My summer beauty roundup
We are now well into summer and it's starting to get really hot and sticky. You may even find yourself dreaming of fall and slouchy sweaters. I've been relying on some pretty awesome beauty products to help me enjoy the hot months and I thought it was about time I share some of my secrets with you! So here it is, my summer beauty (look good while sweating) survival kit.
1. First up is the Laura Mercier illuminating tinted moisturizer with spf 20. I love this product!! It's lightweight and creamy and perfect for all skin types. It hydrates and protects from the sun all while giving you effortless perfect looking skin. This product leaves a dewey, flawless look on the complexion. I have found that when my skin is slightly tanned this is the only product I need as a base. It retails for $43 and will last you the entire 18 months the product recommends for freshness. I'm telling you a little goes a long way! It comes in a couple different shades. Mine is natural radiance. Purchase here!!
2. The second product I love for summer is Bond No. 9 The Hamptons. The smell instantly takes me to the ocean. It is a unisex weekend scent, combining lush florals with a woody musk that lingers like a creamy ocean mist. The notes are: lime blossom, bergamot, white jasmine, magnolia, amber, and sandalwood. The bottle I have is a refillable pocket spray which is perfect to carry with me everywhere. The perfume is a little pricey with a 100 oz bottle costing $245 but it has one of the highest percentage of essential oils in any perfume sold on the market today. Meaning this scent is going to last!! Even the Bond No. 9 body lotions smell stronger and lasts longer than most perfumes. Check it out here!!
3. Next up are the NARS multiple popsicles. These things rock my world. They came in three shades, Turks and Caicos (orange), Berverly Hills (red), and Cadaques (fuchsia). These oversized sticks are cooling to the skin and can be used as a cheek or lip tint. I use them mostly to give my cheeks an instant sunkissed look. As you can see they are very sheer and leave only subtle color. Unfortunately these have since been dicontinued but a great replacement is YSL's creme de blush. The NARS Multiple Tint is perfect for getting that, “I just ate a cherry, raspberry or orange popsicle” look, and what could more quintessentially summer than that? (The YSL product comes in a pot not a stick, but can be used in the same way) Find them here!!
4. Now on to nail polishes. Give me a good white manicure and I'd be happy all summer long. It matches everything! I have branched out a bit with the Essie color Absolutely Shore which is a very light mint green. I normally prefer Essie colors over just about any, but this Maybelline color show nail lacquer has been a pleasant surprise. It' s a better price point at only $2.99 a bottle versus the $7.99 bottle of Essie. Both can be found in the cosmetic isle of Target.
5. Number five is M.A.C. cosmetics penultimate eye liner in rapid black. I love it because it's very very black, and works like a permanent marker. It's super easy to use and doesn't smudge around. There have been plenty of days this summer where eyeliner and mascara are the only things to make it on my face before I walk out the door. This product is a definite must! It retails for $19.50 and can be purchased here. A cheaper, but still great product is the Elf waterproof eyeliner pen. This one is priced at a whopping $2.99!! Elf cosmetics are sold at Target just an FYI.
6. The next product I'm head over heels for is Frederic Fekkai's Marine Summer Hair Beach Waves. This leave in, aqua nutrient product creates natural beachy waves. Marine waters create a surf-sexy texture, and sea kelp hydrates and blocks moisture loss while the UV shield helps prevent fading. It's almost like having a spray bottle of the ocean. For best results spray in dry or damp hair and use fingers tips to shape loose, tousled waves. Retails for $25 and lasts FOREVER!! Buy it here.
7. The Maybelline Colossal Volum Mascara in waterproof is phenomenal. I buy this in the blackest color they make! I love it because it really adds volume to my lashes and it truly is waterproof. At only $5.94 you can't beat it! You can pick this up at Target or any of your local drugstores.
8. Next on my list is the Laura Mercier Body Bronzing makeup. Yep you read it right, it's a makeup for your body! This is not a sunless tanner so it does not gradually get darker. It is light and creamy with an instant bronzing radiant glow. I rub this product in like lotion, and it immediately looks like I'm wearing nude stockings. The perfect amount of shimmer highlights the shin bone making legs look lean and flawless in pictures. Also this product smells AMAZING!! Almost like fresh baked cookies. When applying you should allow 10 minutes for the product to dry before putting clothes on, and know that it washes off very easily in the shower. A 5 oz bottle is $38 at Nordstrom.
9. Last but definitely not least are my favorite lippys with SPF. I have one pink and one orange perfect for any swimsuit I choose to wear. The orangey color is made by Guerlain in their Kiss Kiss Baby line it's #242. It is the perfect amount of sheer and vibrant color with an spf of 15. The pink color is Laura Mercier Rose. This particular lip balm goes on more like a tinted chapstick. It also has an spf 15. Both of these products are around $20. If you can find any of the tinted Baby Lips by Maybelline in the drug store snatch em up cause they work great and are definitely more cost efficient. Laura Mercier offers a variety of colors in their SPF lip balms. Check em out here.
Try one or try them all and enjoy the rest of your summer!! Don't forget to protect yourself from the harmful rays ladies and gents.