{How To}: The Perfect Look For Summer

July 3rd, 2012

I woke up with a serious toothache this morning. I’ve been up since 4:40 AM!!! Incidentally I have a dentist appointment today. I’d like to say I was just excited to see my old friend Lady Nitrous so I awoke unreasonably early, but I’m certain that the achey tooth was yelling at me to enjoy it in full awakeness mode.

So! Here’s a post about a super lightweight every day look for summer! The correlation makes perfect sense. If you can’t tell I’m being facetious, we should not be friends.

(Here’s the only decent pic I have of this look. Sorry it’s all pixely and low-quality. But yay Instagram!)

*Start with a clean face. (Did you know that you can use Almond Oil as an eye makeup remover? Natural and hydrating? Yes, please.)

*Conceal (I like the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach.)

*Apply Tinted Moisturizer

Now, you can absolutely purchase a Tinted Moisturizer ready-made. But for the rest of us schlubs, here’s how to make your very own:

All you need is a moisturizer and a foundation. Squirt a dime size of moisturizer in your palm. Sprinkle in your foundation, mix and apply with your fingertips. Mineral, powder, or liquid foundation should work the same, but don’t overdue it! (We’re going for natural here. A couple of drops or taps should do the trick.) Try to avoid the forehead and focus on the cheeks, chin and eye area. Use the excess on your neck.

Simple right?

Let’s chat moisturizers for a bit:

I recently paid a visit to Sephora and they gave me a sample of their Instant Moisturizer, which is what I’ve been using for the last few days as my moisturizer base, but you can use anything! If you’re looking for a natural option try any of the Boscia moisturizers, they’re really lightweight and heavenly. If Jergens is all you’ve got, just use it. This isn’t a gourmet makeup tut.

But please protect your lovely skin with an SPF whatever. Leather face is so 1970′s.

*Set with a translucent powder. (I like Smashbox’s Photo Set Finishing Powder, and it’s SPF 15. Bonus!)

*Fill in eyebrows

*Eyes time!

No heavy eyeshadow needed, this is a low-maintenance look. If your eyes need a bit of color, swoop some bronzer over your lid, it should warm up your eyes a bit.

Line your eyes using your favorite liner, staying as close to the lash line as possible. No need for a heavy-lined look. No need for winging out, but do as your little heart desires.

Using a brown eye pencil, line your upper and lower waterline. This takes a bit of patience and getting used to. If it makes you cry and makes your eyes red, a teeny bit of Clear Eyes will take care of that. The more you do it, the more you become immune.

Apply mascara. Done!

*Bronze it!

Remember my contouring/highlighting technique? Use that same mentality here, just without the extremes — no fan brush needed. The point of bronzing is not to appear tan, at least in my opinion, it’s to appear sun-kissed and glorious, so again, don’t overdue it. You may end up looking like you had a bad tan. Two shades darker than your skin tone should do the trick. If you are lighter skin-toned, don’t go too dark you’ll look burnt and orange. Try a honey-like bronzer with pink or peachy undertones. If you have darker skin, don’t go too light you’ll look ashy. Try a copper or Tawny-like bronzer, with goldish or neutral undertones.

(What I use: I like Charlotte Ronson’s 3 X a Charm bronzer for a bit of honey-like shimmer, and then Smashbox bronzer in Bronze Lights, it’s a matte to balance out the shimmer. I’m not a vampire so there’s no need to sparkle THAT MUCH.

Ew, I just referenced Twilight on my blog. Never speak to me again.)

*Blush it!

If you have a sheer-like shimmery blush use it! I’ve been using this guy, Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain in Petal and LOVE IT! It’s peachy with the perfect amount of shimmer. Will look great on anybody! If you are not anybody, please see me.

Apply on just the apples of your cheeks. Go easy with the blush, we’re not trying-out for Ringling Bros.

Now highlight! (I use the same one in that Charlotte Ronson palette above, but a white eyeshadow can work in place of that.)

*Gloss it!

Use a nude or pink gloss or stain. And go.

*You look summer-ready and fantastic! Yay!

The moral of this story? Makeup, Yay! Toothaches, boo!

Show me your results! If you are on instagram or twitter, tag me @findmimi. Or just follow me and holla’ at yer girl. That would be me. (I make it easy, see… hover over my name and click. Boom!)

Happy Tuesday!