When the clothes shrink and the sun comes out to play, it can be a refreshing change of pace but it can also be a beauty disaster. Red bumps from waxing, dry, damaged hair and a less-than-subtle fake tan. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Follow a few simple tips to prevent these small mishaps. A fun, beautiful summer is right around the corner.
The mysterious case of the disappearing makeup
“I’m melting! I’m melting!” Don’t be like the Wicked Witch of the West. A few changes in your beauty products could avert a disastrous situation with your makeup.
- Wear waterproof eyeliner that won’t budge in the humidity. Try it in a bright hue, so it pops and breaks you out of your comfort zone of neutrals. The Stila Smudgestick Waterproof Eyeliner in Purple Tang is a gorgeous choice that you can wear for a day at the beach.
- Instead of a heavy liquid or powder foundation, switch to a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15, like Aveeno Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. It’s lighter, and because your skin isn’t as dry in the summer, you just need one product to do the job of two (which is great for saving some dough)!
- Juliana Landis, professional makeup artist and owner of Juliana Landis Brow & Lash Studio in LA, suggests using blot papers to dab on your face before touching up makeup. She also reminds us that it’s incredibly important to keep your makeup brushes clean: “The cleanliness of your makeup brushes is extremely important in warm weather as bacteria can multiply drastically and cause breakouts,” she says. “Use a gentle shampoo like Pureology and warm water to clean brushes and lie them flat on a towel to dry.”
- Finally, use a sheer balm instead of a heavy matte lipstick. YSL Sheer Candy balm in Pink Diamond is soft and feminine, for kissable lips. Leave the lip-liner and pocket mirror at home. Less is definitely more in this case. The lighter and easier the makeup, the less likely you’ll be to trudge back to the mirror to reapply. Embrace a more natural look.
If your face is peeling due to sunburn and you still want to wear makeup, there are some precautions you should take. Treat your burn with aloe and then use a moisturizer with plenty of SPF. Apply a liquid foundation with a non-latex sponge and press it on to your skin. Then dust a yellow-tinted powder over your face to neutralize the red tones. Voila! A makeup ready canvas.
Suggested Products
The Stila Smudgestick Waterproof Eyeliner in Purple Tang ($20) at Sephora
Aveeno Radiant Tinted Moisturizer ($14.44) at Ulta
Pureology Hydrates Shampoo ($21.45) at Amazon
YSL Sheer Candy balm in Pink Diamond ($30) at Nordstrom
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Stuck on you: When bangs get matted down on your forehead
You were totally rocking that Zooey Deschanel look until the degrees went triple digits. Now the bangs that were girlishly cute are now matted onto your forehead with sweat. Gross. You don’t have to resort to keeping them in bobby pins all summer long. Owner of The Alma Salon NYC, Alma G., suggests carrying around a travel-sized bottle of dry shampoo like Rene Furterer Dry Shampoo or baby powder. A dry shampoo is a quick fix to soak up all of that extra moisture. If you tend to have oily skin, that can only make it worse. “I suggest using Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets, and you will be good to go!” Alma says. Just a few dabs on the forehead, you’ll be chic again in no time.
Suggested Products
Rene Furterer Dry Shampoo ($24) at Beauty.com
Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets ($5.79) at Walgreens
Get that Glow Minus the Snooki
Self- tanning can be scary. What is perfect shade? Will I look like a tiger? Here are a few tips to getting it right.
- Prep skin by shaving, waxing and exfoliating. Celebrity and International Spray Tanner Kelly Richardson says this step is an absolute must: “Exfoliate! Using a water-based scrub before applying a faux tan is the difference between a bad tan and a great one,” she says. “Avoid scrubs that have oils, as the ingredients in sunless tanning products cannot penetrate through the oil.” Kelly recommends the water based B.Bronz Body Scrub for pre-tanning exfoliation.
