5 Minute Summer Makeup

Tips to keep makeup humid-free

Hot, muggy, icky. Humid, sticky, hot, but without the Mai Tai and the Cabana boy....this season's got me revamping my whole routine. Here are some cool makeup tricks that can revitalize your look and help keep your cool.

Grab that self-tanner...for the face. By adding a little bit of color to your skin already, you'll find that you don't need to pack on the foundation and concealer as much. And you can go as light or as dark as you want. A favorite: Neutrogena Sunless Tanning Spray. I know it's for the body, but it's one of the few that doesn't cause breakouts....and it's quick and easy to put on. Just spray your hands and apply onto your face like you would moisturizer. Than be sure to wash your hands. Another fav is Neutrogena Moisture Oil Free Formula, SPF 15 in the tinted form. It's 3 steps (moisturizer/ sunscreen/ color) in 1.

Apply a light dusting of a light yellow Loose Powder over clean skin first. By applying first before foundation, it helps keeps foundation on longer without melting. It also lightens up redness, and keeps dewy skin looking fresher longer, before it turns into a shiny greasy mess. This step is a must to looking light all day.

Apply a Shine Control Product, like Origin's just on the t-zone, and on eyelids as a eye shadow base...anywhere you feel you need a little extra touch.

Okay, this is an optional step...for the young ones out there, and for those that want perfect skin........

Next step is foundation. The key is perfection yet still dewy. Remember that old matte look? It's out. Nothing will outdate your look quicker.....

The trick? Mix a little bit of loose powder into your foundation on the back of your hand, the same yellow tone if you want. If it's another shade, make sure it's a little bit lighter or the same as your foundation. Anything darker will make your skin look muddy. What it does is 'soak up' any oil and turns any foundation into a matte....apply where needed, but most likely down the t-zone. Remember, a fully covered foundation face is out and will age you by 10 years. Be sure to blend backwards towards the ears, and concentrate down the front of your face.

HINT: What are we doing? Applying makeup the OLD way? We used to apply the makeup, and then pack on the powder to keep it matte and keep it on. What can happen is that your skin starts to sweat from the feel of it. Anything that you 'feel' on the skin, your skin will try to 'sweat' off, or get rid of. Normal thing for it to do, but not if you want it to stay on. That's why you see an increase in mineral-oil free and lanolin-oil free products. They're usually the culprit in the 'feel' of the product. You can actually feel the oil sitting on your face, thus, your face is shiny in a few hours.

The NEW way? Mix your powder directly into your foundation, and then apply. What this does is 'soak up' the oils and a bit of the waxes which 'melt' in the heat, and summer proofs your look. You can do this into any of your cream or liquid products, lipstick included. By summerizing each product individually, you avoid that "heavy" powdered look, yet the product stays on.

Next, color.

Cream blush, dotted on the apples of the cheeks "smile" and blended back towards the ear so it looks real. Then dot a little on the lips color permitting of course. And even on the eyelids, blended of course. If you really want to feel healthier and younger, a dewy look that's believable is the key.

Are you happier with powdered blush? Then apply cream blush first on cheeks, and then a little bit of powder blush on top....it'll take longer, but by setting with blush rather than powder, you can check off a step. For eyes, apply your eye shadow on wet.

With toner that's alcohol free or an Eyeliner Sealer, apply with a sponge applicator or a eyeshadow brush and brush on a light layer of toner across the eyelid or in the crease. Trick is to mist the eye shadow, not drench it. Or dampen the applicator/brush first and then pick up your color. That way, you avoid drenching the product and possibly even ruining it. You'll pick up the right amount of color....then apply....

Lips next.... grab a pencil, either eye or lip if the color works. Neaten up the lip line, or even fill in to darken abit. Rather use lipstick? Dot a bit of liquid powder or loose powder on lips first, then apply color in the middle of the mouth and blend outwards...then apply your pencil. Your pencil will keep it on actually better than if you applied it first....

Then take a Kleenex, and press a layer over your lips with the mouth closed. You should get a great lip kiss on your Kleenex.....the key to lips staying on. Because it's the 'excess' that will bleed and come off.....

Lip gloss....on the middle of the mouth, just "kiss", and dot on the middle of both lips and even on the cheekbones as highlighter. Try the eyebrow bone for a nice shimmer. You can try a shimmery gold lipgloss for evening.

Last but not least, another light dusting of loose powder to 'set' eye shadow and blush. The trick is to take a super duper big powder brush and dust all over the face, either going from the middle brushing out, or brushing from the forehead, down. Then for touch ups during the day, grab the Shine Control, LipShine and Pencil.......

What's the secret to keeping makeup from fading in the humid summer months? It's the light dusting of powder first. A photography makeup trick for models that's great when they're standing under hot lights, or even in the heat. I know it works. I just got back from a shoot in Arizona, where it was 117 degrees....

Article written by E. Von Freudenberg, Editor of The Beauty Newsletter: http://www.beautynewsletter.gq.nu. For a free subscription, email BeautyNewsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Ms. Von Freudenberg is also a top celebrity makeup artist whose work has been seen in Allure, W, Rolling Stone, Paper, Detour and many more. Von Freudenberg Ent. © All Rights Reserved.