I don't know why, but I've been putting this blog post off for some reason. I think it could be because I love the 'idea' about summer - walking in the fields, laying on the grass and generally spending more of a relaxing time outside; but when the season finally comes around, I remember why it's not my favourite season. It's hot, airless, wasps can become a menace and I generally become bitten by every mosquito in a five mile radius! Fortunately, living in England mixes it up a bit. Our weather is universally renound for being unpredictable - we see snapshots of a hot summer interspersed with flashes of lightning and heavy rainstorms. This I find quite refreshing, as it helps to blow the humidity away!
Anyway, this was supposed to be about makeup! When I think about summer makeup, I've realised that it is part of my 'idea' of summer. When it's cold outside and you're weighed down in heavy layers, the thought of wafting around in thinner clothes and enjoying the warmth of the sunshine is at it's most appealing. Wearing flip-flops, having beautifully bronzed skin, taking an iced drink outside and lounging in a hammock whilst dreamily reading a book etc.
As I was researching images for this post, my enthusiasm was building. I love the summer for it's bronzed skin and glossy hair. Glowing eyes and luscious lips. The 'no-makeup makeup' comes into its own. The desire to look healthy, tanned. To have flawless skin too. Then the practicalities come into play - the most important thing is to protect your skin, face and lips with a good SPF. There's no point thinking that you're living the healthy lifestyle if your skin is not protected from the sun's harmful rays.
Then comes the problem of having 'a lady's glow'! Any foundation, concealer or powder that you have on just slides off or goes patchy. In an ideal world, we'd all love to have perfect skin and throw away our bottles of foundation with abandon! But I suppose that the compromise is to have a lighter coverage of foundation to even out the skin and a good concealer to hide the dreaded blemishes and brighten up those eyes. The effect looks much more natural, but hides a multitude of sins!
Below are four of my ultimate
Summer-inspired looks:
Summer gives the opportunity to have a bit of fun - experimentation with a light hand can really work! Add a splash of colour, focusing either on the lips or the eyes at any one time. For example, if the thought of using colour on the eyes seems a little daunting, then why not try a coloured kohl pencil? Used on the waterline, under the eye and smudged with a brush or really go for it on the lid - there are a lot of options.
If you would like the colour to appear stronger, then using a coloured kohl pencil as a base on the lid will prolong the wear of the eye shadow that's pressed and blended on top. The pencil base will grip onto the shadow and you'll get a lot better pay-off from your shadow and appear really pigmented.
Having fun on the lips instead is great. Again, if slightly intimidated by colour, a lipgloss works really well as you get that wash of colour, but at the same time, is not as opaque as a lipstick. For the fearless, there are so many colourful lipsticks, your choice is endless. Textures are great to play with too - matte, satin, frosted or creamy...the list goes on. There are so many Highstreet brands around now that are so affordable if you're on a budget but still give high quality results and are not stingy with the pigment. We're spoilt for choice!
A matte bronzer applied correctly can give a wash of colour and look beautiful. The subtle use of highlighter can catch the light and brighten the complexion, creating such a flattering effect. I love glowing skin, as it can look not only healthy but youthful too.
Dewy skin can mimic the 'no-makeup makeup' look, as in the harsh sunlight, an overly powdered face can actually accentuate every flaw and pore.
If you've accidently added too much powder, then the Mac Fix+ Spray has certainly come to my rescue! It's not only refreshing and makes your makeup last longer, but will eradicate the cakey look and restore your skin to, well, look like skin again!
To achieve the dewy skin, cream blushers are excellent. That pop of colour combined with bronzer can make tanned skin look brighter and avoid appearing muddy.
Finding the right mascara can be a nightmare, as the market is flooded with choices. But I have personally decided to go down the 'tubing' route. This is a new technology in makeup. The formula coats each individual lash in a 'tube'. The one I use is Becca's - Ultimate Mascara. I wasn't sure about this before I tried it, but what I love about the idea is that you get the best of both worlds! Having sensitive eyes, you get the gentleness of an ordinary mascara and the water-resistant capabilities of a waterproof mascara. I found that although waterproof mascara has its advantages; you can put it on and not think about it - it's waterproof, smudge-proof and really holds a curl. But on the other hand - it's a nightmare to remove and even if you think that you've got it all off, there is always stubborn traces that cling to the lashes. The 'tubing' mascara is an excellent solution for my sensitive eyes. It is water-based, so is water-resistant, smudge-proof and sweat-proof with no transfer below the eyes or on your lids. A dream to remove too - warm water!! Gently rubbing your lashes between your fingertips with warm water and your mascara is gone! I also rely on my Bioderma, an excellent makeup remover and cleanser in one that feels as gentle on the skin as water.
So basically, to sum up; protect your skin, experiment with touches of colour,
but above all - embrace your natural beauty!
Images via my
and
