Prime time
There’s a fairly widely held belief that primer is a non-essential beauty step but you won’t regret adding it to your routine. Smoothed over the face and neck after moisturiser and before anything else, primer creates a flawless base for the rest of your makeup.
A fantastic quick-fix filler for fine lines and wrinkles, it also creates a silky smooth finish which extends the life of your makeup, even in warm weather. Swapping your eye cream for a thin layer of primer can reduce creasing and help your eyeshadow last right through the day.
As good as gold
Everybody knows the slimming effect of a golden, sunkissed glow on the rest of the body but the beauty benefits of a bit of facial bronzer are often overlooked. A light dusting will make your eyes look brighter and your teeth appear whiter but it’s crucial that you err on the side of natural. Restrict your bronzer use to the parts of your face where the sun naturally hits - the cheekbones, chin, nose and forehead - rather than applying it like a powder foundation. For ease of application, choose a powder - ideally one with two or three blendable shades so you can create the most natural shade for your skin tone.
Lighten up
If you’re only going to pare back one part of your beauty routine for summer, make it your foundation. If you have reasonably good skin and dare to bare a little more of it, a light, sheer tinted moisturiser is less likely to go cakey than a traditional foundation. F
or extra coverage, try a light dusting of powder over the moisturiser or a BB or CC cream. Lighter than foundation but heavier than tinted moisturisers, BB (beauty balm) creams provide reasonable coverage with the added benefit of antioxidants and (minimal) SPF. CC (Colour Correcting) creams are formulated to minimise redness and sallowness and usually lack the added extras of a BB cream but are lighter as a result.
Gloss over
The increasing array of tinted glosses and lip balm means you can have a lowmaintenance lips without sacrificing colour.
An added bonus for warmer weather, many now also include an SPF to keep your smackers sun safe.
Shut down the shine
Even those with generally dry skin can be struck by an oily T-zone in spring and summer but the problem is easily solved. Cheap and easy to use, blotting papers absorb excess oil in a matter of seconds - simply press the paper to the problem area and lift away the shine.
In a pinch, a paper towel or tissue will do the job and you can follow with a dusting of powder if your makeup needs a lift.