Hi, my name is Angie and I'm completely clueless when it comes to getting ready for an outdoor party or event.
Sure, I love to experiment with makeup trends -- but that doesn't mean that I've never shown up at a June barbecue wearing the exact same look I'd tried out for Valentine's Day. You'd think that the smeared eyeliner, shiny face, and visible sweat-stains at the end of the summertime party would serve as a bitter wakeup call and force my hand into adjusting my routine to accommodate the seasons. But, somehow I never fully get it and repeat the mistake more often than I'd like to admit.
So, how's a girl supposed to get ready, look cute, and have everything stay in place when the weather heats up? I looked to the pros for their best tips for a fresh, seasonal look -- and to help me re-jigger my routine for summer so that I can feel and look cool and collected no matter how hot it gets.
If you're tired of melting into a pool of your own goop, follow my lead and jump into this pool of cool knowledge, and get ready for your most glamorous summer yet.
Lightening up
Your skin changes with the seasons, so your favorite moisturiser might be too heavy once the weather warms up.
Switching your skin care seasonally, and sometimes even daily, is crucial. Hormones, diet, and especially the weather can drastically change the skin's moisture levels from day to day.
In addition to an increased risk of breakouts, I'd like to point out that a moisturiser that's too heavy can cause foundation to slide right off in hotter months, when our skin produces more oil.
The least-complicated way to go is to use a tinted moisturiser with sunscreen that's appropriate for your skin type: It's perfect for that casual summer look. It feels lightweight, looks natural and if needed, you can always apply a spot concealer on any blemishes and under the eyes.
Apply hydrating products within a few minutes after washing and towel drying your skin, as moisturisers trap water, they don't add it.
If you have oily skin, you might be tempted to skip the hydration step, especially in warmer months. Avoid that temptation.
The second that skin senses it's too dry, sebum-producing glands kick into overdrive and produce more oil.
Look for a water-based, oil-free moisturiser. An even better bet is one that's oil-controlling. These products control shine, absorb excess oil, and act as a primer. With oilier skin, less is more, as too many products on the face can feel greasy. Products that do double, even triple duty, can avoid buildup.
(Try
Olay Definity Color Recapture, £7.65, or
Olay Complete Touch of Sun Daily UV Facial Moisturiser, £12.75.)
The scents of summer
Think of the scents that summer's warmer weather elicits; barbecues, ocean air, blooming flowers, and unfortunately, body odour.
Your skin's glands that are responsible for body odour are called apocrine glands. These glands open into the same pores that your oil glands do, and they're located in the hairy areas of your armpits, groin, and scalp. They secrete a fatty material that gets broken down by skin bacteria that cause odour.
Stress is one of the main triggers that cause these glands to secrete their fatty material and make you stink. And what can cause more stress on a hot day, when you're wearing a flimsy, adorable summer frock? Worrying that you're emitting a foul odour.
Antiperspirants work by blocking both the sweat and apocrine glands so that they can't secrete out of the skin.
If you're hesitant to use aluminum-based antiperspirants, you can try deodorants, which attempt to fight odour but do nothing for wetness. Or try powdered cornstarch, which might absorb some moisture.
(Try
Mitchum Advanced Control Powder Fresh, £3.20)
Your sun-protection factor
Sunscreen formulas have come a long way, but many of us still fear that one with a decent level of protection will feel too heavy and make our faces look and feel greasy. But sun protection is so important for your health
and anti-aging efforts that it's worth the time and money to keep looking until you find one you love.
I recommend mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide for the best sun protection. And they should be applied last, after all therapeutic products, such as moisturisers.
You can skip sunscreen as a separate step as long as your moisturiser has an SPF of 30 or higher. It cuts out a part of your possibly already complex routine, and some of the newer products are quite elegant, cosmetically. And they definitely work -- as long as you've put enough on.
Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before sun exposure, and be sure to use 1/4 to 1/3 of a teaspoonful to ensure enough coverage so that you're really getting the protection level that's on the label. (Try
Olay Complete Care Multi Radiance Moisturiser, £7.99.)
I use an SPF 35 that provides both UVA and UVB protection. You can find one that's oil-free, which can help keep shine at bay.
