Summer Makeup Tips

To amplify your glow, first apply a moisturizer with SPF (VERY important in those summer months; even if you don't burn visibly, you'll still be doing damage to your skin in the long run if you don't protect it now).You can even use a shimmery moisturizer with just a hint of color to make your skin look dewy right off the bat.Apply light concealer in the areas that need it, if any (there are some shimmery concealers out there you can use to effectively hide undereye circles and match your pseudo-foundation).

You can use your choice of blush""from bright pink cream to extra powder bronzer on your cheeks.The key here is to look natural, like you just came from the beach.If you're using the pink color your cheeks turn when you work out, smile and apply to the apples of your cheeks (cream or liquid looks most natural, but if you have oily skin, powder blush is fine).Brush or blend upwards to your temples to avoid harsh lines.If you're using bronzer, you have two options.You can brush just along the tops of your cheekbones and across the bridge of your nose, or you can brush underneath your cheek bones for a contouring effect, apply a lighter, pinker color to your cheekbones, and then smooth a highlighting cream right above the cheekbones and up toward the temples.Powder bronzer is the most versatile, but there are cream and liquid bronzers available.You can even apply extra bronzer to the tops of your shoulders for an extra sun-kissed look.

For night, you can replace the bronzer with a gold shimmer powder or highlighting cream.Use this as a highlighter above your cheekbones, on your shoulders, and between your breasts to create the appearance of extra cleavage (it really does work!).Golden shimmer looks great everywhere on top of a nice tan""you can even put it on your shins when you're wearing a knee-length skirt for extra appeal.

For eyes, keep the eyeliner to a minimum.Try a brown or black, dotted between the lashes and blended together with a Q-tip. Use a shimmery taupe, gold, or pinky-nude shadow on upper lids only.You can use a single color or blend more than one, depending on the look you're going for.If you're looking for a more contoured eyeshadow look, try a nude all over the lid, a shimmery beige or cream highlighter, and a medium brown in the crease.Follow with a swipe of mascara (black, brown, or blackish brown""whichever you're most comfortable wearing.I prefer black, even in summer months).

Finish by applying lipgloss or tinted chapstick.Sheer nudes, pinks, and lavenders complement summer tans well and don't overpower the face.They give a polished look to a natural face, blending well with the I'm-not-wearing-any-makeup look.People will think you rolled out of bed looking this gorgeous!

P.S.If you feel naked without your nails done, try a Do It Yourself French manicure set.They're sold everywhere, and they're fun to try!They take time to perfect, but it's so much cheaper to do your own nails than to pay someone in a salon.More money for you to buy bikinis, shorts, and rhinestone studded flip-flops!One more option is using a metallic gold or bronze, a glossy nude/pink, or even white, all over your nails.You can mix the options up, doing a French manicure on your fingernails, and a bronze on your toenails.

The key to summer makeup is never to look overdone.Keep your skin bronze, not red, by applying sunless tanner and SPF.Flaky, peeling skin is never in style, no matter what the season.Wear colors that play up your natural (or sunless tanned) color; accent your skin with shimmer on the eyes, cheeks, and lips.