Keep your cool in the heat
Hair and makeup for summer
Long days of sunshine and warm breezes are finally here. Is your beauty routine ready?
No one wants to feel flushed, sticky or trapped in a web of hairspray, but your look can survive the sweltering heat, with a few adjustments.
Shine brighter than the North Carolina sun with these simple tips for your warm-weather makeover.
Hair
For great summer hair, start with products that won’t weigh down your locks and easy, laidback styles.
To get those tousled, beach-worthy strands that are all the rage, start by applying a curl- or wave-enhancing product to damp hair. Mousses or sprays are the best choice; gels tend to get greasy in the intense humidity. As you blow-dry hair, scrunch it with your fingers.
For a little more bounce, twist random strands around a medium-barrel curling iron. Mist tresses with a light layer of hairspray and fluff curls with your fingers.
A casual up-do is a good option if you want your hair off your face. Apply a volume-boosting mousse to damp strands, then flip hair upside down and blow-dry.
Pull dry hair into a loose ponytail, wrap hair in a messy bun and tuck ends under the elastic. Secure with a few pins if your hair is long or thick. Run your fingers through the front of your hair to soften the look. Slip on a thin headband for extra flair.
Summer may seem like the right time to go for a short style, but think twice before getting a bob. Remember that very short hair can’t be pulled into a ponytail. Are you going to want your hair off your neck when the heat escalates? If so, tell your hairdresser to leave enough length to be swept back.
Like extra color in your hair? Don’t believe the tale that lemon juice will give you gorgeous highlights. Not only is the acidic juice harmful to strands in the sun, you won’t have any control over the final color. You may end up with unsightly, dry strands.
If you crave radiant highlights, leave it to the professionals! They can pick the perfect complementary tone for your base color. Don’t forget to protect your new do from the sun’s rays with a chic hat or scarf, a la Grace Kelly.
Makeup
Like with hair, the secret to weather-appropriate makeup is keeping things simple. Look for lightweight products that last through the day.
The last thing you need in 90-degree heat is a thick coat of foundation — so skip the heavy formulas! Let your face breathe with a lightweight, tinted moisturizer. You can keep the coverage you want and still feel the summer wind kiss your skin.
Picking the right shade of tinted moisturizer is easier than selecting your foundation. Because so much of your own coloring shows through, tinted moisturizers have less specific shades. Many brands come with sun protection built in, too.
If you’d rather not buy a new product, mix a drop of your regular foundation and moisturizer between your fingertips before applying to your face and neck. Set with a dusting of loose powder, or keep oil-blotting sheets on hand to stop shine.
Just remember, unlike foundation, tinted moisturizers don’t provide heavy coverage and won’t mask serious skin blemishes.
Eye shadows in powder formulas stand up to the heat. Add a little shimmer to your look by picking sparkling gold, champagne or bronze palettes. These luminous pigments catch the light and draw attention to your eyes. Create depth by layering a slightly darker shade in the crease of your eyelid.
For the daring, a swipe of hot pink, aqua blue or royal purple shadow makes a fun, flirty statement.
As for your lips, stains are a great pick for summer. These liquid tints go on smooth and feel like nothing after they dry, leaving your lips a pretty hue.
You can find lip stains in a variety of shades, but nothing says confidence like a scarlet smile. A little too vixenish for you?
Try a punchy coral or berry pink. If you like a little shine, dab a spot of gloss in the middle of each lip.
Forget the blush because heat brings out natural color in your cheeks; adding it may be too much color even for a Southern belle!
More than anything, your summer look needs to be fresh, clean and polished. Find the right picks for you and go enjoy that delicious sunshine!