Beauty Tips for this Spring

4/29/10

Beauty Tips for this Spring

makeup for spring (Rogers Digital Media 2010, All Rights Reserved.)

After a long, pale-skinned winter, I look forward to a healthy glow. Whether it's from a self-tanner (my new fave is Chanel Précision Soleil Identité Face Self-Tanner, 50 mL/$41, which acts like a moisturizer, but within two to three hours gives your skin the most natural bronze) or from spending time outdoors, it's time to let your natural glow shine through and pare down your makeup palette. One misconception is that tanned skin needs more colour, but softer shadessuch as tawny beige, caramel, pink or brown actually look best. These tones put the emphasis on your newly tanned skin, not your individual features.

"My favourite look for spring and summer is a neutral eye with a hint of gloss on top, finished with a coat of brown mascara," says Toronto-based makeup artist Lisa Aharon. "It's simple and uncomplicated - perfect for the warmer weather." Here are the five items every woman should have in her makeup bag this season.

Pink or neutral sheer lip gloss
A bright pout on sun-kissed skin can verge on looking trashy (remember Tammy Faye Bakker?). However, choosing a shade that's too pale may leave your lips looking chalky and washed out (sorry, Pamela Anderson). Aharon recommends sticking to neutral and pink sheer glosses to complement - not overwhelm - your new glow.

Our picks:
Softlips gloss in Sheer Bliss, 7 g/$5, and Chanel Cristalle Gloss in Vanilla Dream, 5 mL/$26.

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Similar to your lips, you don't want your eyeshadow to take over (um, do we have to bring up Tammy Faye again?). The trick is to go only one or two shades darker than the beige/sand/caramel/brown you would normally wear. Follow with a clear gloss overtop to create dimension.

Tip:
If your skin tends to be oily, skip the eye gloss and carry blotting papers instead for quick touch-ups.

Our picks:
Lise Watier Effet Lumiére Cream-to-powder Eyeshadow in Soleil, 7 mL/$17, Alison Raffaele Soft Shadow in Bronzeshine, 3 g/$26, Maybelline Dream Mousse Shadow in Ivory Illusion, 4 g/$9, and Cargo eyeshadow in St. Tropez, 4 g/$19.

This is the perfect choice to sidle up next to your new neutral eyeshadow - even though they're in the same colour family, this monochromatic look will work. By sticking to an understated makeup palette, your tanned look stays warm and natural, emphasizing the new glow of your skin. Plus, brown mascara is extremely flattering on all skin tones - and it's nice to take a break from basic black.

Our picks:
Cover Girl LashExact in Black Brown, 4 mL/$9, and Lancaster Infinite Glamour Mascara in Brown, 6 mL/$26.

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This item should be in your makeup bag all year-round. Usually you'd sweep pink blush over the apples of your cheeks to reproduce a natural flush. But with your new-found glow, rub it onto the high points of the cheekbones and on the bridge of your nose to "imitate a bit of - dare I say it - burn," says Aharon.

Our picks:
Revlon Cream Blush in Just Peachy, 3 g/$12, and Supply Two Cheek Kiss in First, 2 g/$20.

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You've already got a touch of colour, but pumping it up by adding a gold-flecked bronzing powder not only complements your summer skin, but can also take your day look into the evening. Here's another trick: "I like to use a brown eye pencil to dot fake freckles on the cheeks and nose bridge, then soften them with a dusting of powder bronzer overtop," says Aharon. The end result is beach-babe flirtatious.

Tip: If you feel you need more coverage, skip the foundation. "Just use concealer under the eyes (adjust the shade to your new skin tone) or try a sheer foundation or tinted moisturizer. These will look more natural on your tan than regular foundation," says Aharon. Try DuWop Revolution Face Tinted Moisturizer in Conchita, 50 mL/$33, or Revlon ColorStay Active Light Makeup, 30 mL/$19.

Our picks:
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Bronzer in Vegas Strip, 9 g/$20, and Shiseido The Makeup Multi-Shade Enhancer in Terra-Cotta Glow, 10 g/$38.