Summer-Proof Your Beauty Routine- Part 2

Melt Proof You Makeup

As the humidity rises, your makeup tends to creep down your face (Picture raccoon eyes, drippy foundation and blotchy blush).  However, a major makeup meltdown can easily be avoided with a few change-ups to your normal routine. 

a.   Face Time- Summer skin tends to be the best- Dryness diminishes, breakouts wane, maybe you even have a hint of color (either fake or what creeps though your SPF of course) so why cover it up with a foundation?  This is the time of year where you can pare down your beauty routine so go with it! Put your foundation aside until the fall and switch to a tinted moisturizer if you need a bit of coverage ,a dusting of a mineral SPF powder or a liquid or powder bronzer.  Here are my picks:

1. Peter Thomas Roth UnWrinkle Makeup-Less Chemical Free SPF 30- This amazing, handy dandy little product does it all- Provides an chemical free SPF, the self-adjusting shade matches your skin tone and evens out any imperfections while still letting your skin shine through, is oil free and is laced with PTR’s magical UnWrinkle Serum, a blend of anti-aging peptides and neuropeptides that targets all signs of aging.  Pretty good for one 1.3 oz tube huh? AND that size makes it carry-on friendly of course!
2. Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30 and Bronze Instant Mineral SPF 30- these super portable little powder tubes provide instant sun protection and a hint of color for those who prefer a matte finish.
3. Hourglass Superfical Waterproof Bronzer-This awesome fragrance, oil, sulfate, phthalate and paraben free powder bronzer withstands heat, humidity and extreme moisture- perfect for pool parties!
4. NARS Laguna- This iconic shade now is available in 4 formluas- compact powder, liquid illuminator, cream Multiple stick and a liquid body illuminator.   Depending on your finish preference, there is a Laguna for you!  However, may I just recommend the Multiple?  This multi-tasking stick can be uses on eyes, cheeks and lips? Just add mascara and some gloss and you are good to go!

b.  The Eyes Have It-The dreaded raccoon eyes- never a welcome sight, the summer humidity makes them even more prevalent.  How to prevent this dreaded phenomenon?  Lighten up with shadow and liner and switch to a H2O proof mascara or even consider LashDip, a semi-permanent mascara.  What to use?

1. For daytime, consider using a swipe of cream eyeshadow- these will stay put as you run errands and get in and out of your 100 degree car 20 times a day.  NARS and Bobbi Brown have great formulas in a wide range of shades and for a drugstore option,Revlon makes nifty palettes with super wearable colors.
2. For nighttime, layer that cream shadow with a powder in a similar shade for some staying power.
3. Again, you can do double duty by layering your eyeliner pencil with a wet eyeshadow.  However, check and see if your eye shadow can be used wet- NARS shadows are treated so that they can all be used as liners, however not all companies are.
4. For liner in one step, “Felt tip” liquid liners are a great option and are super simple to use. Hourglass’ Calligraphy liners come in three beautiful shades and are BUDGEPROOF, Seriously, they aren’t coming off until you want them to!
5. A long-wearing or waterproof mascara is a key element for summer beauty. NARS Lengthing Mascara is budge-proof and super conditioning for your lashes.  If you prefer an H2O formula, Tarte Lights Camera Lashes H2O proof is awesome, as is Loreal Voluminous H2O proof.
6. If you are heading out for a fun vacation somewhere where you will be playing in the surf or the pool, or simply want to look lash-a-licious lying by the pool, LashDip may be a great option for you.  A semi-permanent gel coating applied to each eyelash by hand, this treatment stays put for up to 6 weeks!  Our fantastic Beth Strickland is trained on this super cool lash treatment so contact us if you are interested. 

c.  Capping things off with cheeks and lips- In the summer, I love the look of a stained cheek and lip.  It just seems so fresh and perfect for summer.

1. I love the Hourglass Aura cheekstains.  If you are a NARS Orgasm fan, the Petal shade is perfect for you.  I love Flush for well, the perfectly flushed cheek that it gives you. Tarte cheekstains are written about all the time for a reason- they are awesome and have a great shade range.
2. Hourglass also makes a killer I just had a popsicle Lip Stain in three yummy shades, Revlon has a nifty felt tip marker stain with a balm on the other end for some added moisture and of course the iconic Benetint stain which can be used on cheeks and lips is a great option for one stop shopping.

