Spring and Summer Makeup Routine

Now that warmer weather is upon us no one wants to be weighed down by a caked on full face of make-up. Put together thick foundation, chalky powder and some sweat into the mix makes for one big mess, not to mention the break outs that will tag along with it. While ditching your coats and boots this season, let’s ditch the cake face as well. There are ways to achieve a more even completion, glowing skin, and even just a polished face without all the layers.

In my spring make-up routine, I start out by using a tinted moisturizer. Me personally, I tend to have pretty clear skin, but I do have some redness I like to cover up. A tinted moisturizer does the trick. Although these products may not give as much full coverage, they are a lot more light weight and in most cases, a better alternative during the spring/summer months for any skin type. I was using the Bare Minerals “Completion Rescue,” which is a Hydrating Gel (same concept as a tinted moisturizer) that I picked up at ULTA. However, since I’ve been tanning I needed a slightly darker foundation to provide a better match, and in Walmart I found the Almay Smart Shade™ skintone matching makeup and it works wonders. The product itself is in a tube and when you dispense it, it has a lotion consistency and even is a white color. However, as you apply it the flesh tone color begins to show and you get more of a foundation effect. Although because of the thin lotion like texture, it is quick and easy to apply. You could use both your hand or a utensil to do so, however I feel it works better and is faster with just using your hands to do the application. It makes for an effortless and speedy routine.

Once my Foundation is applied, I like to go in and add highlight. For those of you unfamiliar with highlighter, I’m not talking about the kind you use to annotate. Highlighting is adding a lighter or illuminating color to areas of your face to accentuate your features, especially the high points like the bridge of your nose or cheekbones. Adding any kind of highlighter to your face will give more or a dewy glow to your skin. There is powder highlight such as Powder Palette® Mineral Glow Pearls by Physicians Formula, or a liquid form of highlight like the Luminous Drops by Sephora. I own the drops by Sephora and use it on a regular basis, mixed with a little face primer oil just to give it a thinner consistency. I apply this to mainly my cheek bone area and under my brow. If I want a little extra glow I will even occasionally apply a powder highlight on top. But just a little highlight for these spring/summer months will go a long way when switching up your make-up routine giving you that little pop of sparkle on your skin without being too over bearing.

Another thing I like to do when warmer weather hits, and I finally start getting some color to my skin, is to add a little bronzer. Just like the rest of these products this step is optional, however I do recommend it to add a little color to your face. As of now I use a Bareminerals brand that I’ve had for a while, but I’m sure through out the summer I will be trying to switch things up, since I don’t really care for the red tint this product has. You just have to make sure in purchasing or trying a new bronzer that you get a shade that fits well with your skin. Apply this to your lower cheekbone area and your temples.

A few final steps that are pretty self-explanatory are mascara and a lip color. My personal favorite mascara is by TooFaced, you can find this brand at any local ULTA or Sephora, however there are many drugstore brands that work just as well. As for a lip color whether you want to use a stain, stick, or gloss: any of these will polish your look and beautify your smile.

Other tips and suggestions to amp up your face routine:

•  Adding a blush to your cheeks will give you a more flushed appearance and add a rosiness to the

apples of your cheeks.

• If you want to further exaggerate your eye, look for the day, add a winged eyeliner or neutral

toned shadow to your lid.

•  A fleshed tone or white eyeliner on the water line or inner corner will open up the eyes and

make them appear bigger.

• When applying lip products, use two of the same color but one darker and one lighter shade and

apply the darker shade to the center/inner area of the lips, this will create an ombre effect.

• When trying to accentuate the face but also stick to lighter application, completely skip the

contouring effect and work with the bronzer and highlighter to do the trick.

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• In case of wanting to ensure your make up application will last throughout the day, finish off

with a setting powder or setting spray.