If there’s one universal rule that applies to every facet of summer, it’s that less is more—especially when it comes to your beauty routine. So which products do you absolutely need in your summer makeup bag? “The key products for this season—and for most summers, to be honest—are definitely powder bronzer, a sheer concealer or tinted moisturizer, metallic cream eye shadow, super bright lipsticks—in pinks, corals, orange and red— a highlighting cream for on top of cheekbones to add glow and a great nude gloss,” says Sheri Stroh, a makeup artist with Plutino Group in Toronto. “And of course, mascara is always great!” (Got all that?) Stroh gives us her best bets for updating your beauty routine this season to create a fresh, sun-kissed glow—one that won’t melt under the baking summer rays.

Summer makeup tip #1: Let the weather be your beauty guide.


Expert advice:
“With spring makeup, you can still get away with using some or most of your winter makeup— just use lighter and brighter colours. Summer is usually pretty hot, so your makeup can be dictated by the weather and how much upkeep you’re willing to do.”
Seasonal departure: “Ditch the heavy powders and foundations—they’re useless in the summer and will usually slide right off and look cakey.”
Summer update: “Pare down and adjust makeup with super light coverage and products that pull double duty and are easy to use. My favourite trends? Tangerine, orange or coral lips along with bronzer and metallic eye shadow shades in bronze, gold, silver or pewter.”

Summer makeup tip #2: Embrace the summer glow.

Expert advice: “You can carry over your makeup from winter—you just need to thin it out and wear it quite a bit more sheer.”
Seasonal departure: Creamy, mattifying makeup: foundation, lipstick and eye shadow shades.
Summer update: “Add a luminous moisturizer to your foundation, smudge your eyeliner so that your lash line just looks really lush, or, if you like dark lipstick, add lip balm to it so that it’s more of a tint.”

Click here for the hottest summer beauty steals and splurges.

Read on for more summer makeup tips to update your beauty routine…

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Summer makeup tip #3: Be bold—sort of.

Expert advice: “I think that you can wear a shot of bold colour whenever you want. It’s really whatever you’re comfortable with. Your line of work may make you think twice about slicking on a neon pink lip shade, but done right, it can be super flattering without the shock value.”

Seasonal departure: Balance in-your-face boldness: “When you’re going to wear a bold lip or
eye liner, you need to keep every thing else very sheer and simple.”

Summer update: “If you can’t get away with a neon lip for work, then try it for a night out or even while just running around doing errands— you’ll be surprised by how chic you can feel with only a
pop of colour on the lips and not much else. It’s very liberating and it’s easy for summer because you only have to really worry about touching up your lips every so often!”

Summer makeup tip #4: Remember, French women don’t get overdone.

Expert advice: “Be like a true Parisian woman and keep it simple and elegant. Less is more—accentuate your assets instead of working against them or trying to change them. Summer is not the time to contour your nose and use pans of powder foundation. Let your skin breathe.” Seasonal departure: “Hard and aggressive red lips with a face full of powder and eye shadow is not only dated, it’s aging!”

Summer update: “For a day look, mascara and a bit of blush or bronzer is all you need, if even that. For the evening, you can add a little more definition to the eye, but I would still keep things on the bare side. It’s just so striking and youthful, especially when applied lightly to stain the lips.”


Summer makeup tip #5: Keep it simple (we can’t stress this enough!).

Expert advice: “Look for concealers that impart a luminous glow to the skin instead of trying to cover it up, these have ingredients that reflect and refract light to blur imperfections such as spots, discolouration, and fine lines.”

Seasonal departure: The foundation exhibitionist—go for the barely there finish: “The key is to find concealers that do not stay creamy on the skin but dry to a natural finish. I’m also a big fan of tinted moisturizers, cream to powder eye shadows—so easy!— and powder bronzers.”

Summer update: “Stained lips,
pink-flushed cheeks under the cheekbones, satiny taupe eye shadow to add definition to the eyes and lots of lush lashes—try using a thickening formula followed by a lengthening one to really plump them up without looking too spidery and clumpy; strong brows with a neutral face—or just
strong brows, I can’t stand skinny plucked-to-death brows! Apply black or brown eyeliner on the inner rim to give a sexy smudge; try it without mascara to keep the look current and not overly done. Go for bright pink lips with a light dab of natural
nude gloss.”

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