Ever wonder why all the Victoria’s Secret bikini models look flawless in their swimsuits? Don’t worry, the beachy waves, glowing skin and all around summer siren look can be yours, too! These sneaky makeup, skincare and hair tricks will help you achieve sun goddess perfection in ten minutes or less. The key is not to look like you’ve done anything other than throw on your two-piece and pack a cooler with your girls.
Naturally Plump and Colorful Lips
Although bold colors are the name of the game this season, reapplying sticky colored lip gloss while sea- or poolside not only makes you seem high maintenance, but it also puts a hold on all the outdoor fun with your friends. You don’t want to dive for the beach volleyball with hair sticking to your lips, do you?
Instead of a bold, Nicki Minaj pop of color on your pout, use these subtle tools to draw attention to your lips and smile. All of these expert and collegiette-approved tricks involved household or drugstore items.
As Cosmopolitan.com Beauty and Style Editor Carly Cardellino explains, tangerine is the declarative color of summer 2012.
“For a fail-safe pop of tangerine that isn’t completely opaque, try this lip stain,” says Cardellino of the Topshop Lip Marker in “Hot Shot” for $15.
For a little added gloss, slather on a beauty basic; lip balm! Adding a couple extra layers will give you smooth shine without any unnatural stickiness. Grab the ChapStick brand in Ultra 30, one of the highest concentrations of SPF in a lip balm, for around $1.99 at drugstores.
An Effortless Smoldering Stare
Nothing ruins frolicking in the waves or a slow-motion exit from the pool ladder like smudged raccoon eyes, flushing your “natural beauty” façade down the drain. Avoid the smeared emo look with these quick mascara maneuvers.
Cover Girl Lash Blast is one of the top-selling drugstore lines of mascara; surprisingly economical at around $6 a tube.
Say you have a certain brand that’s your die-hard beauty must-have but doesn’t come waterproof. The professionals at Anastasia Beauty of Beverly Hills have got you covered. Their Lash Genius Clear Waterproof Top Coat Mascara can be applied over any mascara, making it waterproof in an instant! This product is recommended by the HC founders personally and is available online and in Sephora stores for $21.
In addition to waterproof, you want to stay away from the usual black mascara and opt for a more natural shade, like Rebecca Rago, a freshman at Tufts University, does:
“Clear mascara separates your lashes and often doesn’t dry down as quickly as black, it gives a dewy appearance to your lashes as well as making them look fuller.” With a small smudge of brown/golden mascara on your lashline, it defines and opens your eyes without a heavy appearance.
It may seem like an oxymoron, but clear mascara is one of the oldest tricks in the beauty book. You can use it to shape up your brows, separate lashes, even tame fly-aways and cowlicks around your face. For $6, Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara will work invisible magic.
A pop of neutral brown or sunny gold opens your eyes and will accent your eye color if you have brown or hazel peepers, or provide contrast to blue and green eyes. For this effect, try Cover Girl Exact Eyelights Eye Brightening Waterproof Mascara in Gold ($9).
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Sun Ready Skin
A caked-on face full of foundation is a huge beach no-no. For those of you who are like me and don’t usually leave the house without some foundation or powder, I realize this will be a big step for you. Deep breaths. Realize that the barer your skin is at the beach, the better. A fresh face will allow your pores to breathe and let in the revitalizing salty breeze and Vitamin D from the sun.
Cardellino suggests changing your cleanser with the change of season to make your skin glow without being greasy.
“As the weather heats up your body tends to produce more oil, which can trigger breakouts,” said Cardellino. “Swap out your mild cleanser with an oil-free exfoliating one that will help keep pores free and clear of dirt.”
Cardellino says to try Clean and Clear Morning Burst Skin Brightening Facial Scrub, for just $4.79.
If you still crave light coverage, you can choose to either save or splurge.
Lush Handmade Cosmetics prides itself on a product line of natural ingredients like their Coconut Cream and Sea Salt Scrub. The natural sea salt will buff off dead skin cells and the coconut oil is one of the lightest and most nourishing skin oils. The scrub is great for oily or combination skin, and can be used on the face and body. It comes in a 4.2 oz tub for $19.95. Lather up with this scrub in the shower the night before a beach day or pool party for a fresh skin glow.
Katie Hampton, a Her Campus Design Intern, recommends “SPF with a fun twist” like shimmering sun block. Hawaiian Tropic’s Shimmer Effects Sunscreen in comes in SPF 20 and 40 and will give you continuous protection for only $10.
For a product that’s slightly higher in price range by the trusted makeup line Laura Mercier, go for the travel size of the Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20. The 1 oz tube comes in 12 skin-matching shades for $19.50 at Sephora, one for each stage of your gradual tan. Jamie Blynn, a GWU collegiette abroad in Tel Aviv says, “I’m a huge fan of Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer–it’s not heavy and makes your skin look even.”
Bombshell Beach Waves
We all know the messy bun at the top of our heads is the best way to tan our shoulders and back. But we also know a summer goddess is anything but messy!
For easy breezy beach waves to match the ones crashing along the shore, try a homemade salt spray like Rebecca Rago’s: “It’s as simple as sea salt, water and a squirt of conditioner. You can customize the proportions to the amount of moisture you want or hold from the sea salt (usually a spoon of sea salt per spray bottle of 8oz).”
Combine all the mentioned ingredients in one 8 oz spray bottle like these from the Container Store for $1.99. And you can add a teaspoon of pure lemon juice to lighten your strands while you play in the sun and a few drops of olive oil to retain your conditioner’s moisture.
Spray the mix on your whole head, and simply scrunch or braid your hair en route to your watery destination for strategically wild tresses.
If you don’t have time for homemade concoctions, Boston University sophomore Kelsey Mulvey offers her on-the-go fix that she swears by for “ultimate beach waves”: the Frederic Fekkai Oceanique Spray from the Coiff Collection. At $25 a can, you can have tousled tendrils all summer long without the crunchy, hairspray feeling.
With tricks and products like these, it will take you less time to get ready than it does to make your summer playlist, pick up your friends and scope out a cutie. Minimal effort for maximum beauty effect.
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