Get a-glow

I love having a tan, whether it comes from lying in the direct rays (with SPF, of course) or applying the faux glow from a bottle. Life just seems to improve with an allover sun-kissed glow: Eyes look brighter, legs look slimmer, and teeth look whiter.

When it comes to summer makeup, adhere to the less is more philosophy. Discard winter’s heavy foundation and pressed powder and instead opt for sheer face tints and loose powder. Set aside dark matte hues and go for subtle washes of color. Whether you’ve got a St. Tropez tan or a subtle flush, you want to look radiant yet effortless.

Real tans aren’t monochromatic, so giving cheeks a rosy glow will keep the look natural. Gel tints and creams create a light dewy finish, and when applied to the apples of the cheeks they achieve a “just blushed” effect. Tarte’s Cheek Stain, as well as Benefit’s Benetint (which doubles as lip color) are pro favorites.

No need to line eyes in thick, dark shades. Black mascara and a sweep of shimmering shadow across the lids is all that eyes need to pop. Follow the simplistic theme with soft, neutral colors like pinks, peaches and browns or kick it up with sheer green, blue or lavender. Chanel Ombre Unique Créme eye shadow won’t crease and leaves an iridescent sheen on lids. Sonia Kashuk individual eye colors are subtle and inexpensive.

The perfect summer pout is glossy and luscious. Pucker up with juicy peaches and pinks or go for bronzed glazes. Get some serious shine with L’Oreal Colour Juice. It comes in a handy squeeze tube and an array of sunny colors. Stila Glaze Palette in The Nudes features four gold-based colors packaged in a mirrored compact. My personal favorite is Origins Just Bitten in Strawberry. It leaves lips looking like you just devoured the fresh fruit but is totally smoochable since it won’t rub off.

Clean the winter blahs out of your makeup bag. Fill up with summer’s light, shimmery products and let your sun goddess shine.

If you have a tip or have noticed a trend you think our resident fashionista should know about, e-mail your comments to product@creativeloafing.com.