Editor’s Note: While our Birmingham Editor Catherine Romero wrote today’s post, no worries Nashville gals, as we have updated it with local stores to find these products!
With temperatures rising into the 90’s and humidity levels at a staggering high, wearing anything more than a tinted moisturizer with an SPF can seem pointless, even risky, as no one looks good with smudged eyeliner and mascara running down her face. But while we tend to bare more in the heat of the summer, sometimes going bare faced is just not an option.
In order to test drive some of the new products out there and provide you with some recommendations, my side kick, Jordan, and I went on a search for products that are light, yet provide long lasting coverage and are able to stand up to the Alabama heat. Here are some of our favorites to help you avoid a major meltdown:
SB Tip: A moisturizer with sunscreen is a MUST!
Elta MD Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen SPF 30+
Dr. Melanie Appell of Total Skin and Beauty in Birmingham recommended this product to me as a great daily moisturizer that is non-greasy and provides fabulous SPF coverage. You can find this in Nashville at Gold Skin Care Center or online at eltamd.com.
SB Tip: Primers for both the face and eyelids are also perfect for summer, as they’ll extend the wearability of and provide a seamless finish for your shadow and foundation.
OC Eight Professional Mattifying Gel
This gel is a clear primer that works continuously for up to 8 hours absorbing excess oil to ensure that your makeup stays put on those super hot and humid days. If you tend to get oily in the summer, this product is the bomb. Great for keeping that just applied look for hours on end during all the season’s outdoor parties and summer soirees. Available at amazon.com.
SB Tip: This time of year many people opt to lose the concealer and just go with a bb or cc cream so as not to appear overly made up, but a good coverage concealer is a must in the summer and should be used to camouflage dark circles, discoloration or uneven pigmentation and the area around the nose. Then follow up with a light foundation to blend it out.
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage
This is simply a fabulous concealer. This product does an amazing job at concealing dark circles underneath your eyes while being super light and unnoticeable, once properly matched with your skin. Available in Nashville at Private Edition and online at LauraMercier.com.
SB Tip: Finding the right foundation formula for your skin is imperative, because the wrong one will slip and slide or appear streaky. A lightweight, water-based foundation with SPF followed up with a little bronzer (use only on forehead, cheek bones, nose and chin) in place of translucent powder will impart enough warmth without becoming too cakey.
Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF 10
This Chanel’s powder does a great job of giving you a clean base without looking like you have makeup caked on. This is a great option for those really humid days, as this product helps produce a shine free look for the length of your day. Apply with a large powder brush to get all over coverage. Hint: Chanel makes the best brushes! Available in Nashville at Nordstrom and online at www.chanel.com.
SB Tip: The goal in summer is to achieve that healthy fresh-faced glow, so bronzers and illuminators are key.
NARS Bronzing Powder
This comes in three shades so you can find just the right tint to get your glow on without looking like you’ve been playing in the dirt! I like Laguna which is a brown base with a golden shimmer. Be sure and use bronzer sparingly and only on areas that are naturally highlighted by the sun – forehead, cheek bones, nasal bridge and chin. TIP: Go over bronzer with a bit of foundation using a buffer brush to achieve the best, most natural looking result. Available at Nordstrom and Sephora.
Yves Saint Laurent Touché Éclat
YSL really outdid themselves with this product! This makeup wonder illuminates and defines your cheekbones so that we call all look like we are Russian supermodels. Yves Saint Laurent Touché Éclat can be worn anywhere on your face that you want to add a little definition. Available in Nashville at Private Edition and online at yslbeautyus.com.
SB Tip: Pearlized shadows in neutral tones and sheer glosses in hot corals, punchy pinks or shimmering nudes provide the final touch.
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow
The perfect summer shadow! It is a sheer, lightly pearlized shadow that comes in soft nudes and pinks as well as silvery grey, brown mauve and deep purple. Go see the lovely ladies at Woo Skincare + Cosmetics to find the perfect shade for your eyes–they always offer up expert advice!
SB Tip: Now you need a waterproof eye pencil!
Yves Saint Laurent Waterproof Eye Pencil
This Yves Saint Laurent eye pencil is great for adding a little color to your eyes, while guaranteeing all-day wearability. Jordan and I use the Azure Blue to make our blue eyes POP! Available in a rainbow of colors. Available in Nashville at Private Edition and online at yslbeautyus.com.
SB Tip: Good for any season, but lip gloss just screams summer more than any other season, doesn’t it? And, it won’t melt in your car as it’s already a liquid! Double bonus!
Dior Addict Ultra Gloss
This seriously has a cult like following. It is a flash-plumper with a spotlight-shine effect inspired by the runway. It’s a lip plumper that is long wearing, but not thick or sticky. This stuff is so popular that the Saks website limits customers to purchasing no more than 6 units of this item every thirty days. There are 26 glosses divided into 3 different groups: Sparkling, Pearly and Pure. According to research, after 4 weeks of use, lips are 26% fuller and 36% more hydrated so if you can get your hands on this lip plumping wonder gloss, your lips will thank you! Available at Sephora or Dillard’s.
SB Tip: Add a swipe of your favorite waterproof mascara to go with your flawless face. Invest in a shellac manicure to complete your look.
CND Shellac Nails
When someone references a “shellac” manicure, this the real product. Unfortunately, the term shellac has become a general name for getting a gel manicure, but trust me CND has the science down with this product. I have been getting CND Shellac Manicures for about two years, and they withstand potting plants, moving, grooming horses, and extensive travel. With 14+ day wear, mirror shine, and zero dry time, CND has really revolutionized getting a manicure. And with 40-plus color options, you are sure to find the color you are looking for. We have it on authority that Tracy Martin at Changes Salon on Crestmoor Road does a great Shellac mani. Here’s a link to the CND Shellac website, where you can find all the CND salons around town, as well: www.cnd.com.
With the right products in our arsenal, we Southern women can beat the heat and outsmart Mother Nature to always look fresh! Let us know what your favorite summer time beauty tricks are in the comments below, and we are so grateful to each of you for sharing StyleBlueprint with your friends and family!