You can apply this in lotion form after your moisturiser, and before you apply your foundation and powder. The disadvantage of a lotion sunscreen is the necessary wait for it to absorb before you apply your makeup. If you rush this, you can end up with a streaky, white film that causes your foundation to pile up.
If you're in a hurry and can't wait for sunscreen to absorb, try a spray sunscreen over foundation and even powder.
Hydration to banish shine
No,matter what the time of year, you don't want to look oily. But the experts advise against getting overzealous when it comes to combating shine.
Too frequent touch-ups and heavy powders can emphasize textured skin and fine line. And nothing looks more overdone in warm weather than a woman at the beach, a barbeque, or the pool with a full face of perfectly matte makeup.
You want your skin to glow and look like skin, not makeup: A dewy look is popular this year. It's much more youthful and pretty.
Besides, if you want to cut down on the amount of oil your skin produces, keep it moist.
It might sound counterintuitive to spritz moisture on your face to keep it from getting oily, but adding hydration cuts shine. Skin produces more oil when it's heated, so the cooler you can keep it, the less oil it'll produce.
For drier skin types that get a little shiny by mid-afternoon, an alcohol free toner kept in a spritzing bottle works well for refreshing. You can buy the bottles at any drugstore for around £2. For a bit more money, many lines offer hydrating setting sprays that contain soothing and refreshing ingredients, such as aloe vera and cucumber.
Your (un)beach tote
In addition to a refreshing hydrating or toning spritz, I'd recommend tossing some oil-blotting papers into your summer bag.
I tend to carry standard beach bag items every day in warmer months, and blotting papers are a must.
If you don't feel like blotting papers are strong enough to banish your shine, brush on some translucent or photo-op powder: It'll add just enough pigment for coverage without adding a cakey, thick layer.
Another item in my bag: multitasking color sticks that can add a bright pop to eyelids, lips, or cheeks.
Color wash
It's a guideline to follow all year round, but particularly in summer: If you go bright with one feature, lighten your look on other parts of your face.
Light, bright lips in neons and pastels are hot. It's an easy way to achieve a fresh pop of color. They look modern and fun paired with a nude, natural eye.
Shimmery, sheer bronzes and golds are flattering eyeshadow tones for nearly everyone, and they work well with neon pink, orange, or purple elsewhere on your face.
Another super easy way to wake up your look is tinted moisturising balm.
They're quick and feel amazing on the chapped, sun-scorched lips we seem to all have in summer. Plus, many have juicy, shiny, sheer colors with the added benefit of SPF.
Summer eyes
Here's a tricky one: How to achieve that smudgy look I love for my eyes without it disappearing or looking smeary and insane after a of couple hours.
There are so many new products that offer long-wear and staying power for the eyes. Waterproof eye pencils are easy to work with, and before they set, they're easy to smudge to give a soft look.
Another favorite of mine is gel eyeliner. They are so much easier to apply than liquid and much more resilient. The only downfall to both of these products is that they set in about 30 seconds, so you have to work quickly. Once they're on, they're on!
A less daunting trick for staying power is to use powder eyeshadow over a regular pencil. The powder will seal the liner and keep the waxes in your eyeliner from smudging and melting.
Waterproof or water-resistant mascaras can also help you avoid the "raccoon" look, and many come off easily with just soap and water.
Also especially great for summer: cream shadows. They're extremely easy to apply, long-lasting, and don't crease or smear like the cream eyeshadow formulas of the past. And you can also use them as a base and apply powder eyeshadow on top to help it last.
Although you generally want to use a lighter, softer hand when creating a summer makeup look, there's one step you'd be remiss in skipping. If you're going to forgo anything, don't forgo primer. Applying primer under colors helps them wear a lot longer.
A rule to ignore
How many times have you heard/read that you should never wear a warm, peachy orange on your lips unless you want your teeth to look more yellow? According to those in the know, that old adage is no reason to shun Pantone's color of the season.
Much like there's a perfect red out there for everyone, there's a perfect, flattering coral as well. Coral and tangerine are the most daunting colors to wear right now, but they add warmth to every skin tone.
There are so many variations of red and orange, even ones with bluer, more pink bases, that coral won't necessarily make teeth look more yellow.
I WILL be trying coral this season. No doubt.
xoxo,
Angelique
