Beauty & The Heat

Now that summer is officially here it doesn't mean your makeup has to melt under the sun. Winter and summer products are made for the elements under which you will be wearing them, so if you are still using your winter makeup and creams, now is the time to switch your regimen. Allow your beauty products to really work their true potential by using the right ones for your skin type, and time of year, so that also means switching your makeup for summer too.

Winter brings dry, dull and lack-luster skin, while spring is about re-newing and freshness. Summer is all about showing off your skin, so protecting it and making sure it looks beautiful is your goal this season. Start with a light weight moisturizer and put away your heavy winter cream. Exfoliate your face twice weekly with a soft face wash that is meant to remove the dull surface layer. Using sunscreen is also important, so be sure to use one that is meant for the face and your current skin condition. Avoid breakouts by washing face twice daily and using oil free products.

Your next purchase should be a light-weight foundation that is more of a tinted moisturizer than a heavy foundation formula. When using foundation always remember to not use it as a way to color your skin (like a tan) but to even out your skin, and it never should be a shade or two darker. This mistake is the most common error women make when picking out foundation, so be sure to match your skin correctly or you will have that dreaded two-tone face and neck color. If you have blemishes to cover and think you need a heavy foundation...think again. You can spot conceal your problem areas with concealer once you've applied your new summer foundation (concealer OVER foundation, not under...and use a makeup brush). A sheer makeup look is what you want, not a makeup shell.

The look of a sun-kissed face can be recreated with a bronzer and peach-toned blushes if you are staying out of the sun, but only apply to the areas of the face where the sun would actually "kiss" it (your forehead, down bridge of nose, apples of cheeks and chin). Bronzer is not meant for all over application like a face powder since it's only meant to highlight and not provide overall color. When you use the proper products for your skin type and for the right time of year, you can achieve a beautiful summer face without it melting, fading or wearing off.

Long-wear Lipstick: Friend or Foe?

I absolutely LOVE long-wear lipsticks (a.k.a. “lip stains”) because the extended wear cannot be beat and is perfect for anyone who always needs to reapply regular lipstick throughout the day because you've managed to lick, bite or eat it off. Anyone who has worn a lip stain however can attest that even though you get lasting color, the sometimes undesirable dry feeling on your lips can drive you crazy. So, do the benefits outweigh that side effect? YES, if you prep your lips properly to get the best application and use a lip stain that comes with a moisturizing topcoat. That topcoat (usually a clear gloss) will be your new best friend.

A word to those of you who might be trying this for the first time though: Exfoliate your lips to the point where you buff, brush and soften your lips to eliminate any and all existing dry skin that’s there (or could potentially be there) before you apply color. Dry lips and lip stains are a disaster to look at, so keep your lips looking lush and soft by prepping them first. Removing the lip stain can be a bit tedious as well, but nothing that baby oil can't fix.

Aside from the beautiful, long lasting color for 8-12 hours, there is no more smeared, bleeding or feathering going on, AND your lips will never look better with all that exfoliating you’ll be doing. For me, the best part about long-wear lipstick is that the color you see in the tube IS the actual color you get on your lips, so no more guess work or disappointment. How awesome is that?