- Next, start at your feet and slowly move up your body when you apply. Keep your fingers together when you apply so as not to cause streaks. Wash hands to prevent Cheeto fingers. Let the lotion or spay set in for about five hours to get the full effect before taking a dip or going for a run.
- L’Oreal Sublime Bronze and Jergens Natural Glow are perfect for a gradual effect and especially for fair skin. Richardson suggests mixing the tanner with a little bit of moisturizer applying to the hands, face and feet for a more natural effect. She also advises applying aerosol tanners in a circular pattern. “Aerosols have a circular pattern to begin with and look unnatural when sprayed in a vertical or horizontal formation,” Richardson says.
- Another cool product is Model Co. Self Tanning Glove. You just slip on this one-time use glove already infused with self-tanner and swipe it over your legs at night so when you wake up in the morning, you’ll have a sexy glow.
Suggested Products
B.Bronz Body Scrub ($18) at Shopbebronze.com
L’Oreal Sublime Bronze ($10.99) at CVS
Jergens Natural Glow ($7.99) at Walgreens
Model Co. Self Tanning Glove ($36) at CVS
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Bad Wax: How to deal with bumps and ingrown hairs
Watching painful waxes are hilarious in movies like The 40 Year-Old Virgin but experiencing it for yourself can lead to more tears that chuckles. It’s best to prepare yourself whether you get it done monthly or if you’re a first timer.
- To prep for a wax either at the salon or DIY slough off dead skin with a body scrub like Neutrogena’s Energizing Sugar Scrub. If it’s your first time waxing, or you have sensitive skin, you can numb your skin a bit with BareEase & Cream Prep Kit for Ouchless Hair Removal. If you’re planning on handling the situation by yourself try Veet Ready-to-Use Wax strips.
- Some people can have bad reactions to waxing, like ingrown hairs. Yeouch! It can definitely be painful, but you can reduce swelling and inflammation with a topical product like cortisone cream. The bumps and redness are caused by ingrown hairs. “When hair is being ripped from the follicle, white blood cells try to reject and attack the things that don’t belong there,” says Manhattan dermatologist, Dr. Neal Schultz. (To learn more about why ingrown hairs happen, check out Dr. Schultz’s online TV show.)
- Using a product with salicylic acid as the active ingredient can help cause skin-peeling so you can try and remove the hair. Squeezing it will just make it worse, so avoid that at all costs.
- The only way to totally avoid hair regrowth is doing a laser treatment at your local dermatologist’s office, Dr. Schultz warns.
Suggested Products
BareEase & Cream Prep Kit for Ouchless Hair Removal ($25) at Drugstore.com
Veet Ready-to-Use Wax Strips ($8.99) at Amazon.com
It’s not easy being green: Deal with chlorine-damaged hair
The pool is the perfect place to chill during the heat. If you get bored tanning, you can go for a refreshing dip. But going in and out of chlorine-infested waters can do a number on your locks.
As a swimmer and lifeguard, HC Staffer Alaine Perconti from Miami University of Ohio has seen her fair share of hair damage.“The easiest way to keep your hair healthy is to rinse your hair or wash it as soon as possible after you’re out of the water,” she says. “If you can hop in the shower quickly or at least rinse off it will do your hair a lot of good.”
She also mentions that soaking hair before going into the water can prevent it from picking up less of the damaging H2O. Alma G. recommends wearing a bathing cap, but if that’s not exactly your style, apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair like Aestalance Hair Cream to create a barrier against chlorine and water. To keep that rich, beautiful moisture in your hair apply a deep conditioner twice a week.
Suggested Products
Aestelance Hair Cream ($20.50) Brightonbeautysupply.com
Sources:
http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Os-Guide-to-the-Best-Self-Tanning-Products/6#slideshow
People StyleWatch, June 2011 Issue
Dr. Neal Schultz, dermatologist
Alma G., hair stylist
Kelly Richardson, Celebrity Spray Tanner
Julianna Landis, Professional Make up artist
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