Thursday, August 4, 2011

College-Style

College-Style

Summer Beauty Products and Tips

Posted: 03 Aug 2011 11:56 AM PDT

By Megan R. of George Brown College. Follow me @meggles_07.

Summer is a time for all of us to rock our favourite sandals, dresses and summery items. It’s also a time for spur-of-the-moment beach trips and dips in the pool, which means either walking around with no make-up on, or having it run down your face to re-apply after your out of the water! No one wants to have to re-apply their make-up while your at the beach, so why not invest in some water-proof/sweat-proof make-up items? I’ll go through some of the best (in my opinion) options for water-proof make-up, and other summer beauty products along with some tips and tricks for summer beauty.

Eyes:

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My eyes are my favourite feature, and because I just got contacts I love to play them up even more, and I don’t tend to downplay them at all when I am heading out to the beach or pool. Waterproof products are my saviour, because I know that I can run into the water and not have to worry about my mascara running down my face!

Even if you don’t wear eyeshadow, eyeliner or anything else on your eyes, mascara is always something that you can swipe on quickly and effortlessly to make your eyes appear larger. It will lengthen your lashes, and open up your eyes making you look bright-eyed and ready for a day in the sun. My favourite is  Voluminous Waterproof Mascara by L’oreal, I love the brush on this wand, and I don’t find that it clumps at all, which is a problem I have had with a lot of mascaras in the past. Also, it stays where you put it! I don’t think it flakes off (which is a concern for me while wearing contacts), and it lasts the day while at the beach, pool or sweating on hot days in the city.

Eyeliner is an optional step because not everyone wants to use it. Personally, I sometimes skip the eyeliner when I head out knowing that I’m going into the water. A good liner is Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner by Stila, they have lots of colours to choose from and they stay put. If you are wearing liner to the beach, I would recommend only wearing it on the outside corners of your upper and lower lash line and smudge it slightly. If you wear it over your whole lash line it can be a little too much for the beach or pool.

Not everyone is going to need a brow pencil, gel or cream. For myself, I have very light hair naturally and for the longest time in my childhood, I could barely see my eyebrows. My sister has the same hair colour and she was convinced (at the age of 6) that she didn’t have any eyebrows at all. So for me, I like adding some colour to my brows, they define your face as well, so if you’re without make-up and toss on some brow colour, it will make you look put together. I love Brow Tech Trio by Smashbox, most brow products are pretty good about their staying abilities, and for everyday sweat, you will be fine. When it comes to swimming, picking a brow product that says waterproof on it, or has a wax that you put overtop (like the Smashbox one) will work best.

Eye Shadow is another step I skip when I’m going to the beach, I find that it can make your face look heavy and overdone. When it is done the right way, it can look very nice. Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil, is one that I like because it is a pencil as opposed to a cream or powder, therefore you can use it in place of an eyeliner and line the outer corners of your lash line to add a pop of waterproof/sweatproof colour.

Lips:

It’s always nice to have something on your lips in the summer, especially when it’s helping to protect from sunburn. Just like your face and body, you need sun protection on your lips. Products like Chapstick have some that are meant for sun care with SPF 30. Lip stains are also great for summer because they add a hint of colour, and literally stain your lips so that the colour doesn’t fade or wear off as fast. Just Bitten Lip Stain by Revlon is a great one because it comes with a balm on the other end of it to moisturize your lips after applying the lip stain.

Face/Body:

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Your face and body are the biggest concern in the summer, when it’s most likely for you to burn your skin. I tend to go without foundation during the day and just use powder on my face, and maybe spot correct some areas. Foundation and concealers are all about personal preference and skin type. Powders are easier because most can get away with a translucent powder to eliminate shine. I’m currently using a powder compact by Gosh Cosmetics and I keep it in my bag for impromptu touch-ups.

Sunscreen is also a must have for the summer, Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreen has always been a staple up at our cottage and they have recently introduced a new sunscreen that has a shimmer element mixed in, so that while you’re out at the beach or pool, you have a subtle glow, always a nice touch.

Lastly, tanning is a very popular activity, and while I don’t recommend tanning beds or laying in the sun due to the many health risks, I do like to have a summer tan. I use Jergens Natural Glow. It’s a daily moisturizer that you put on after you get out of the shower, and it gradually increases your tan without any of the harmful effects the sun can have on your skin. As a tip, make sure that you wash the PALMS of your hands well so that you don’t have streaks on your hands. I stress that you only wash the palms of your hands, because if you wash your hands after you apply the cream you will wash away all the colour that has been put on the backs of your hands. You can end up with a strange tan line at your wrist, which…well, no one wants.

Thoughts?

So what are your summer beauty tips? Do you use any of these products? Tell us what you think! Tweet me @meggles_07, or email info@college-style.com. We love to hear your thoughts!

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