Yesterday afternoon a good fashionista friend of mine had a Facebook status that read, "A woman’s best accessory is her smile". I was really feeling that status, because so many ladies feel like they have to pile on the accessories, the make-up, the shoes, etc. in order to be accessorized to the max and clearly that's not the case. The summer is here and no one really has time to primp and prep in the smoldering heat, so ladies, when it comes to summer time make up, ten minutes will usually do the trick if you follow these simple steps. Step 1: Prepare you skin. Your skin is the canvas for your make-up, so you want to make sure you take a moment to clean, tone, and hydrate. Since the sun is out in full effect, it’s important to use a moisturizer that has some sort of sun protection.
Step 2: If you’re going to be out of the house all day, make sure you use a pre-foundation or primer to make your look last all day long.
Step 3: Apply a concealer. Do not apply too much concealer or else it will appear caked on. Also, make sure your concealer is the correct color for your skin tone.
Step 4: Continue with the foundation. Remember, it’s the summer time and you don’t need as much coverage. You can use a light coverage foundation or you can simply wet your make-up sponge with water and apply your normal foundation. Remember to only put foundation in the areas that need it most.
Step 5: Apply loose powder to seal your foundation. Do not apply too much loose powder, remember we’re going for an effortless, light summer look.
Step 6: This is perhaps the most important step to achieving the ten minute summer time make-up look, applying the bronzer. When applying the bronzer you want to put just enough in the areas that tan naturally. The areas of the face that tan naturally are the forehead, nose, and cheekbones. I personally like to use matte bronzers, but any bronzer will do. My favorite bronzers are Nicka, which can be found at your local beauty supply for less than 5 dollars or if you’re feeling splurging, try any MAC bronzer.
Step 7: After you’ve applied the bronzer you want to focus on the eyes by simply sweeping a golden colored eyeshadow across the upper lid. A cream shadow may be used, but if you have oily skin a matte color may be best for you. When applying the gold eyeshadow to the upper lid, be sure to focus on the tear duct area. Focusing on the tear duct area will give your eyes a more intense look.
Step 8: After you’ve applied the gold eyeshadow use a brown eyeliner on the upper and lower lash line. Once the liner has been applied, blend it with an eyeliner brush for a smudged, smoky look.
Step 9: Apply a double layer of mascara. Don’t forget to let the mascara dry in between coats, because clumping is a no-no.
Step 10: On the cheeks use two rouge color blushes. The first color you’ll want to use is an earth colored rouge and the second color you’ll want to use is more pink colored rouge. The earth colored rouge should be used to highlight your cheek bones and the pink colored rouge should be used in the middle area of your cheek.
Step 11: The last step is the lips. To finish off the lips you can go for a clear colored gloss or a gloss with a hint of color, it’s your choice. I personally like to use a nude colored gloss to finish this look.
While it seems like there are a lot of steps to complete this ten minute look. Once you do it again and again and again you’ll see it’s a cinch!
Ciao!