Summer-Proof Your Beauty Routine- Part 1

Did you experience a major beauty meltdown these past few days with temperatures hovering around a delightfully humid 90 degrees? Maybe your normal moisturizer just felt like it was sitting on your skin, perhaps mascara was running down your cheeks or your hair seemed to be either ever expanding into a weird triangular shape ( this is me) or completely plastered to your forehead?

Don't worry- you are not alone!  Most people need to make modifications to their fall/winter/spring beauty, hair and skin care routines to survive the dog days of summer heat and humidity.  Here are a few tips to help keep you gorgeous through the season of sundresses and shorts!

Part 1-Skincare:  

• You already put an SPF of 30 on your face and body everyday,regardless of season, right?!?!  If not, you must start ASAP! Sun damage is THE leading cause of aging as it does everything from cause fine lines to hyper pigmentation to loss of firmness, not to mention SKIN CANCER.  I know, I know most people (myself included) feel like they look better with a tan but FAKE it! There are some amazing, non orangey self tanners out there that give you the same result minus the damage- more on those later.
• I cannot use the same cleansers in the summer that I do other months of the year or I would be nothing more than a icky, zitty goo pile.  I switch from using cream and balm cleansers to a gel one, preferably one with some salicylic acid in it to beat the inevitable summer breakouts. However, no matter what the season, I always cleanse with my Clarisonic Pro Face Brush
• Same goes with serums and moisturizers.  For a serum, I like to use something with Retinol since I can't always use it in dryer months.  For a moisturizer, I switch from a cream to a lightweight lotion with an SPF.
• For eyes, in the morning I use my Clarisonic Opal and then pat on a lightweight cream or gel that absorbs quickly and won't sweat down in my eye later.  In the evening, I use my heavier eye cream.
• Exfoliation, masks, treatments etc- In addition to using my Clarisonic daily, I increase the frequency that I use my SOMME Institute Transport pads (again, those pesky summer breakouts) and like to do a clarifying mask once a week

 My favorite products: 

• Sunscreens: Peter Thomas Roth Uber Dry or Somme Institute Double Defense for face, Coppertone Sport Spray for body
• Cleansers: Peter Thomas Roth Beta Hydroxy 2% Acne Wash, REN Mayblossom and Blue Gel Cleanser
• Serums: Peter Thomas Roth Laser Free Resurfacer in the morning, Peter Thomas Roth Retional Fusion PM, Neo Cutis Blanche or Clinique Even Better Clinical for spot pigmentation issues, Clarisonic Opal or Rodial Snake Serum Pen for line spot treatments
• Moisturizers: NARS Balancing Moisture Lotion, Peter Thomas Roth Retional Fusion AM with SPF 30, Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion with SPF 30
• Eyes: Clarisonic OPAL, NARS Nourishing Eye Cream, Rodial Glamtox Eye Light with SPF 15, Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Eye, Garnier Anti-Puff Eye Roller
• Treatments and other fun stuff: Somme Institute Transport Pads ( a gentle, non-abrasive Gycolic Acid exfoliant), Karuna Brightening or Exfoliating Masks, NARS Brightening Serum

A Color Story

Summer is the perfect time to branch out and experiment with new makeup, scents, skincare and  that you may not have even considered in the doldrums of winter.  And after the super extended winter that went into a super rainy spring with no break, now that summer is finally here, who doesn't need a little pick me up?

Some of our personal Preen favorites are:

• Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Nectar
• Hourgloss Illume Bronzer Duo in Sunset
• NARS Eye Shadow Duos in Exotic Dance and Dogon
• NARS Laguna Body Illuminator 
• NARS Nail Polish in Dovima
• Somme Institute Double Defense SPF 30 Suncreen
• Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Moisturizer with SPF 30
• Skin An Apothecary Aquamarine Soy Body Whip and Salt Glow
• Olivina Meyer Lemon Soap and Body Butter
• Hermes Un Jardin collection of fragrances
• Tocca Fragrances
• Oribe Dry Texture Spray

 Stop in today to get your perfect welcome summer pick-me-up!