5 Summer Beauty Must Haves

5 Summer Beauty Must Haves

My friend and makeup artist, Kelli (find her on Instagram @kellizbrooks) is taking over the blog today. She’s giving us the scoop on staying pretty this summer.

When it comes to summer, less is more, especially when it comes to makeup. Plus who wants to spend a ton of time on makeup when you’d rather be out soaking up some sun (in moderation with SPF of course) and doing fun outdoor activities. As a professional makeup artist for the past 11 years I love basic beauty products that can make you look and feel polished with minimal steps and shortcuts.

1. Sun protection: I don’t think I can stress this enough, sunscreen is of upmost importance. It comes to mind for most during summer, when we are more likely to be exposed for longer periods of time, but this should be part of everyone’s beauty regimen daily. Broad Spectrum is a great route for anyone. This means that it protects from sun damage that causes aging, as well as the rays that are more harmful that can cause skin cancer.

*Great brands for sun protection: Neutrogena in both sprays and lotion all the way up to SPF 100 and Coola organic and mineral sunscreens, great for those with sensitive skin that may even be allergic to chemical sunscreen.

2. BB cream or tinted moisturizer: These are great all in one products for those who want to even out the skin tone and take care of the skin. Most have a lightweight feel, and are soothing to those to have redness in the cheeks or even as extreme as rosacea. Some even have added SPF for extra sun protection!

*Too Faced Cosmetics makes a great BB cream, the Tinted Beauty Balm with SPF 20. It comes in five colors with a hydrating formula for a luminous finish.

3. Concealer/illuminator: now as great as it would be to have a BB cream solve all of your skin problems and hide any imperfections, sometimes it’s just not the case, I always love to have a concealer or under eye illuminator for added coverage and healthy looking under eyes. Depending on your eye area some prefer more coverage than others. It’s good to remember that heavy concealer can more often than not, if applied incorrectly can make the under eye look worse. Using your ring finger for application or blending can help make the coverage look more natural. I’m personally a fan of both methods and keep both types of products on hand at all times.

*Different strokes for different folks- for those of you looking for concealer that provides the security of coverage, check out Benefit Cosmetics ‘Erase Paste’ or YSL ‘Touché Éclat’ if you’re taking the illumination route.

3. Bronzer: all skin tones can benefit from wearing a bronzer. More golden bronzer with a shimmer can help to give a glow to the skin. Or you can use a more matte textured bronzer to give the face more dimension and definition through the art of contouring. I always teach people about bronzer because it can be a scary product to try if your fairer skin, or you’re afraid of appearing orange. A bronzer should be one to three shades darker than the skin. Also, rather than using a large dome powder brush to apply bronzer all over the face, use a smaller brush like a blush brush to dust from the hairline along the forehead to the temples, under the cheekbone and along the jaw line. (It’s like drawing an E and 3 shape along the face)

*Colour Pop Cosmetics is a great line with highly pigment products. They have recently released a few new bronzers and at $8 a piece, they are worth checking out. Otherwise Hoola by Benefit Cosmetics is a great classic matte bronzer.

4. Tinted lip balm: since the rest of these summer looks promote healthy looking skin, lips should be no exception. Moisturized lips are a must. I always keep a lip balm accessible. I love balms that have a little tint so I can care and color. Plus if you’re in the habit of reapplying to keep the lips hydrated you’re always sure to have a polished pout.

*When it comes to lips I have a few favorites. My top pick is Maybelline ‘Baby Lips’ which come clear, medicated, bright and soft tints. My second favorite is the L’oreal Cosmetics ‘Colour Riche Balm’ which also come I’m a variety of tints. Both of these lip balms are easy to find in your local drug store or ULTA.

5. Waterproof Mascara: when summer comes around I love to have both regular and waterproof formulas of mascara on hand. This is a great way to define your eyes, but keep your over all look simple and low maintenance. You never know when you might want to go for an impromptu dip in the pool, or for a run through the sprinkler with the kids, and the last thing you want is to worry about mascara smudging or running down your face. This is a great product to put your worried aside and look fabulous while doing it.

*Most of you probably have your favorite go to mascara and they probably make it in a waterproof, but just in case you’re up for something new try one of my favorite waterproof mascaras, ‘Haute & Naughty’ by MAC Cosmetics. This mascara has two brushes for full, defined lashes.

These are great summer makeup basics to add to your makeup routine. Have fun incorporating a few of these to your current regimen or add a few of your own beauty staples to these five steps to customize this summer look and make it your own.

For more makeup tips like this, as well as product and brand reviews find me on Instagram @kellizbrooks