The Summer Makeup Bag
Summertime makeup is my favourite, without a doubt. The emphasis on glowing skin, minimal products and the golden hues all compliment the effortless look we want to achieve, whilst actually having an effort-less routine that allows us to soak up the gorgeous weather. Quick to apply, long lasting in the heat and a way to enhance your natural look, to me that is everything that a summer makeup look should include. So this summer I have paired back the skin, focused on adding some subtle structure to my face and let the lashes do the talking.
Starting with base, something lightweight is a total must and even if you usually opt for a full coverage foundation swapping it out for a lighter foundation and then targeting a high coverage concealer where you need it can be so much more comfortable and leave you with a more natural finish. The Ordinary Serum Foundation has been my go-to since it landed in my post box. 1.2N is my perfect match and the thin liquid blends easily into the skin. Blending in roughly with fingers and then going over with a buffing brush has seemed to work best for me, give it a minute and suddenly it's sunk in and your skin just looks as though it has been filtered with a hint of radiance and fewer imperfections. Concealer is a must for dark circles the much-loved Maybellie Instant Eye Eraser in Light has the perfect mix of a comfortable and light formula but still having a good level of medium-buildable coverage. Pressed into the skin with a damp complexion sponge, this is the perfect summer concealer (and they have now extended their shade range too).
In this heat blush gets pushed to the side and highlighter certainly isn't needed when it's 30 degrees outside so instead a cream bronzer is a brilliant way to add some definition to your face and a little colour to your cheeks quickly. The L'Oréal Paris Cushion du Soleil as a gorgeous matte, rish texture that is best applied with a brush and then gently buffed into the cheeks. Although it's a matte formula with no shimmer it does give an added boost of radiance to the cheeks and leaves you with that perfect "sunkissed" look. It's compact so perfect for travel & wont smash when you throw it in your holiday makeup bag.
Generally in the summer I play down the eyes, the focus for the brows is all about shape rather than the shade of them, with thin & precise pencils like the Maybelline Precisely My Brow being perfect to fill in any gaps. For eyeshadow a quick wash of any warm neutral such as MAC Soba helps to give a little more definition to the eye socket but without the need to spend ages blending only for everything to crease in the warm weather. Alternatively I take a little of my current powder bronzer (Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer) on a very fluffy eye brush and take this through the socket line. A slightly darker shade run just across the last line and then comes the lashings of mascara. Curling my lashes is always an essential step and really does make the world of difference to make your lashes look longer and open your eyes wider. High street mascara's are my weakness but if you're someone who prefers to splash out a little on mascara I have been enjoying the Lancome Hypnose Mascara recently. Once the excess product is removed this gives really separated and lengthened lashes. It takes a little while to build up the volume that I like however when it's on it lasts all day long, with no smudging or flaking.
To keep everything in place throughout the warmer days a quick brush of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder goes across my nose, under eyes and forehead. Unlike so many powders it doesn't feel heavy on the skin, doesn't look cakey alongside base products and doesn't totally matify the look. For a long day at work a spritz of the Urban Decay De Slick Setting Spray helps to lock everything in for a good 12 hours.
