by Annie Vischer
I don’t want to speak too soon, but pretty old England has been skipping along with a bit of a summer kick as of late. I’m talking sun-soaked lunch breaks, barbecue and blossom scented weekends overflowing with Pimms, and the first flourish of LA-esque summer wardrobes strutting along city streets. Yes England, we’re a little bit in love with you right now.
So with a summer wardrobe comes the summer beauty look. It’s different for everyone. A sojourn into colour-blocking brights for some, a dip into pearlescent powders for others. For me, there’s one general rule. Less is more. Less eye shadow, less contouring, less. Less, less less.
The sun does a lot of the work for you. As long as you stay safe (SPF is a beauty girl’s best friend during this season), you’ll reap the benefits of a little more vitamin D. And if you feel like you need a little boost without the burn factor (the lobster look is a tad undesirable), then the beauty powers that be are there to provide.
Here are our picks of the best instant glow pick-me-ups out there.
For an all round instant fix, Michael Kors Liquitan Self Tanner (£19.00) is the one. Not only does it give you instant colour complete with a subtle sheen, a more permanent tan will develop as you wear it in a matter of one hour. Add to that the skin conditioning benefits and the fresh scent, and you’ve got yourself one must-have beauty product. It looks darned pretty on the dressing table too.
Powder is a gorgeous alternative if your complexion errs on the oily side, or in the case of a humid summer evening, on the sweaty side. Maybe dewy’s a nicer turn of phrase? The Body Shop Honey Bronze Brilliance Powder (£16.00) comes in a dinky little applicator tube complete with an integrated brush. It’s subtle enough to apply without fear of overdoing it, sweep across the areas of the face that will hit the sun first, as well as decolletage, for an instant sun-kissed sheen without shine.
For a guilt-free summer, you’ll be upping your facial sun protection factor to the max. It’ll keep your beauty halo firmly in place, but will mean your beautiful visage might need a little boost in the colour stakes. The James Read Express Tan Face Mask (£25.00) is easy to use and effective. Apply just like a mask, it dries instantly and develops colour in half an hour. It acts like a serum too, and with ingredients such as anti-aging Q10 and calming red algae, your skin will look even and brighter to boot.
This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle (£37.00) is for the morning that you decide to pick up that dress and need a little more convincing. Are my legs going to work it today? Darn I should have picked up some tights! Put those thoughts to bed and get pumping this little wonder. As a serum it hydrates legs with a dry-oil like consistency. It contains arnica to speed up the bruise healing process, as well as a whole bunch of natural ingredients to hydrate and smooth. The pigment evens skin tone and adds a slight shine. Try applying to one leg and comparing with the serum free one. The difference is subtle but effective.
A lighter weight foundation in summer is a must. It’s one of my mantras, you may already be sick of hearing it. But here’s another one to help you on your way to an even complexion without all-out coverage. Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Foundation (£34.50). It actually sits somewhere between a primer, a bronzer and a base. Soft-focus powder blurs for flawless skin tone, whilst the Guerlain Terracotta technology warms skin, keeping it in sync with the heady summer heat.
And there you have it! Now go frolic you pretty little things.