Summer Makeup Tips

Maybe your foundation looks super slimy or maybe it looks too dry, your eye shadow turns into greasy pools in the creases of your eyelids, nothing stays where its supposed to, and you look nothing like the fresh faced models in the magazines?

Photo by Brad Olson for Luca Magazine.
Makeup by Corinna Cooke

The picture I have used here is from my Summer Beauty editorial for Luca Magazine. There are definitely tricks to looking fabulous in the summer, so I am sharing some of my favorite ones with you.

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Here are 6 Summer Makeup Tips

1. Less is absolutely more in the summer.

The biggest mistake you can make is piling on too much makeup. Summer is all about looking fresh faced and healthy, which doesn’t work when you’re wearing mask-like makeup.
Aim for a gorgeous complexion. Start with a lighter weight moisturizer, next apply a dry finish facial SPF, and finally a really good primer to even out the texture of your skin.
If you need some help evening out your color, opt for a BB cream rather than a foundation.

2. Down play your eyes.

Big smokey, bold eye makeup looks stupid in the summer time. Choose a lighter, more nude look, and accent it with loads of mascara. To avoid smudgy mascara use a water resistant formula, and only ever use waterproof mascara if you’re planning on swimming or sobbing – waterproofs are so damaging to your lashes and can be difficult to remove.

3. Go easy on the bronzer.

Find a formulation that works with both your skin and your climate (pressed powder/cream/liquid), and then apply it where the sun would kiss your face if you were out and about all afternoon.
Bronzer does not take the place of blush, and regardless of what the you tubers tell you, it is not for contouring with.
Don’t make the mistake of trying to color your face in with bronzer – you will look muddy, not tanned. My favorite bronzer for the past few years has been Stila’s Aqua Glow Perfecting Bronzer. It’s a gel formulation that you can use to warm up a foundation (I cheat my way into fall…) or you can use it before or after foundation. I like wearing it on it’s own without foundation too. I never find it in stores, so I order it online. I have one in my pro makeup kit, one in my personal makeup stash, and one in my travel makeup kit.

4. Accent your brows.

Use your brows to add a little structure and polish to your look.
Without going overboard, (as in don’t do the brows you see all over Instagram) give your brows a little definition and a hint of color with a waterproof/water resistant brow product. It will frame your eyes and keep your look nicely balanced.


5. Focus on the lip.

Add a pop of color to your look with a bright summer lip. If your overall look is glowy try wearing a bold matte lip. If your skin is looking a little dry, liven your look up with a fun colorful gloss. For a bright, warm pink try Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Electric Poppy


6. A little highlight goes a long way.

If you are transitioning from day to night, or if your look feels a little flat, adding a tiny amount of highlight to your upper cheek bones, under the eye if your eyes look tired, maybe a hint to the bridge of your nose if you need it, can lighten and brighten your complexion.
Just don’t overdo it. There’s a big difference between brightening your look and making yourself look glittery-shiny. My favorite highlighter is Charlotte Tilbury’s Bar Of Gold. You can use it to add dimension to eyes, lips, cheeks. It has warmth and glows instead of sparkles. It’s fabulous.