden line on it. This is what it looks like:
Photo Courtesy: Whatasparkle.
According to Chanel's official website it costs $30.00 and the best thing about it is that it is not only waterproof, it also has all the features best mascaras have - it make your eyelashes longer, it curles and separates them, giving them volume. I think, you can get it in 2 more colors, but I always use black mascaras to give my lashes that nice even dark color. So this one is the best. I went swimming few days ago and, be sure, this mascara won't come off your pretty eyelashes ;]
When it comes to evening or night, I want to define my eyes and bring them out. To do this I use Eye Pencil. Here, I am not really creative too - I use black waterproof Bourjois eye pencil. I am not sure you can find it somewhere in the U.S., but I want to give you a general idea about how good is it to have black waterproof eye pencil.
Photo courtesy: Whatasparkle.
This is what mine looks like. So what are the pros of whaterproof black eye pencil? First of all, it won't sweat off in summer's heat and won't wash off in the ocean or pool. Secondly, it gives you a huge freedom in make-up. You can line your upper lash line to get that business-lady look. Add some eye-liner on your water line to get that clubbing look to go out on Friday/Saturday night. Smudge it a little to get a smokey-eyes effect. So this product is a must in your make-up case.
Now let's get down to your lips ;] as I wrote in my previous post [sweet lips for sweet girls] smooth and soft kissable lips are the must for any girl. To make them look even more attractive you [of course!] need a nice lipgloss. As I mention earlier, try to get one with SPF, because skin on your lips is really thin and you need to protect it from any "sun damages".
I want to introduce you to Bigelow lipglosses. They are SOOO amazing, seriously! You can get one in Bath&Body Works, and I highly recommend you to do so. Here's the web-site for you to check out these lipglosses: http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2128726
They cost around $7.50, but as I remember I got 2 for $5 or something like this. I'm running out of the second one, which is Mentha Lip Tint:
It tastes pretty amazing and it smells great too; it's really minty, you know? It moistures your lips, and... ahhh I can't express all my emotions about this :] I always want to eat it off my lips!
Though this one doesn't have an SPF in it, it is worth buying. But if you are really about protecting your lips [which is good], try this:
It's SPF 15, which is great, and I'm also pretty sure it tastes and smells amazing [just like all Bigelow glosses do ;]].
When it comes to cleaning your skin and moisturizing it, I can't recommend you certain products, because I don't know your skin type obviously ;] But what I do is I use face scrub 3 times a week, lip scrub every other day, eye make-up remover every evening [since I use waterproof cosmetics], and also daily wash my face with Clean&Clear stuff. So nothing special about it ;]
So that's pretty much all I use for my summer make-up. Told you, you don't need a lot to look gorgeous throughout these sunny summer months.
Stay tuned for more updates :]
Jane.
