Summer Makeup

Anyone can tell you I love makeup. L-O-V-E. And I like to share my love of things which is why today I want to talk about my summer makeup routine. Let's walk through a typical morning of makeup.

I find it easiest to start with my eye makeup and then doing the rest of my face. That way, if I mess up, it doesn't matter if I take it off. Or, if I get powder on the rest of my face, no biggie! I love cream shadows for summer months. They tend to be pigmented and most of all they stay in place! Two of my favorites are Make Up Forever's Aqua Cream; $23, and Mac's Paints; $18.50 (these only come in neutral colors). Both last forever. I have had my Paint for 8 years(!!). It is still over half full and it hasn't dried out.

 

I like to use just a little bit to add color on my eyelids, nothing crazy! I also put a bit of shimmer under my brow bone, any shimmery tan/light color could work, just make sure you pick the right color for your skin tone (gold vs. silver). The rest of my eye makeup I do after my face.

Summer makeup has to last through the heat, humidity, outdoor activities and everyday life. Which means you want to start with a good base - or in the makeup world, a good primer. There are plenty of fantastic primers out there, but the primer I'm going to show you is one you might not be familiar with. Ready? It's the Monistat Soothing Care Powder Gel. Weird, right? Well, the active ingredient is Dimethicone - a skin protectant. Coincidentally, it is also found in Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer which is roughly $28 more than the Monistat gel. 

Once you buy this magic in a bottle it should be the first thing you use in your makeup routine. Use a pea sized amount and spread it on your t-zone (forehead, cheeks, nose and chin) with your clean fingers or a brush.

Next, you want to use something that isn't going to be too heavy. I'm fond of tinted moisturizers. Laura Mercier makes my favorite, but it's pretty costly at $43. TheBalm makes a good tinted moisturizer for $25 if you're looking for an alternative!

Use a foundation brush (Sephora #56 is my go to for foundation) to apply it to your face. Start in the middle and work your way out, making sure you blend, blend, blend! Especially around your neck.

Next up, concealer. Nars Creamy Concealer ($28) doesn't settle into fine lines which is awesome. You want to use a small concealer brush (Sephora #57 is my favorite) and apply it in a pie shape - down your nose and to the outer corner of your eye. Where the red line is in the picture below.

You can also apply it to any other areas that need it, ie. a spot on your chin. 

After concealer top everything with a loose setting powder using a big powder brush. I like Laura Mercier's ($35), but Maybelline has a good option for under $6!

 

From there, it's the little things. Highlighter on the inside corner of my eye to make them pop:

 filling in my eyebrows:

And then curling and putting on mascara (I don't use waterproof unless I know I will be outside for a large portion of the day):

Still with me? There are only three more steps!

First, contour! Sounds scary, but it really isn't. Think of it as helping the things about your face you aren't particularly fond of. I use a very light bronzer (matte, no shimmer!) and here is where I contour (I use my #56 for the cheek area and #57 for the sides of my nose): 

Then, throw some blush on the apples of your cheeks! My favorite is Nars Blush in Amour ($29).

Lastly, highlight (I use Sephora's Lightbeam; $12) the features you want to show off! I use the #56 for around my eye and a small angled brush for my nose.

That's it (other than the lip color/gloss of your choice). I know it seems like a lot, but once you get the hang of it, it's not so terrible. It makes you look luminous, will last all day and will make your skin look flawless!

As you can tell, I'm addicted to Sephora and have built up my collection of makeup over years and years. Don't feel like you need to use the same items I use - drugstore makeup has come a long way and can be much more affordable! If you want help looking at less expensive options, let me know.

What is your summer makeup routine?