Summer Glow

Looking Great Despite the Heat

It’s time for the pools to open, which can only mean one thing: summer! Summer means picnics, swimming, summer camp, and bonfires. It also means it’s time to hit the drugstore and find your perfect summer shades. Summer make-up is meant to be fun and easy. Why spend hours inside getting ready when you could be having fun in the sun?

Sunscreen is the most important thing you can do for your skin. The more you use sunscreen now, the better you will look ten or twenty years from now. Do you want to be one of those girls in their thirties who people look at and think, “She looks so young! Her skin is so smooth—there is no way she’s thirty-five!” or do you want them to think, “Wow, she spent way too much time in the tanning booth. Do you see those wrinkles?”

The next thing to consider is your foundation. If you choose to wear foundation, keep in mind the shade you have at the beginning of summer may not work in six weeks if you plan on spending time in the sun. Look for something light, like a powder that isn’t oil-based, so it won’t separate. If you cake your face with too much foundation you may find it streaks off when you sweat, which is a look no one wants. However, I suggest skipping the foundation altogether. Instead, go for a tinted moisturizer. It gives your face a little color, and evens out your skin tone while serving as a moisturizer, and you can’t beat how light it feels in the summer heat. Of course, find one that includes an SPF of at least 15 (SPF 30 is better). I also suggest skipping the blush. Let the outdoors provide you with a nice healthy glow or use a bronzing powder to give you a sun-kissed look.

Summer is a very critical time to treat your skin nicely. Wash your face every morning and night and also if you’ve been outside sweating. It’s also important to use a moisturizer, since the sun can dry out your skin. Try to find one that isn’t too heavy, like Dove moisturizer with SPF 15. Heavier crèmes are okay for nighttime, but be careful if you have oily skin, because it can clog your pores.

Summer = shimmer: use it in your eye shadow or your blush—the summer sun will really set it off. Light tones of pink are best for fair skin, and bronzed tones are better for tan or dark tones. But don’t stick to pink the whole time; summer is all about fun, so try bright colors like turquoise or purple. For daytime keep it light; in the evenings you can go with a little more color. Just don’t wear shimmer in all your make-up, or you’ll look like you were attacked by glitter.

Skip the lipstick. Lip gloss in all shades can be fun for summer—but be careful where you leave your tube. The hot summer sun plus lip gloss in your car equals a mess. Chap stick will melt, too, so make sure you take it inside.

When outside, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun. To avoid white raccoon eyes, though, apply sunscreen every two hours to your face and entire body. Make sure to keep lots of water around, and have fun in the sun!

My Favorite Products

These pictures and prices are from Walgreens.com but the products can be found at almost any drug or grocery store.

CoverGirl Queen Collection Eyeshadow Single, $2.99