When it comes to achieving the perfect summer glow, most of us will admit to an unrelenting preference for gold –and taking the heat for it. Uzo, lead makeup stylist for NARS International, shares her expert beauty tips for giving your skin the Midas touch this summer—and quick fixes for tan lines when you’ve extended your sun-time well beyond a healthy sheen.

Summer bronzers beauty tip #1: Start at the base with a tinted moisturizer.

Expert beauty tip: “Always test and swatch two colours of the desired tanned shade on the face, preferably on the cheek—never on the back of the hand! Usually it is best to pick a shade that is as close to your natural skin tone and then add additional warmth by using a powder bronzer. The right shade will ‘disappear’ into the skin.”

TRY: “Pick a
tinted moisturizer that is one shade deeper than your natural skin tone to mimic the appearance of tanned skin.”

Summer bronzers beauty tip #2: Select the right shade for your skin tone and bronze accordingly.

Expert beauty tip: “The best bronzers are those that have a golden-brown undertone with no hint of orange,” says Uzo. “Powder bronzers are best applied with a dense powder brush made of natural hairs with a tapered head.” Uzo recommends lightly tapping NARS Bronzing Brush into NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder and swirling under cheekbones, blending towards temples and forehead, to achieve a natural, sculpted look. “For more warmth, and a general all-over tanned appearance, try a loose powder brush instead, and delicately blend bronzing powder over entire forehead, cheeks, bridge of nose and the neck.”

TRY: For 24-carat sheen? “Liquid bronzers can be added to foundation for a boost of summer warmth or used directly on the skin to give the complexion more colour and glow.” She suggests blending a drop of illuminator into a small amount of foundation or moisturizer and applying to the entire face using fingertips.

Summer bronzers beauty tip #3: Conceal any evidence of a fake bake: tan lines.

Expert beauty tip: “Look for a liquid bronzer that is either transfer-proof or water-resistant and camouflage the tan lines by adding warmth and colour to the entire surface of the skin—neck, shoulders, décolletage and arms.”

TRY: “For more precise concealing, try a darker-shade concealer or foundation. Mix it with oil-free moisturizer in the palm of the hands and apply to tan lines with fingers and blend for a fresh finish.”

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For more summer bronzer tips and tricks to avoid tan lines, read on…

Summer bronzers beauty tip #4: Don’t let yourself get burned—but if you do…

Expert beauty tip: “Use a moisturizer, mask or primer that has natural botanical extracts that are designed to calm and soothe irritated, inflamed skin to reduce redness.” Uzo suggests applying a generous dollop of NARS Aqua Gel Hydrator or Aqua Gel Luminous Mask to the entire face to soothe red, inflamed skin. “It will also plump the skin with additional moisture and prevent the appearance of dry, flakey skin which usually occurs after a burn.”

TRY: For two-pronged summer skin care, apply a, like Bioderma Photoderm After-Sun ($25, at drug stores across Canada) to calm the burn and prolong your skin’s freshly gilded hue.

Summer bronzers beauty tip #5: For a constant shine, always keep skin hydrated.

Expert beauty tip: “To get that healthy, sun-kissed glow without sacrificing your skin to the damaging effects of the sun, illuminate and hydrate skin with a moisturizer or serum that makes skin look radiant. Even skin tone with a tinted moisturizer and conceal blemishes and under-eye darkness. Finish the look by adding additional warmth and glow by using a creamy, shimmery bronze or apricot-hued cheek colour applied along the cheekbones.”

TRY: Brush appropriately: “For bronzing powders, use brushes made of dense, short to medium length natural hairs. These are best for picking up and depositing product on the skin. For liquid bronzers, brushes made of synthetic hair or nylon are great for application and blending, but fingers provide the ultimate finish because the warmth from the fingertips allow bronzer to blend to perfection.”

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