Summer Makeup

I think it's safe to say summer is finally here! Long days at the beach, parties, ice cold drinks... What else could a girl ask for? I absolutely love summer. I live for the hot, sunny, carefree days. Summer is about taking advantage of everything that comes along and not worrying about a thing- including your makeup. Gone are the days where makeup will melt right off of our faces. There are makeup options for everyone... even for girls who can't live without full coverage.

For me summer means sheer foundation, bronzer, blush and lip gloss. I definitely don't want to walk around on a hot day with a full face of makeup but I do like to have foundation on to even out my skin tone. Some girls can get away with wearing no foundation- I'm not that lucky. If you're like me, follow these tips to help give you a nice summer glow without a ton of makeup. If you have gorgeous skin, leave the concealer/foundation out.

Step 1. WASH your face! Summer is definitely the time when you really want to make sure you are properly cleansing your skin as the heat stirs up more bacteria and sweat on your face than in colder months. Check out my "Importance of Skin Care" post to find the right product for your skin. Follow by toning and moisturizing.

Step 2. SUNSCREEN! If you are going to be outside for the day make sure you apply sunscreen underneath your base coat. Not only will this help to avoid skin cancer but you will also spare your face the wrinkles.

Step 4. PRIME your face with a foundation primer. This will help your concealer glide across your face avoiding the cakey look, protect your skin from environmental factors, and also keep your makeup in place so not only will it stay where you want it to but it won't sink into your pores causing you to break out.

Step 5. CONCEAL any blemishes and red spots to even out your complexion. You do not need a lot just enough to blend your skin tone.

Step 6. APPLY a sheer powder foundation. Look for a loose powder that has a glow to it to keep you looking radiant and ready for summer. I am in love with Sheer Glow by Faces. Smashbox also makes a powder called Halo but it is very pricey at $72 a compact and doesn't have as nice of a glow as Sheer Glow does. Sheer Glow also has an SPF of 25.

Step 7. BRONZE! Apply bronzer to give your face a natural looking tan without the sun damage.

Step 8. APPLY a peachy-pink blush to the apples of your cheeks for a nice summer look.

Step 9. THIS is where I would apply a coat of mascara. I have no eyelashes so I need mascara. If you have full, long lashes you can skip this step as some mascaras are sticky and melt off your face in the heat.

Step 1o. LIPGLOSS! Choose a summery lipgloss shade and apply.

These steps will give you the perfect, carefree look everyone wants during summertime. You can use these steps as a guide to summer time evening makeup as well, just apply shadow to your lid before the mascara and anything else you can think of to glam up your look!

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Importance of Skin Care: Part One

How many times have you come home late at night and went straight to bed with a pile of makeup on your face? We're all guilty of it. Doing this once or twice every so often isn't a big deal (although I still don't recommend it) but making this a habit is a definite no-no! Why? Well you should think of your face as a piece of canvas. Would DaVinci have painted the "Mona Lisa" on a canvas that was peeling or full of bumps and spots? No.So why would you want to apply makeup to your face hoping to mask the problems instead of fixing them?

Skincare should be your number one priority if you're looking for your most beautiful face. Makeup offers some great quick fixes on its own but used in conjunction with the right products for your skin type it can be wonderful. You may even be able to opt out of wearing certain makeup if you can adress your skin issue and solve it.

1. Normal to Combination Skin

Cleansers: Consider using a foam cleanser that concentrates on removing makeup, unclogging pores, and balancing your skins oils. Because foam cleansers are less concentrated they aren't as harsh on your skin as a gel cleanser. Using a cleanser too strong for your skin will cause your skin to over produce sebem(oil) resulting in breakouts.

Toners: When deciding whether or not you need a toner will be up to you. There are many debates between makeup artists about whether toners are necessary or not. Some say you absolutely need a toner to wipe away any leftover dirt, makeup, or film that your cleanser may leave behind. Others say if you have normal skin all you need is to splash your face with cold water after cleansing to tighten the pores. I have tried both options and feel that when I use a toner my skin is cleaner and less blemishes appear. Personally I would suggest to use a toner but it's not the end of the world if you decide not to.

A good toner to look for for your skin type is something that will balance your skin. When you cleanse the PH levels in your skin change. Using a toner will help to restore the PH levels back to normal. You will also want to look for something that contains vitamins and minerals to give your skin an extra boost of radiance.

Moisturizers: A good moisturizer for your skin is something light enough for to wear in the day when you tend to sweat, touch your face, and deal with stress. You want to be able to put your moisturizer on without it feeling heavy or greasy halfway through the day. You should look for something packed full with antioxidents to help fight free radicals.

2. Dry Skin

Cleansers: Unfortunetly for 6 months of the year I have dry skin. The best type of cleanser for dry skin is a cream cleanser. The reason for this is that it moisturizes as it removes dirt and makeup. Most cream cleansers contain vitamins and/or antioxidents, look to see which ones include these and make sure to pick them up! You can also get some cream cleansers with exfoliating particles mixed right it. This is a good option for dry skin because it scrubs away all of the dry, dead skin while it cleanses and moisturizes. Cream cleansers should more often then not be reserved for people with dry skin as it may be too heavy in spots for people with combination skin.

Toners: When using a cream cleanser you should always try and use a toner with it. Cream cleansers tend to leave product behind because they are not always water soluable. Using a toner will help remove the leftover product and dirt. Toners are also great for prepping your skin for moisture which is something your dry skin craves.

Moisturizers: Dry skin will most likely need a heavier moistrizer. Lighter moisturizers will evaporate too quickly. Look for a moisturizer that has all day protection and ingredients like glycerin which moisturizers and protects. Use a heavier night cream rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidents. Our skin cells have a higher turnover rate while we sleep so it's the perfect time to soak in these wonderful ingredients.

3. Oily Skin

Cleaners: Foam and Gel cleansers are the best forms for oily skin. You also want to look for an oil-free cleanser. Depending on how oily your skin is will determine if you should use a foam or gel cleanser. Foam is good for people with oily skin that is easy to control. It is gentle enough that it won't strip any of the natural oil from your skin and is also oil-free so it won't add any either. If you have a hard time controlling the amount of sebem your skin produces try a gel formula. They are stronger than a foam cleanser, getting rid of more oil, while again not adding any oil to the skin.

Toners: Oily skin needs a toner to balance out the PH levels after using a strong cleanser. Look for one with an astrigent such as witch hazel or benezol peroxide to remove any remaining oil and clear the pores. Try to avoid toners that contain alcohol as no matter what your skin type is, they can be too drying.

Moisturizers: Even people with oily skin should use a moisturizer. There are many different kinds out there but I would say the best ones for really oily skin would be an oil-free mattifying lotion. This gives your skin the moisture it needs without adding oil- something your skin doesn't need anymore of.

Part 2 coming soon to include: How to treat specific skin problems, miracles in a jar, my personal favourite products, popular products.

www.enchantmentmakeupartistry.com